Carol Peck's Woodbury Restaurant is Voted on for 'Overall Excellence'

Woodbury chef and owner of the popular restaurant says for her, cooking is a passion. "I do it as a passion. A lot of people do it as a job," said Carol Peck, who has run the innovative organic eatery for 18 years.

The readers of Connecticut Magazine's Reader's Choice: Best Restaurants 2012 took notice, voting for her restaurant in the top category: "Best Overall Excellence," for Litchfield County.

Her restaurant was also voted for multiple times in other categories, including best vegetarian, best desserts and best American. And another, more casual restaurant she opened recently, called Zeeburger, also won for best new eatery.

Peck said she thinks people keep coming back because the food is always consistent and she has a great crew who have been with her a long time. She also buys fresh and organic when possible. "We're not buying mayonaise out of a jar. I don't settle for second best," she said.

Even though her restaurant offers meat selections, it's popular among vegetarians because she does vegetables well, she said. "I think a lot of people appreciate we work on that," she said.

Other restaurants that won include Ondine and Mezon in Danbury; and in Newtown; Sake in Southbury; and in Monroe.