Can you tell us about Pesto & Potatoes? When did you start it? What inspired you?
Pesto & Potatoes was born out of my life-long love of cooking and bringing people together around food. I grew up in the Midwest and was surrounded by homecooked meals and what I call occasion food. Any holiday, birthday or special day was marked with food that has created years of lasting memories.
I started posting photos of what I was eating on Instagram to keep myself accountable during a round of Whole30. My friends and co-workers were asking for my recipes, but I didn’t have recipes … I just cooked with my heart. So, in 2018, I made the decision to start writing down how I was making my favorite dishes and created the Pesto & Potatoes page on Instagram. Things started growing from there.
What drew you to Labour Temple and how has being part of this community supported your organization’s goals?
My work in the world of real estate marketing connected me to the ownership team of Labour Temple, and I was fortunate enough to collaborate on the project through branding and building identification. My work played a small part in what the building has become, but I’ve always stayed close to the team.
I hosted a Pride launch party for Pesto & Potatoes at 2800 1st Avenue, and this January I developed a special menu of mocktails for Wednesday happy hour events. A big part of what I hope to do through Pesto & Potatoes is build community and bring people together. Labour Temple continues to be a part of that story.
What’s a current project or what are you most excited about that is coming up for you?
I just redesigned and launched an updated website at pestoandpotatoes.com, which was a major upgrade. There are so many new projects in the works, but I’m most excited about my latest series – Pantry Pull – featuring a series of recipes inspired by shopping your own pantry. It’s bringing me back to my personal mission of bringing people together around food, getting in the kitchen and making a satisfying meal from what’s on hand.
What’s your most favorite meal to make?
Before moving to Seattle, I spent a few years living in South Louisiana. I started making Seafood Gumbo and learned the techniques and intricacies of Cajun and Creole cooking. As such, I love to make foods with those flavors. While I love a good Seafood Gumbo, my favorite weeknight option is Shrimp Creole or even Crawfish Etouffée.
