Life
Ethan was born in Burbank, California, but soon moved to Central Utah at the age of four.
In Utah Ethan developed his culinary prowess from a young age, cooking for his family of nine on a near daily basis. By 12 Ethan had his heart set on being a chef, and, with the support of his parents, he enrolled in the Mountainland Applied Technology College Culinary Program at age 15. The minimum age was 16 for this program but that did not stop the would-be Chef trying anyway. Apparently nobody noticed, making him the youngest Culinary student ever enrolled in the school. He quickly was recruited for the school’s catering company as well as working the line at a small fine dining French restaurant in Provo, Utah.
work
At 18 Ethan Became Sous Chef at Black Sheep Cafe in Orem, Utah. Here he first experienced the challenge of management as well as maintaining a kitchen. Soon after, he moved to Salt Lake City where he spent two years working as a Sous Chef under Chef Tyler Stokes at Provisions. This was where Ethan developed his leadership abilities and culinary style. Provisions was named Utahs best restaurant soon after.
At 21 Ethan briefly lived in Bend, Oregon, working at award-winning 5 Fusion before finding his home in Portland. Ethan has continued to work and develop his leadership skills at restaurants such as Lechon, Jacquline, and Coopers Hall. In 2020 Ethan Began the YouTube channel “What The Food!?!?” with producer Jesse Newell. The pandemic forced temporary production postponement. Following safety regulations and participant vaccinations, filming resumed and they were able to finish the season. Ethan was involved in every single aspect of his channel including, recipe development, crew management and funding it with his modest line cook wages.
Ethan now lives with his loving partner making delicious food and juggling many projects.
He can be found cooking for the people he loves or in his garden.
Leadership style
Ethan believes that the pinnacle of leadership is being an educator. Most culinary schools don’t provide students with the tools to be successful in the restaurant industry, so the only true education is provided by on the job experience.
To be a good educator, a chef needs to communicate clearly and consistently. Poor communication or lack of follow-through are to be avoided at all cost.
A good educator must create an environment where those under their care are comfortable being vulnerable and honest.
A good educator must care about the people they work with, showing gratitude for the work and time that is given to them and investing in both their professional and personal life.
Most importantly, a good educator must not lead by their ego. The reward of creating a safe, creative, and healthy environment is a truly valuable thing that can only be created for a community, not a single individual.
“Trust is earned in the smallest of moments. It is earned not through heroic deeds, or even highly visible actions, but through paying attention, listening, and gestures of genuine care and connection.” -Brené Brown
Guiding Principles & Philosophies
- At the end of the day food only matters because people matter - don't burn yourself out
- The end result is more important than the process
- Leadership is a support position (*mentor management, support growth)
- Knowledge is not complete until you teach it to somebody else (Yomatsu)
- Anyone can cook
- The brigade system is outdated
- Nobody is immune to criticism
- There is no shame in not knowing
- Waste is a sin
- There is no good excuse for keeping a toxic person around
- Bad or unhealthy behaviors will not be glorified, fetishized, or used as a status symbol
- Success is not a zero-sum game - we celebrate each other's personal and professional achievements
- We are here for food, not ego
- Being an asshole is no way to get results
- No food shaming
- You cannot demand respect, only earn it
- Failure is not a dirty word
- Kitchens can be an excellent career choice for the neurodivergent - we work to understand each other's ways of thinking and comprehending
"Daring leadership is ultimately about serving other people, not ourselves"