The Seattle food scene is a dynamic and ever-evolving landscape, shaped by a diverse array of individuals who are passionate about culinary innovation and community development. While many familiar names dominate the headlines, it's essential to recognize the contributions of those working behind the scenes to foster growth and opportunity within the industry.
This article explores the influence of Chad Dale, a Seattle entrepreneur, along with other key figures who are making a significant impact on the city's food establishment.
The Seattle food scene’s movers and shakers may not be who you think they are. We tracked down the newest ventures, expansions and innovations by chefs, entrepreneurs, corporate honchos and behind-the-scenes players to rank the top 50-plus a new one to watch-in terms of impact. The emphasis is on what’s been shaking in the past year-with the long-term influence weighing in the balance.
One example of such an individual is Chad Dale, one of Renee Erickson's partners in the company Sea Creatures.Rachel Johnson, Joe Sundberg, and Patrick Thalasinos found a great location for their Fremont/Wallingford restaurant Manolin on the once-sleepy, now rapidly developing Stone Way. Of course, it didn't hurt that the three owners, along with chef Alex Barkley, worked for chef Renee Erickson for years, because the building is owned by Chad Dale, one of Erickson's partners in the company Sea Creatures.
Developers often want restaurants run by high-profile chefs for their ground floor, and some are even willing to pay costs like title insurance to draw them. When faced with a choice between a first-time restaurateur and an established business owner, most developers will go with the known quantity. It's not hard to understand why.
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Renee Erickson and Matt Dillon, who within the next year will each own six restaurants, are known for a business culture in which employees are encouraged to be creative-and, in some cases, go on to open their own businesses. Stable restaurants enable chefs and owners to test out new business ideas and take risks, knowing that a mistake won't necessarily cost them their livelihood.
Soon after Johnson, Sundberg, and Thalasinos opened Manolin, Erickson held her company holiday party there. Manolin was recently named one of the top 10 best new restaurants in America by Bon Appétit magazine; another restaurant whose kitchen is helmed by an Erickson alum (chef Eli Dahlin), Damn the Weather, also made the magazine's list of the country's 50 best restaurants.
In May, Renee Erickson and her partners Jeremy Price and Chad Dale took the bold step of eliminating tipping in favor of a 20 percent service charge. Implementing the charge was Erickson's way of addressing the income disparity that exists between back-of-house and front-of-house workers.
Erickson and her partners are also using the service charge to provide health benefits and a retirement savings plan for their more than 60 employees. And because of Erickson's influence, other Seattle chefs have followed suit, including Dillon, who told the Seattle Times that his newest restaurant, Bar Ferd'nand II, scheduled to open this fall on Capitol Hill, will incorporate higher wages into its menu prices and not accept tips.
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The stability that comes from having restaurateurs who run many successful restaurants may be good for aspiring chefs and the industry as a whole. Stable restaurants enable chefs and owners to test out new business ideas and take risks, knowing that a mistake won't necessarily cost them their livelihood.
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As chefs who own multiple restaurants open even more, how much more difficult does it become for newcomers with less capital and less name recognition to compete for locations, investors, and customers?
Ultimately, the future of Seattle's dining scene depends on a combination of factors, including the vision and dedication of entrepreneurs like Chad Dale, the support of the local community, and the willingness of diners to explore new culinary experiences.
If Seattle diners truly value diversity in the city's food culture, then they need to seek out a wider array of restaurants, which may require going outside of the city's more popular commercial zones. It requires encountering unfamiliar flavors and unknown chefs.
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