While Anna McCoy enjoys Catch 110’s whole menu, she especially recommends the jumbo lump crab cakes.
“There are no fillers, frills or extras,” says McCoy, the Biloxi restaurant’s general manager, “just panko, Old Bay and jumbo lump meat.”
Another favorite for the Coast native is the smoked cherry barbecue pork belly, which is served on a bed of five-cheese jalapeno polenta. Since opening last November, Catch 110 has earned glowing reviews from diners and critics alike, who describe their experience there as “exceptional” and “a delight.”
And while guests are cleaning their plates, McCoy is drawing on her 12 years of experience with Gulf Coast Restaurant Group to ensure its newest eatery runs smoothly.
“We want to have great food with authentic service to create something that is memorable for days to come,” McCoy says. “We try to use all of our tools we have at hand to help create the perfect dinner and experience for our guests.”
A PASSION FOR HOSPITALITY
McCoy began her career at Catch 110’s sister restaurant, Half Shell Oyster House. While she was attending the University of Southern Mississippi, a New Half shell opened nearby.
“I was very familiar with the brand from living on the Coast and decided to try it out,” McCoy recalls. “Prior to working at Half Shell, I had never worked at a restaurant before.”
After working there throughout college. she became a certified opening trainer — traveling to assist new stores as they launched. Eventually, she transferred back to the Coast and became a key manager and later was trained as a front-of-house manager, a kitchen manager, an assistant general manager and general manager.
After commuting from Ocean Springs to Mobile, Alabama, for five years to run the Half Shell there, coming to Catch 110 gave McCoy the chance to return to South Mississippi as a key player in an exciting new concept.
“My company was truly an extension of my family,” she says, noting that she met her husband, Matthew McCoy, when they were both servers at Half Shell. “I grew with them, essentially, and throughout the years, they have helped to mold me into the type of person and manager I am today.”
More than just being a good manager, McCoy wants to be an effective leader.
“My goal is to always make sure I remain fair but true to myself,” McCoy says. “I always want us to have fun without losing sight of what our goals for the day may be.”
NO TWO DAYS ARE THE SAME
One of McCoy’s biggest challenges as general manager is balancing long-term planning and growth with day-to-day operations. Her role requires a knack for solving problems quickly, as well as attention to detail and solid people skills, both in dealing with staff and customers.
The ever-changing nature of a restaurant, meaning that no two days are the same, is a main reason why McCoy loves her job. But on the flip side, each new day can pose a fresh challenge.
“My best advice is to set yourself a goal and show up every single day seeking ways to improve and master the goal,” she says. “I wanted to become a general manager at a very young age, so coming to work daily to try to outdo myself from the day before was how I was able to align my goals and create steppingstones for myself to achieve them.”
THE CATCH 110 EXPERIENCE
Of all the responsibilities McCoy takes seriously, she especially strives to impress every Catch 110 guest. When diners enter the restaurant, they are greeted with a warm, welcoming atmosphere and immersed in a contemporary, nautical vibe.
The restaurant takes particular pride in serving unique dishes, like elk tenderloin with a blackberry balsamic reduction. Those craving seafood staples like lobster can pick their own from a tank to be steamed.
“We want everything to be as fresh as possible; we want our food to taste like you have a spot at our dining room table that leaves you coming back for more” McCoy says.
“We want everything to be as fresh as possible; we want our food to taste like you have a spot at our dining room table that leaves you coming back for more” McCoy says. “We love taking coastal classics and putting a fresh new spin on them that makes you think, ‘Hmmm, I wouldn’t have thought of that, but I love it!’”
LEADING WITH VISION
McCoy has good news for Catch 110 fans: The restaurant is aiming to offer brunch in the coming months.
“And from the looks of our tester menu, it will be new fresh brunch items our guests will not want to miss out on,” she says. “I hope that we take this new concept and become such a staple on the Coast that we have the ability to open one more — so everyone has the chance to try us out.”
While she’s thrilled that Catch 110 is such a hit, McCoy is most proud of setting an example for her sons — 2-year-old Ryland age 2 and 8-year-old Jaxon. For the wife and mom, success isn’t just about personal accomplishments.
“I want my boys to be able to look at me and know that you can achieve anything you put your mind and effort into,” she adds.
MORE THAN A MEAL
McCoy’s career has shown her that serving food is far more than just taking an order and cooking the meal; it involves engaging with guests and making them feel comfortable and welcome.
Someone recently remarked on how much fun she seemed to be having talking to her all of her “friends” at the tables. In truth, she was chatting with diners she had just met — but McCoy took it as a compliment.
“The joy of being in this business is having people from all over come in and have their experiences shared with you,” she says. “Seeing people enjoy our food and our service in the way that they do at Catch 110 feels like we are honoring the Southern coastal hospitality that we all know and love.”