Eric Rivera is the Chef and Owner of addo in Seattle, Washington. He is working to bring Puerto Rican fare into a contemporary culinary scene, inspired by his childhood, cooking with his grandfather. He took the long way to get to cooking, starting out in mortgage and insurance. When he did decide to get into a professional kitchen he struggled, walking around in his suit and tie, handing out resumes. He gives us some advice on cookbooks to inspire culinary school students. We deep dive into the state of the union of the restaurant business model, in which Eric brings some unique perspectives to light. Finally you’ll hear from one of his #UnsungHospitalityHeroes, Paul Foucher, originally from Paris, now the R&D Chef at addo.
Website - EricRiverCooks.com
Intstagram - @ericriveracooks @addoseattle
Where are you from originally?
First job in the industry?
Busboy at a Black Eyed Pea restaurant in Killeen, Texas. I was 15
Proudest moment of your career?
Being independent and being able to do whatever I want.
Two things most people don't know about you?
I'm pretty decent at karaoke and am a cookbook hoarder.
Food and/or drinks staples in your house?
hot sauce of any kind, gin and tonic with no lime.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
Eric's journey to Eric Rivera Cooks, A Restaurant Group, has taken many noteworthy twists and turns, including a three-plus year stint at Alinea restaurant in Chicago, where he was Director of Culinary Research Operations working alongside chef-owner Grant Achatz. After that he moved on to Seattle’s Huxley Wallace Collective, where he opened the Thompson Hotel Seattle, plus four restaurants, in just one year.
Eric, a graduate of the culinary school at the Art Institute of Seattle, traces cooking back to when he was a small child. Growing up in a Puerto Rican family that celebrated food, Eric often cooked with his grandfather. Despite his early connection with the kitchen, Eric pursued jobs in mortgage and insurance. But eventually he found himself drawn back to food.
Grassroots tactics led him to his first job: Eric knocked on doors for jobs when he was beginning culinary school. “I would walk into restaurants wearing a suit and holding my resume. Nothing came of it,” Eric explains. “But when I finally took off the suit and simplified my resume to say only, ‘Culinary Student’ then people started paying attention. I got my first job.”
Starting in the kitchen at Seastar in Seattle, Eric moved on to Blueacre Seafood, where he eventually became sous chef while still in school. When the opportunities at Alinea and Huxley Wallace Collective presented themselves, Eric seized them.
Now, with his own restaurant group, Eric plays to his guests’ sense of discovery. “It’s an exploration of the whole flavor spectrum, where you can go from sweet to savory to sour in one bite,” he says. “We have all these great local ingredients at our disposal, and we’ll be highlighting flavors of the Pacific Northwest – but in a way that will feel fresh and new to locals and visitors alike.
addo, SILVA, Lechoncito, and DiVe are the four main projects that will be evolving under the Eric Rivera Cooks restaurant group name. Look for more updates on the site and stay tuned for upcoming dates and experiences!
