Charles Koh
SEATTLE— It is a man’s world…or so the song goes, and in professional kitchens, men definitely out number the women chefs. Well, in her new book, New York journalist, Charlotte Druckman, is doing her part to shine the spotlight on the fantastic women cooking today.
Skirt Steak: Women Chefs on Standing the Heat and Staying in the Kitchen, is an in-depth, behind-the-scenes tell-all about the lives of women chefs told through the voices of more than 100 of the best and brightest women cooking today. These are female chefs performing culinary and domestic high wire acts: juggling sharp knives, battering heat, bruising male egos, and working endless hours, often while raising small children and living from paycheck to paycheck.
Two of the hard working chefs that share their story with Druckman are Seattle’s own Ericka Burke of Volunteer Park Cafe and Melissa Nyffeler of Dinette. Pretty cool.
On Sunday, September 30, Burke and Nyffeler are combining their talents and creativity and throwing a dinner at Volunteer Park Cafe celebrating the release of Skirt Steak.
Dinner begins at 6pm and cost is $75/person. Cost includes dinner, wine, and a copy of Skirt Steak. Reservations are required. Please call the cafe at 206.328.3155 or book online at www.alwaysfreshgoodness.com.
Guests can look forward an interactive evening with Druckman, Burke, and Nyffeler – and all three ladies are happy to sign copies of Skirt Steak.
Dinner will be a four-course, locally sourced family-style meal. Think: Homemade Flat Bread with Formage Blanc, Caramelized Walla Walla Sweet Onions, and Fresh Figs; Pickled Vegetables; Summer Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes, Corn, Green Beans, Cucumber, and Fresh Herbs with Red Wine Vinaigrette; Roasted Leg of Lamb with Fennel, Olives and Mint; and Pavlova with Lemon Cream, Stone Fruit and Summer Berries.
A portion of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to Wellspring Family Services in support of their Children’s Programs. To learn more or to make a donation, visit http://family-services.org
Charlotte Druckman is a journalist who writes for various publications including the New York Times T magazine, Travel + Leisure, and regular features for the Wall Street Journal. She is co-founder of Food52’s Tournament of Cookbooks, and lives in New York City.
Located among the elegant homes of Seattle’s North Capitol Hill, Volunteer Park Cafe (VPC) is the quintessential neighborhood-meeting place. With mismatched vintage chairs, throw pillows tossed along banquets, and a communal table running the length of the inviting sunlit room – it’s the perfect place to spend time. The food is delicious home-style goodness, house made pastries, savory and sweet, and a selection of fresh salads, soups, and sandwiches provide daytime provisions ordered from friendly faces behind the counter. As the light dims and the candles are lit, table service begins and guests cozy in for rustic pizzas and ever-changing seasonal offerings like Braised Beef Brisket with Creamy Polenta and Greens, Pan Seared Halibut, or the heavenly Pot Pie. VPC offers a generous selection of boutique wines by the glass and bottles of wine can be enjoyed at the cafe or taken to go. VPC is open Tuesday – Friday from 7am – 4:30pm, weekends from 8am – 4:30pm, and dinner is served Tuesday – Saturday from 5:30pm – 9pm. For more information, call 206.328.3155 or visit www.alwaysfreshgoodness.com.
Volunteer Park Cafe is located at 1501 17th Avenue East (at Galer) in Seattle, Washington.
