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Deb Green first perfected her cooking skills by making new dishes for dinner parties with friends and trying to “one-up” herself. It wasn’t long before that interest snowballed into a catering business, followed by managing the cafe at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, and finally opening her first restaurant, Madeleine’s Cafe, in 2007. She now co-owns two other local restaurants with her family, Casper Fry in Spokane’s South Perry District and Durkin’s Liquor Bar downtown, both participating in Inlander Restaurant Week this year.

GREEN: My philosophy is to make and serve good food. I believe you don’t need to use dozens of ingredients to make a stellar dish. Good food is also about providing a good environment for diners, one of excellent hospitality. In the end, that’s just as important as the food being served.

Our whole family loves to cook and share meals together — we can even get a bit competitive about it! — so, oftentimes we stay in and cook at home. However, when we do go out, we like to try to support other locally owned places.

The biggest challenge has been the financial aspect. We’re doing well, but we’re still not seeing that same pre-pandemic volume of people coming out to our restaurants, with the exception of Madeleine’s. Many people are still afraid to go out, which I don’t blame them for at all.

Another challenge has been being short staffed and having to close when we don’t have the people needed to operate. I currently have only about half the overall staff I used to have, split between the three restaurants. Throughout the pandemic we have tried our best to check in with staff, making sure they were getting the assistance they’re entitled to (unemployment, stimulus checks, etc.) and helped them however we could. The staff who have stuck it out, and our new hires, are all rock stars. They come in to work every day with a good attitude, and we cherish them.

Everyone who can will take advantage of outdoor dining spaces, because guests are, and will continue to be, more interested in dining when they can do so outdoors in fresh air.

I think the pandemic has also influenced some guests to be more compassionate toward restaurant staff. This industry is one of the toughest to be in, as well as being one of the hardest hit by COVID, and we haven’t recovered yet, but we’re looking out for one another as best we can. It’s a transient industry in general, with many people trying their hand at cooking or bartending while in school or working toward another career. But the pandemic forced many of those people to move on, and that’s been tough. However, going forward I think the industry will have more people in it who do this work because it’s what they truly enjoy and want to continue in. Smoked pork ribs at Durkin’s Liquor Bar

The Restaurant Week we were part of this summer was really hard to pull off because we were so short staffed. It’s a similar situation for this one, but it’s good to have the event back at its usual run time. We’re looking forward to seeing what our chefs put out, as we often find that items tried on the Restaurant Week menu really shine and tend to become part of our regular menu. It should be fun! 

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For Reannan Keene, cooking has always been a peaceful experience, one that encourages both thoughtfulness and patience. Keene, who started in the industry as a server at age 17, never imagined she’d open her own place one day, and certainly not during such chaotic times. But when she found herself unexpectedly laid off at the start of the pandemic, Keene says she felt the time was right to bring back that sense of peace she finds in cooking, so she opened Izzy’s Comfort Kitchen in September 2020. The Coeur d’Alene restaurant, which serves a Southern-inspired menu with gluten-free options, is named for Keene’s daughter Isabella, who passed away in 2011.

KEENE: Ultimately, I love cooking, it’s just a part of me. Being able to take bare ingredients and make them into a dish that you serve to someone, and they’re able to find pleasure or joy in eating, fulfills part of my soul.

Growing up, I learned sometimes you have to work with what you have, make something elegant from simple ingredients, and that’s become a cornerstone of my cooking. These past two years with supply or food shortages, and price increases, I’ve had to use that skill a lot, which can be frustrating but also exciting, like solving a puzzle. Another part of that puzzle has

been finding and perfecting gluten-free recipes for people like myself, who need to eat gluten-free. I’ve spent a lot of time bringing original or traditional flavors of a gluten dish to a gluten-free version, and being successful in that has been just wonderful.

I’ve always liked Alex Guarnaschelli, a celebrity chef I’ve followed for many years. She’s talented and competitive, but also just seems so humble. As a woman in this industry, there aren’t many other female chefs to look up to, and few that have her energy, so she’s one I really enjoy watching.

At the end of the day food is meant to sustain you, but you should also be able to enjoy it. At Izzy’s, I want customers to feel they can have something familiar or try something new, but whatever they choose, it’s going to add to their experience. The biggest thing for me is taking my time, being patient and just letting the food do its thing.

There are a couple things I find enjoyable, but a big one is the unspoken camaraderie between restaurants. I feel there’s a great deal of eagerness for people to support and encourage each other in the industry, especially in the wake of the pandemic. We’re connecting and communicating more with people who are going through similar challenges, and there’s a level of understanding and compassion that’s been great to see.

Mama’s Pot Roast at Izzy’s Comfort Kitchen

It is what it is. You can’t waste time and energy worrying about something you don’t have; instead you have to figure out how to work around it or without it. When we opened, there were some hurdles related to the pandemic and safety procedures, but these days it’s more about being able to pivot well. You just have to remember to just give yourself some grace and also extend that grace to your team members.

Definitely make a reservation, as that will guarantee you a space and helps us to plan ahead. Otherwise, I’d say just have fun and be excited, because we’re excited to have you here! 

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Seattle-based chef Ethan Stowell describes the act of cooking as being “right on the edge between craft and art” and considers himself fortunate to have grown his hobby into a career.

Stowell started working in the industry at a young age and opened his first restaurant in 2003. Today he serves as owner and CEO of the Ethan Stowell Restaurants group, which operates 18 different locations, the majority in Washington state. He says the company’s focus is on creating neighborhood restaurants that bring an approachable, “elevated casual” dining experience that encourages visitors to become regulars. Since last year, Stowell’s company has added two Spokane locations: Tavolàta across from Riverfront Park’s Numerica Skate Ribbon and Bosco Pasta and Panini in the historic Wonder Building.

STOWELL: I’m not that old, but I am one of the older folks on the culinary team, so from my perspective, it’s become more about encouraging others. A lot of the creative stuff comes from some of our younger guys, and I enjoy seeing them grow, and working to ensure they have the tools and freedom to make those choices and be suc-

Tavolàta’s rigatoni cessful. We stay up on current trends, but we don’t get too crazy chasing them. Mostly we follow the seasons, and stay on the lighter side of things, allowing guests to really taste the ingredients in a dish and leave satisfied but not overly full.

I’ve had a few mentors over the years, but mostly I’m self-trained. I’ve always been an avid reader and traveler, and I do think I’ve gained a lot of insight from travel particularly, visiting new places and seeing how different people engage with food.

I also really admire a lot of the people I work with, many of whom are creative chefs, who are diligent about running good operations and helping others to do their jobs well. Some of my heroes in the industry are those people who’ve helped teach me to engage more and become a better manager or boss.

What I love about events like Restaurant Week is the interaction and involvement with the community. It’s like a giant happy hour, where people get to try new things and just celebrate restaurants. It’s always exciting to bring new faces in and expose people to our dishes, because if they like it, you just know they’ll be back a second or third time.

I think the business model will shift, with more being done virtually and extended outdoor dining. In the past I think businesses have struggled with only doing what they can within their four walls, so doing more outside those walls is a healthy change.

As far as culture goes, the restaurant industry is becoming more professional, with workers being paid a bit better and people in general moving toward a better work-to-home life balance. All these little shifts will be meaningful for industry going forward.

In general, I’d remind people that staffing is still an issue in many places, so be patient and understanding with staff. Otherwise, the main thing is to just go out and have fun! Try new things, and support your neighborhood and local restaurants who need your business right now. 

Don’t miss this unforgettable concert as the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, a full choir and powerful soloists take you on a spectacular journey.

Photo Credit: Mike Rollins

Photo Credit: Kris Ugarizza

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