Before taking over as pastry chef for all of the Ethan Stowell restaurants, Dionne worked at both Canlis and Poppy.
Hometown
Jakarta, Indonesia
First Restaurant Job
Nordstrom Grill, Seattle
Last Restaurant Job
Poppy
Alternate Universe Career
Pool Player
Favorite Late Night Snack
Any semi-hard goat cheese and crackers
Best Meal Ever
Too many of them, but for sure anything that my dad cooks for me.
After Work Hangout
I come home relatively early, the best place after work for me is my living room. But outside will be Quoin for their “lazy gardener” drink or pozole at La Carta de Oaxaca.
Secret Ingredient
Fresh sweet bay leaf. I use it to replace vanilla in any given recipe.
Favorite Seattle Restaurants
A tough one given the fact we have so many great new restaurants popping up every where. But I find myself always going back and recommend Mkt. and Poppy. Mkt. because of its great flavor and exciting menu items. And Poppy for the dessert thali (what an awesome concept: 1 dessert, 1 ice cream and 4 other bite size desserts). Ho Soon Yi, a Korean restaurant in Shoreline. They got the best soft tofu hot pot that will always hit the spot for the northwest weather.
Food Philosophy
It is the flavor and food pairing that always interest me. Where you are when you cook, the time of the day, the company who you would cook for, occasion and everything else make the dynamic always change.
Restaurant Pet Peeve
Too long to take the drink order. Parsley for garnish.
What do you love about Seattle?
I am an islander, was born and raised in Indonesia. But somehow I love the weather in Seattle (PNW), the water, and the trails.
Favorite Place In The World
Bali, Indonesia. No question asked. The people are warm and wonderful. The air smelled sweet from the incense and flowers they use for their offerings 3-5 times a day. The Hindus pray through out the day, so you will hear and see ceremony almost all the time.
Memorable Kitchen Disaster
When my dad decided to cook my favorite childhood dish: friend sardines with salad. He cooked it in my new kitchen—fried the sardines straight from the can. The oil splattered every where but he didn't care because he knew I would love it. At the end I was so mad, we decided to grab a pizza instead since the place was covered with oil every where.
Can't Live Without
My running shoes.
What's On The Nightstand?
Haruki Murakami's “Norwegian Wood” and Tea Obreht's “The Tiger's Wife”, an alarm clock, and a hair band.
What's On The iPod?
Beastie Boys
What Have You Learned?
Listen to others!