Character Q&A: Kelli Sutherland

We’re outside Bellyful, the Caribbean-African fusion bistro owned by Kelli’s best friend, Serenity Payne. The air smells like spice and comfort. Jerk chicken, plantains, and warm patties wafting through the open windows. It’s midafternoon in Rose Hill, New York, a town that feels like Manhattan and a small village blended together… skyscrapers towering above rows of mom-and-pop shops, coffeehouses, and boutiques lining cobblestone side streets.

Kelli Sutherland, Bellyful’s manager, is on her break, insisting we sit outside on the bench across the street from the bistro. The crisp autumn air carries the faint sound of laughter from a nearby café terrace, and the trees lining the block are painted in shades of gold, orange, and brown.

“Look at these leaves,” Kelli says, her gaze softening as the wind sweeps a few across our feet. “Rose Hill is beautiful all seasons of any year, but in the autumn? Unmatched.”

She’s relaxed but alert, her energy grounded in gratitude and joy. Between managing the bistro and building her new business, Kelli’s clearly in her element… content, but still evolving.