the whale wins, seattle

Chef Renee Erickson is known throughout Seattle for her small restaurant empire, Sea Creatures. Though she might be most well known for The Walrus and the Carpenter, which is right up the street from La Marzocco’s Ballard headquarters, it’s The Whale Wins where coffee takes center stage. The James Beard Award-winning restaurant is an equal parts cafe, larder, bar, and restaurant, where a rustic wood-fired oven is the main source of heat for the kitchen, and classic European-inspired fare gets a Northwest twist.

“I lean toward old-fashioned food, simply because the classics exist for a reason; they’re warming and comforting and dependably delicious,” says Chef Erickson

We were lucky enough to stop by during their prep time to capture the moments that staff stopped by for coffee. With a full espresso bar equipped with a bright pink Strada EP, staff will ask the on-site barista for their pre-shift coffee while they get prepared for dinner service.

Chef Erickson recently added a Linea Mini to her home kitchen, as well, so she could continue to fuel her creativity as she works on painting and recipe creation.

“Overall, I love that coffee and espresso have played a constant important role in my life over the years, from my early days at UW in the School of Art to now, where I look forward to starting my day with a cappuccino and really focus on what’s next,” says Chef Erickson.

The custom Strada is a hallmark of Sea Creatures restaurants, with similar models also appearing at the restaurant group’s donut concept, General Porpoise.

Coffee time is sacred at The Whale Wins, however, as the open kitchen and full coffee counter create the perfect atmosphere for the staff to gather and connect. It’s these times before service that build creative opportunities for the restaurant—fueled by espresso, members of the entire restaurant group get a chance to discuss new ideas while preparing for guests to arrive.

What’s important to Chef Erickson is that coffee gets the same attention as every other aspect of the restaurant: “If you’re in hospitality and working in restaurants and you care about how people experience your place, you want the end to be just as delicious as the beginning, the middle, and all the things.”