Affordability and demand: A recipe for a shortage of Seattle cooks

Citing a “severe shortage of trained cooks in Seattle,” Roxy’s has resorted to modifying its menu to offer “simpler” versions of its potato dishes. It’s not clear how long the message has been posted on the diner’s menus. MyNorthwest reached out to the owner of Roxy’s for a comment, but have yet to receive a response.

The sentiment is no surprise to Seattle’s restaurant community, however.

“There are just not enough new cooks coming into the city, or who can afford to live in the city,” Jennifer Engles-Klann said. “And couple that with the number of restaurants that have opened, it just creates a massive shortage.”

Engles-Klann is director of operations for the Derschang Group, which owns a range of Seattle hot spots, such as Linda’s Tavern, Oddfellows, Queen City, and King’s Hardware. She also serves on the government affairs committee for the Seattle Restaurant Alliance…Readmore