15 Questions with Chef Renee Erickson
Name
Chef Renee Erickson
Occupation
Chef, Author, and Owner of Sea Creatures Concepts
Bio
Renee Erickson is one of the country’s most acclaimed chefs. As the owner of Sea Creatures Concepts, a restaurant group that includes The Whale Wins, Walrus & Carpenter, Barnacle Bar, Bar Melusine, Bateau, and General Porpoise Doughnut & Coffee, Chef Erickson shares her love of the Pacific Northwest, and has single-handedly transformed her hometown into one of the most exciting places to dine in the country.
Erickson has established a refined yet casual style that honors and appreciates simple beauty, and can be enjoyed at any of her restaurants or at home through her cookbook: “A Boat, A Whale & A Walrus: Menus and Stories.”
Why Seattle?
Seattle is home. Always has been.
Could you live anywhere else?
I think I could live in other spots, [I’m] just not sure how I can at this time. I dream plenty with part-time living in Normandy, South of France, and Rome. For now, I will happily travel all I can.
What inspires you?
My staff. I learn so much from them and feel so proud. Watching how they work and seeing how they create – their passion for excellence is truly inspiring.
What’s your earliest food memory?
I have lots of memories eating fish and chips at Spuds – sitting outside on the round fiberglass tables trying to keep the seagulls away from my chips.
Current restaurant crush.
Spring [in London]. Amazing space, elegant, yet classic, food. Just right in my mind.
Best ice cream in Seattle?
Kurt Farm Shop! No question.
Late-night food of choice?
Cacio e pepe at home.
Favorite travel destination (and restaurant there)?
I have many favorites, including London and Rome. Spring (London), St. John Smithfield (London), Antico al Forno (Rome), Roscioli (Rome) are some of my favorites.
Secret guilty pleasure?
Not-so-secret rosé and potato chips.
Everyday go-to…
Pizza and salad at Delancey with my husband, Dan.
Favorite Seattle restaurants right now?
Bar Melusine, The Whale Wins, Upper Bar Ferdinand, Marmite, Little Uncle.
Best local desserts?
Molly’s cookie at Delancey and Essex, Canele at Bar Melusine (with Skippers dark rum!), really anything from Amandine Bakeshop, peanut butter cookie from Dahlia Bakery, and strawberry ice cream from Kurt Farm Shop.
Must-visit cocktail locales?
Barnacle Bar, Foreign National, Stateside, Essex, and Canlis.
Best burgers?
Bateau, Bar Melusine, Essex, Bramling Cross, and Palace Burger.
Top 5 Restaurants for visitors?
Walrus & Carpenter, Spinasse, Maneki, Delancey, and Upper Bar Ferdinand.
