As co-owner and operator of Highlands Bar & Grill, Pardis focuses on front-of-house operations. Her influence and charm are evident from the moment you walk into the restaurant. Her attention to detail and warm welcome make Highlands so inviting. "Without her, the Highlands is not the Highlands," Frank told The New York Times in 2013.
She grew up in Birmingham, amid the inviting, food-centric culture of her Persian family. Food and gracious hospitality are important aspects in both Southern and Persian cultures. When she is not in the restaurants, Pardis enjoys gardening at the nearby farm she shares with Frank. The couple, married since 1995, are active in their community and have a passion for the bounty, beauty, and sophistication of the South, evident in each of their Birmingham restaurants.
Pardis is on the board of directors for the TumTum Tree Foundation; a board member of Pepper Place Farmers Market, named one of the 10 best farmers markets in the South by Deep South magazine; a founding member of the Birmingham chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International; and a former board member of the Southern Foodways Alliance. She remains active in the SFA and is passionate about their mission to document and celebrate the diverse food cultures of the American South. Pardis also volunteers for Jones Valley Teaching Farm, a community-based, non-profit teaching farm in the heart of downtown Birmingham.