Chef Ericka Burke on Surviving in the Kitchen and Skipping the Ego
The Volunteer Park Cafe chef and owner will host her FareStart Guest Chef Night on April 21
By Lauren Mang April 4, 2016
This post is sponsored.
Sponsored by FareStart
Seattle’s Ericka Burke knows a thing or two about being at the helm of successful restaurants. In 1994, she opened the grab-and-go health food cafe Sweet Potato while living in New York and, after a mere six months, had expanded to three total locations. She served as executive chef at the now-shuttered Greenwood vegetarian eatery Carmelita (other talented chefs who ran that kitchen include Lark’s John Sundstrom). And in 2007, she dove into restaurant ownership yet again by launching Volunteer Park Cafe on Capitol Hill.
Most recently, Burke made headlines with her neighborhood cafe Chop Shop, along with its sibling spot Chop Shop Juice & Provisions inside the mixed-use food hall Chophouse Row.
Her extensive culinary career has led to plenty of experience with the ins and outs of working in a kitchen, a skill she likes to impart on the students she mentors and educates through her involvement with the culinary job training and placement program at FareStart.
“Guest Chef Night is not about me at all,” Burke says. “My philosophy is that it’s a glimpse into real life and hard work so I approach it in an ego-free way and take time to explain [things] and challenge the students.”
On Thursday, April 21, chef Burke will lead FareStart students in preparing a three-course meal for almost 300 diners at the downtown FareStart restaurant as part of its Guest Chef Night series. The menu will highlight seasonal eats such as local asparagus with whipped chevre, slow-roasted duck leg with spring veggies and a coconut panna cotta with sugared strawberries and basil. Make your reservations for the evening now.
1. How did you get involved with FareStart?
I was at Carmelita in the mid to late ’90s. As chefs, we get a lot of requests to do things and this is one that I always say yes to. It’s really rewarding and it’s great for us to get out of our element and influence other people’s lives. It’s something that I’m proud to do.
2. What is your favorite FareStart experience?
My first year ever doing Guest Chef Night, I was young and I was focusing on the entrees and the students were over-portioning the salads. Some of the chefs said “We’re out of salad!” So we had to borrow salad from a nearby restaurant.
3. How did you start cooking?
I started working in restaurants in the front of the house and got super into the food aspect and started cooking and throwing dinner parties. I was 23 years old when I opened my cafe (Sweet Potato) in Manhattan. I had no idea what I was doing.
4. How did you earn your first dollar?
Acting. I was in local plays in high school.
5. What is the best part of your job?
When you have a good team and you’re humming and in gear; it’s establishing a second family because it’s a team-oriented business.
6. The most challenging part?
That it is like a family.
7. What’s the key to surviving in the kitchen?
As I became older, I realized not to freak out. There’s lots of anxiety and pressure, but you have to be positive and go with the flow.
8. Name your three favorite places to eat out in Seattle right now.
Salare (Ravenna), Ma’Ono Fried Chicken & Whisky (West Seattle) and Nishino (Madison Park)
9. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
To create a network among purveyors and farmers and other chefs. The more we can support each other, the stronger we’ll be.
10. What one celebrity would you love to have dinner with?
Ice Cube. I love him. It would be a good night.