job with benefits to try again and open Eat Good Cafe , then Wandering Table and Yards , and what we now call Eat Good Group Restaurants .
WHY SPOKANE ? More accurately , what got me to come back and stay ? I loved the pace and quality of life in the Inland Northwest but there just wasn ’ t a food scene or many good restaurants — a few stops and starts of a food scene , but it never really flourished . I always wanted my own restaurant or small cafe but didn ’ t know if it would happen in Spokane . I thought of moving to Portland or Seattle but didn ’ t like the traffic , pace of life , etc . and I decided to stay in Spokane and try to see what I could do here . One day , many moons ago , a group of chefs ( and a couple of food writers ) decided to collaboratively push the culinary movement forward . We asked ourselves “ Why can ’ t Spokane ’ s food scene match Portland ? What stops us from doing that ?” So , we all decided to do our own thing to add to the scene . I did a pop-up / underground restaurant called Wandering Table , which was kind of trendy in New York , Chicago , and Seattle , traveling around doing twelve-course , 20 to 30-person dinners in random locations . This helped me hone my skills and my cuisine style plus giving me some great opportunities to meet people .
The potential in the area is crazy right now . It ’ s essentially the Wild West and you have an open slate to decide what your future looks like , to help shape this community for our future and our kid ’ s future . You can still open a new business with almost no money and have a great chance at succeeding .
INSPIRATION This is constantly evolving . I read every cookbook I can get my hands on . f I travel as much as I can and eat out all the time , looking for new ideas and inspirations . Ultimately though , I love food and serving people . I always have . I love meeting people and being a part of their lives , whether it ’ s customers , vendors , farmers , producers , brewers , or employees ; it ’ s always so interesting how we are all connected by food . It ’ s also amazing that people share those lives with us , and we get to be a part of their stories . That itself inspires me to keep going , creating , and is inspirational for everything I do .
Octopus Baba
30 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE