CREATIVE KIRKLAND

Tell us about your Kirkland background.
I opened Café Juanita in April of 2000, so I’ve been in business in Kirkland over ten years now. (I live in Shoreline.) The space became available. In some ways, it was worrisome, because restaurants at the time weren’t doing very well on the Eastside. But people were saying, "I’m so glad I don’t have to go to Seattle" – and that’s what we’ve seen over ten years. And now we have Seattleites who come out, so I feel like a bit of an ambassador for the people who are foodies who don’t want to come to the Eastside. I think we have been part of the creative gentrification, and particularly from the standpoint of restaurants, over the last ten years. Kirkland, Bellevue, and Bothell – guests from all those areas – feel lucky to have a nationally known restaurant in their backyard.

What do you enjoy about Kirkland that has not changed over the years?
The downtown still feels the same to me. It has a California-like feel to it. It’s different from any other place in the Seattle area; it feels very connected to that waterfront.

What do you find special about being a chef in Kirkland?
We see more Europeans, which works well for me and my food. It’s an international and eclectic mix of people who come here.

What do you find unique about working in Kirkland, in general?
I love having the water in the background. We’ve got Juanita Creek in the back; it goes through our garden. I can see some of the water right now. All too often in the city, you feel landlocked, and cement-locked. I like that it feels a little more rural here, but there are still great hotels for guests visiting from out of town. I just wish there was a marina where people could moor at Juanita Beach – that would be perfect for us.