Poppy
Change is good
 We
live in an ever-changing world. People don’t stay in jobs for their
entire career. Within the restaurant industry, a few years is a long
time. Jerry Traunfeld stayed at The Herbfarm for 17 years. Is it any
wonder there is so much excitement about the opening of his own
restaurant, Poppy?
Photo: Jerry Traunfeld in front of his new kitchen
Staying in one place may be easier to understand in context of his
relationships, which seem to be long-term. He named his restaurant after
his mother. "Lots of people name restaurants after family members," he
explains. "Plus it’s a great name and botanical. My dad died about eight
years ago and he was a great businessman. He would have loved to see
this restaurant named after her." He met his partner Stephen when he was
attending college and they’re still together. His general manager and
one of his chefs worked with him at The Herbfarm.
Plus there’s the long-term involvement with Julia Child. "When I was
about 11, I watched Julia Child on black and white TV," he laughs. "I
was fascinated by that show. My mom went back to work and I thought I’d
try making dinner. I’m sure the kitchen was a disaster; I was not good
at cleaning up. But my parents were very supportive, even though it
wasn’t typical for boys to cook then."
He grew up on the East Coast and came to Washington to attend
college—a year at Evergreen State College and two at Cornish. He cooked
for summer jobs. He and Stephen moved to San Francisco where he cooked
in restaurants and as a hobby. He attended the California Culinary
Academy in San Francisco and graduated in 1983. After graduation, the
restaurants he worked in took a decided upturn—Ernie’s and Stars.
Returning to Seattle, Jerry wanted to be a pastry chef, continuing
what he’d been doing at Stars. Unable to find the right opportunity, he
cooked at the Alexis Hotel. After a few years he became the executive
chef. He was in his late 20s. "I was managing five restaurants and not
enjoying it the way I wanted to," he recalls. He taught cooking classes
at The Herbfarm and met owners Ron Zimmerman and Carrie Van Dyck. They
were looking for a chef, he was looking for a new opportunity. He loved
gardening and plants. The idea of working in a tiny restaurant on the
grounds of a nursery in Fall City with three months off during the
winter was too perfect. He signed on, stayed 17 years and wrote two
cookbooks. "I like taking care of the kitchen and the books challenged
me and gave me ownership of what I was doing," he says.
While he and Stephen were in India on a culinary tour, he became very
intrigued with the thali style of eating: a number of small dishes
served on a larger tray. "It’s a fun way of eating. You can have less
meat while still getting a variety of interesting flavors. I thought I’d
like to translate my own way of cooking and do it in thali style. There
are lots of places doing small plates, but they’re meant to be shared.
If you’re with a group, you may just get one or two bites of something.
Even if you’re with your significant other, sometimes you just don’t
want to share," he laughs.
In April 2007 he decided he wanted to open his own restaurant. "It
was a sudden decision," he says. "It was hard to know how to start. I
researched and talked with Ron and Carrie. They were very supportive; I
gave them six months notice. It was a challenge to find a space. I’m so
happy this space worked out. I used to live in the area when I went to
school here. The neighborhood has kind of gone through a dim period, but
there are lots of new apartments going in and a need for a good
restaurant. There’s parking in back and we’ve put an herb garden in
that’s about half the size of what it will eventually be."
 "Most
people get what we’re doing, but some think it’s Indian food. We have a
tandoor oven, make naan and have a grain in the middle of the plate, but
we’re just borrowing the thali idea. We’re emphasizing the flavor of
Northwest ingredients by working with herbs and spices. I do have to
pull back a little because I love Indian food. And if you want to learn
about spices, that’s the culture that will teach you," Jerry says.
Photo courtesy of Poppy: thali-style meal
 Poppy
has a 50s/60s Danish modern design. Jerry found a cabinet maker in
Ballard who built the chairs and tables. "I wanted a simple, clean, warm
contemporary-but-not-sterile look. I didn’t want it to feel slick.
Mid-century contemporary design used natural materials and there was a
sense of craftsmanship," he explains. The landlord had gutted the space
and Poppy uses some of the original brick walls. Sound absorbing
materials offset the concrete floors, high ceilings and storefront
windows. "I don’t like to shout when I’m eating," he laughs.
Photo: Poppy dining room
"Opening didn’t go as planned," Jerry says. "I wanted to get the
occupancy permit and have 3-4 weeks. But the construction finished late,
I had staff hired who had quit other jobs but had no work to do here.
Then there was a mad rush to open and we got slammed—everyone wants to
come in the first week. It was intense. But it’s much better than having
no customers! I have a strong staff and that’s what you need—the right
people. We’re coming up with our signature dishes and having a lot of
fun with the menu."
Jerry has the restaurant he wanted to build. A friendly, lively place
where anyone can feel comfortable, with good food and good value. "I’m
very excited about it; I just don’t have time to think about it much!"
And that’s a good thing.
Connie Adams/November 2008 |
