At Pepper Sisters, chef and prep cook extraordinaire, Kelsey Andrews is responsible for creating many of the rotating appetizers, entrees, and desserts you find on our specials board, as well as making sure important standbys on the menu such as posole, sopaipillas, grilled eggplant, and more are always fresh and available for customers to enjoy. Here, we get to know a little more about Kelsey.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
A: I grew up in Colorado but moved to Bellingham in 2009 for college. I’ve worked in restaurants since high school but Pepper Sisters was my first job in a kitchen and is where I discovered a total passion for food and cooking!
Q: What do you love to cook?
A: I love cooking with the gorgeous variety of chiles we have access to at Peps. From the smokey, earthy sauces of the dried chiles to the salsas and salads with fresh, spicy jalapeños, I’ve become obsessed. I’m also a total pie fiend, though. There’s nothing more satisfying than a perfect pie.
Q: What is your favorite thing on the Pepper Sisters menu?
A: I’ve always been a sucker for the Deluxe Blue Plate. The ingredients are simple but so creamy and comforting. The best part is that whatever sauce you choose, the simplicity of the dish really lets the flavors of the sauce shine. (Ranchero for life.)
Q: What inspires you about food and/or cooking?
A: Gosh, so many things. I love cooking because it gives me the opportunity to be creative not just with flavors and ingredients, but also with the presentation of a dish. But it isn’t necessarily even just about the food. Getting to work as a part of a tight team in the kitchen is so inspiring to me because we really do rely on each other to execute this vision of the food and create an experience for our guests. I live for that feeling.
Q: What do you think is the most important food trend or movement right now?
A: I’m always stoked to see the local, sustainable, seasonal focus in restaurants, but lately I’ve been thinking and reading a lot about restaurants as community spaces and I think that might be their most important function. It’s not a small thing to be able to go to a business and feel like you’ll have a delicious meal but also you can feel safe and seen in a space. Food has always been something which people can gather around and I think it’s so important for us to say ‘ok, we’re this specific part of this community, how can we create a place that contributes positively?’ and I really think Pepper Sisters does that.
Q: What is special about Pepper Sisters?
A: Pepper Sisters is a women-owned and women-driven business and that is a truly unique and wonderful trait in restaurants and especially kitchens. I’m in love with all of the powerful ladies I’ve worked with and learned from in my time here. It is super empowering!
Q: Who is your favorite famous chef or cookbook author/culinary inspiration and why?
A: I’m totally obsessed with Christina Tosi. She’s an amazing pastry chef and the owner of Momofuku Milk Bar and I find her story and her attitude so inspiring. She has so much passion for food and her craaazy work ethic is something I try to draw inspiration from in my most exhausted or burnt out moments. Her food is all about Americana and classic recipes with these fun crazy twists. Her energy just makes me feel like an excited little kid again.
Q: What food is your favorite guilty pleasure?
A: Reese’s Puffs cereal. I can’t even have it in the house. I’ve been known to destroy an entire box…
Rapid Fire:
- Tofu or tempeh? Tofu!
- Beer or wine? Oof…beer
- Fire margarita or regular? Fire for sure
- Pinto or black beans? Pinto
- Sopaipillas: With meal or after? Is both just totally sick? Oh well haha.
