Meet our Seattle Chef, Liz Philpot!

We’re delighted to welcome Owner and Chef of Eat Seattle, Liz Philpot, as our host for our Holiday Gift Box: With love, Seattle. Liz grew up in Seattle, and combines elegant French techniques from her training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris with simple, high quality Pacific Northwest ingredients.   

How did you discover your passion for cooking?

My love for France sparked my curiosity for food and wine and the enjoyable process of making it. I moved to France when I was 19 years old to study at Le Cordon Bleu. During the 4 years I lived in Paris, I not only learned the traditional dishes but also immersed myself in understanding the environment food grows in and why small farming and craft artisans are important to our eco-system.

How did you start teaching others to cook?

As a child my Mom spoiled me; treating me to cooking classes for as long as I can remember. These food experiences allowed me to connect better with my Mom and the foodie strangers who attended. These fond memories shaped my journey.

In 2013, I quit my job and escaped to Europe for a full year in 2014. This is when I fell in love with food tourism. The first thing I would do when I ventured into a new town is try to find local chefs to explore a market or do a cooking class. During the course of my travels, I actually researched a ton about the Northwest and discovered what a gem of a place it was. I took it for granted and imagined that others did as well. When I came home in 2015, I sought out these market experiences and classes but didn’t find the immersive experience that I had abroad. It was clear to me that as a chef I should create a platform where food professionals can play and tell the stories of the amazing producers in the Northwest. And that’s how Eat Seattle was born in February 2015.

What do you love most about the local Seattle cuisine?

The quality ingredients in the Northwest shape our cuisine and attract chefs from around the world to cook with them. When you have access to this caliber of produce and craft artisans, you don’t have to doctor up the dish with sugar and a ton of salt. The beautiful ingredients stand on their own in the dishes.

How would you describe your style of cooking? 

My French background fits very well with Northwest cuisine as it is a technique that is elegant and allow the ingredients to shine. I love making sauces and any chance to use pastry bags. In whatever I’m doing, I love making cooking approachable to all.

What are some of your favorite dishes? 

Anything with salmon! Anything with demi-glace!

What’s unique about Eat Seattle? What should people know about it?

Eat Seattle is unique because we do both cooking classes and chef guided food tours of Pike Place Market to give a fully immersive experience of local food to our guests.

How has COVID impacted you personally and your business?

COVID has been extremely tough on Eat Seattle. As travel shut down, it became increasingly unsafe to operate our classes in person. Our food tour of Pike Place Market continues to operate outside and socially-distanced, but we still see a lot of turbulence with an increased amount of cancellations as the pandemic worsens. In March, we transitioned to designing a professional studio where we can operate virtual classes for private groups and team building. Virtual cooking is an excellent way to connect and cook together. It’s not just another Zoom meeting…I love focusing each of my classes on learning a new technique, and the best part? You get to enjoy the meal that you prepared in the end!