Lela Lucht Chat
- WM: Where did you grow up?
- Lela: In Sandpoint, Idaho. Beautiful lake and ski resort. Plenty of outdoor activities.
- WM: What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Lela: I was always changing my mind. Everything from a scientist to an elementary ed teacher.
- WM: What was your favorite meal as a kid?
- Lela: My dad used to make us this omelet that had cream cheese, tomato, carrot and spinach with a little dash of soy sauce at the end. I loved that omelet!
- WM: When was the last time you ate that?
- Lela: Last week
- WM: How many years have you been a server?
- Lela: I had my first serving job 14 years ago. I've stepped away from the industry a few times to try other jobs and use my degree but I always come back.
- WM: How did that happen?
- Lela: I love the industry. I love the hours, I love the excitement, I love the energy of it all.
- WM: Where do you eat out in Seattle?
- Lela: One of my favorite restaurants is Lark. I also like Harvest Vine, Lecosho, Boat Street Cafe.
- WM: What do you order?
- Lela: I like to share and try as many things as possible so usually a wide variety of the menu.
- WM: Who do you spend the most time with each day?
- Lela: I feel so blessed to have many wonderful people in my life and I try to spend as much time with them as possible.
- WM: What do you do?
- Lela: Try to get on the water as much as possible. In the winter there was skiing and spa days. Now that the weather is nicer lots of out door runs around Green Lake.
- WM: What's the one thing about your job that makes you smile?
- Lela: When I'm serving a table I really connect with and we have all have a great time together. A good table can really make your night.
- WM: What's one thing about your job you wish was different?
- Lela: When there is super high tension over something incredibly trivial.
- WM: One word to describe your life today?
- Lela: Blessed.
Leah Meltzer Chat
- WM: Where did you grow up?
- Leah: I am from Medical Lake, WA.
- WM: What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Leah: An architect.
- WM: What was your favorite meal as a kid?
- Leah: Homemade Mac & Cheese with green peas on the side which of course ended up in the mac.
- WM: When was the last time you ate that?
- Leah: I definitely had Mac & Cheese in the past year but the two in combo with the peas...it's been way too long.
- WM: How did you end up in the wine business?
- Leah: I was working at Victrola and won the owners of Bottlehouse over with my charming customer service. Turned out my good friend was already working for them and another was in process of helping them with their upcoming wedding.
- WM: Where do you eat out in Seattle?
- Leah: Usually on the hill somewhere. Smith and Coastal Kitchen get me for breakfast. Most of the time I'm an eggs, bacon and potatoes kind of gal. I'm a sucker for some syrup. Working nights prohibits me from eating dinner out often but when I do I like to mix it up. I'm also not very picky and love bar food which is usually my only option at 11pm. Barrio, Paquitos, Cha Cha...I'm sensing a trend here.
- On my days off, I usually cook dinner at home and have people over.
- WM: Who do you spend the most time with each day?
- Leah: I try to find time each day to see my boyfriend, which includes him bringing his laptop/work to Bottlehouse just so we can see one another in person. I have various coffee dates with folks through the week as well but I'd have to say my good friend Taryn wins the prize on this one. She has a job that allows us to hang most mornings so we take walks, have coffee, make jewelry, go shopping...we do a lot. Just depends on the day.
- WM: What's the one thing about your job that makes you smile?
- Leah: I'm a helper and a doer. I like to move fast and work on my feet. When I get to do those things and create a positive moment for my customers that, makes me very happy
- WM: What's one thing about your job you wish was different?
- Leah: When I want more money and less time working...vacationing a lot sounds lovely.
- WM: One word to describe your life today?
- Leah: Joyful.
Dale Pittman Chat
- WM: Where did you grow up?
- Dale: I am from Anchorage, Alaska.
- WM: What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Dale: I have always known I wanted to own my own restaurant someday and I am still working on that dream.
- WM: What was your favorite meal as a kid?
- Dale: Lasagna!
- WM: When was the last time you ate that?
- Dale: We still eat it all the time and I have gotten pretty good at making it from scratch at home!
- WM: How long have you been in the restaurant business?
- Dale: My mom was a waitress so I grew up in the industry. I started bussing before I was legally allowed. I have been a fine-dining server for over 10 years. I just finished my first year as a manager.
- WM: Where do you eat out in Seattle?
- Dale: Any place kid friendly, usually in Ballard.
- WM: What do you order?
- Dale: I love everything at Plaka Estiatorio, especially the octopus gyro.
- WM: Who do you spend the most time with each day?
- Dale: Split evenly between Revel and my two sons—either way, its hard work, messy and a lot of fun!
- WM: What's the one thing about your job that makes you smile?
- Dale: Great food and making people happy!
- WM: What's one thing about your job you wish was different?
- Dale: Rainy days, Yelp reviews, and pictures of Caribbean beaches.
- WM: One word to describe your life today?
- Dale: Awesome.
Velton Ross Chat
- WM: Where did you grow up?
- Velton: Myrtle Creek, Oregon
- WM: What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Velton: Mostly a writer, but standup comic and/or preacher were also considered.
- WM: What was your favorite meal as a kid?
- Velton: Venison! We seemed to always have a lot of it.
- WM: When was the last time you ate that?
- Velton: A year ago at Christmas time when back visiting family.
- WM: How long have you been a coffee roaster?
- Velton: I’ve been roasting for over a decade now with 22 years in the coffee industry total.
- WM: How did you end up in Seattle?
- Velton: In 1989 I moved to Seattle for college and got a part time job at an espresso cart. College went by the wayside but coffee, obviously, did not. My coffee career morphed from being a barista to roaster in 2001 when I became head roaster for Top Pot. I left there in 2007 to start Velton’s Coffee.
- WM: Where do you eat out in Seattle?
- Velton: We very rarely eat out, to be honest. Part of that is due to budgetary concerns but the wife and I also both enjoy cooking as well. When we do treat ourselves it’s usually to one of the many wonderful sushi restaurants Seattle has to offer.
- WM: What do you order?
- Velton: Miso soup, sautéed geoduck, ahi poke, an unagi roll of some kind, steamed bok choy, and sashimi. I like it all, though find uni to be disagreeable at times.
- WM: Who do you spend the most time with each day?
- Velton: Who do you spend the most time with each day? Currently I work long days and alone – so mostly me! I spend as much of my free time as possible with my wife and daughter, and try to squeeze some time in for friends and family as well.
- WM: What do you do together?
- Velton: We like to hang out in bookstores. We’re an exciting bunch.
- WM: What's the one thing about your job that makes you smile?
- Velton: Honestly, everything. My favorite part of the day though would have to be the actual production work. I find roasting coffee to be engaging yet calming, and often out-of-the-blue smile inducing. It’s my Zen time.
- WM: What's one thing about your job you wish was different?
- Velton: I sometimes look back on the good ol’ days of “getting a paycheck” with a vast amount of fondness. It’s on my list of things to do.
- WM: One word to describe your life today?
- Velton: Complete
Emran Chowdhury Chat
- WM: Where did you grow up?
- Emran: Toronto, Canada
- WM: What did you want to be when you grew up?
- Emran: A chef.
- WM: What was your favorite meal as a kid?
- Emran: Samosas. My mom just made me some a month and half ago.
- WM: How did you end up in Seattle?
- Emran: I moved here for this job at Cantinetta. A friend called and told me about it.
- WM: Where do you eat out in Seattle?
- Emran: How to Cook A Wolf. I order a whole selection of small plates and a bottle of wine. Always, a bottle of wine.
- WM: Who do you spend the most time with each day?
- Emran: It has to be Lorna, my sou chef.
- WM: What's the one thing about your job that makes you smile?
- Emran: A slammed Friday night rush. I love watching the food fly out.
- WM: What's one thing about your job you wish was different?
- Emran: Nothing. Actually, I wish there was more money in it. That's it.
- WM: One word to describe your life today?
- Emran: Blessed
