Table Talk: Emily Crawford Dann, Chef at The Corson Building

Welcome to "Table Talk," our series that goes behind Seattle's restaurant and bar scene. Industry insider Jenise Silva introduces us to the fascinating chefs and bartenders that please our palates here in the PNW. Got a suggestion? Email hello@SeattleRefined.com

The Corson Building Chef/Proprietor Emily Crawford Dann keeps a low profile while striking a balance between her work and home life. She cherishes family time and keeps strong connections with Corson's staff and vendors. It's all about relationships. So much so, there's a biannual publication called Digest that reflects and celebrates what The Corson Building stands for.

When she's not at home or busy delighting diners at her beautiful Georgetown gem, you can find Chef Emily out in the community, collaborating with others and supporting local organizations.

Seattle Refined: What's your first memory of someone cooking?

Emily Crawford Dann: For me, early food memories tend to be more about the people they were shared with than of the often simple preparations that were made. My maternal grandmother was an extremely fun, loving and kind woman. I don't think anyone would have described her as a gifted cook, but she most certainly tirelessly prepared countless meals for my mom and her five siblings growing up. As for me, as her granddaughter, my favorite thing to ask for when I arrived at her house in the morning, while she and her dearest neighborhood friends and my mom would chat and have coffee, was what I lovingly called, an "eggy." With the whisk of a fork, she would scramble an egg with an added sprinkle of cheese for me to enjoy at the counter while she and the ladies caught up. Even though this was about as simple of a preparation as one could imagine, it was always made with the love and care that I came to associate with my grandmother. It now has become the first thing my children ask for when they arrive at the restaurant for a stint while we work, and fills me with joy to know they might one day have this as an early food memory, too.

What inspired you to pursue cooking?

My parents got divorced when I was 12 and my brother was only 2. We spent most Wednesdays and at least one weekend day with my dad at his apartment. Most of the other days of the week, I was busy with ballet in the evenings, which conflicted with us having the time for a proper family dinner together (sorry mom!!!!) While at my dad's, we would sit at the high counter overlooking the small kitchen and snack on cheese and crackers while he prepared us dinner. It was those shared moments of casual but focused time together while my dad cooked and we caught up on our days that made me realize how important sharing a meal can be. Simple or elaborate, food brings people together, and I knew as I looked back on those moments as a young adult that I wanted to help facilitate that connection.

What’s your most memorable job besides feeding people?

Being a parent!

How long have you been in the industry and how many places have you plied your craft?

All of my jobs have been in the hospitality industry. It's literally all I have ever done. From my first job in highschool as a busser at a small husband and wife run fine-dining restaurant in the town I grew up in to the local pastry shop (also owned and operated by a wonderful and highly inspiring couple) in that same small town, my earliest exposure to "the industry" was filled with delicious bites (my first ever morel for instance, coconut macaroons and a secret love for a dollop of fresh whip cream in my coffee) and fantastic role models. From there, I left the suburbs of Chicago for Seattle in 1999 and, of course, started working in a restaurant. At Credenzia's Oven, I was exposed to the flavors of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. Pomegranate molasses, coriander seeds and yogurt were a few of the exciting new flavors I grew to know and love, and am now incapable of cooking without. After a little travel domestically and abroad, exploring other cultures and volunteering on organic farms, I returned to Seattle to pursue a culinary degree. While I was in school, I worked full-time in a kitchen (at the no longer with us Eva restaurant, also owned and operated by a husband and wife team), which really helped to solidify everything I was learning at school while exposing me to an eclectic range of flavors and influences. I moved on to Cafe Juanita and did a deep dive into Italian cuisine under the guidance of the talented Holly Smith. After a solo trip to Italy, I moved to San Francisco and became intimately acquainted with seasonal California cooking at Boulettes Larder in The Ferry Building. The incredible ingredients procured from the adjacent farmers market and the inspired cuisine of the illustrious chef, Amaryll Schwertner were a turning point in my career. I became deeply devoted to seasonal, ingredient driven cooking and can't imagine engaging in my craft any other way.

While I was living in California, our friend Matt Dillon came to visit after he opened his first restaurant, Sitka & Spruce in an unassuming small space in a strip mall in the Eastlake neighborhood of Seattle. He told us about this really special building he was hoping to rent, where he wanted to open another restaurant... He managed to convince me to move back to Seattle and open it with him, and within a year, The Corson Building (as a restaurant) was born. Corson remains my home away from home and the space I am lucky enough to work in. Although I have been here since our very first dinner 17 years ago, I didn't come to own it until seven years ago when my husband and business partner, Matt Dann, and I bought it from Matt Dillon.

What is a favorite dish or menu you've created and what inspired it?

When I'm asked what my specialty is, I almost always say salads. Being able to highlight the season's bounty by combining cooked and raw vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, cheeses and sometimes meats or seafood has become my most authentic form of expression when communicating through food. So very many salads have been created over the years that it would be impossible to choose just one. The seasons provide us with harmonious matches when it comes to combining ingredients and one of my favorites that comes to mind happens in the early weeks of summer when we have the very first cucumbers and apricots. I love to combine them with sheep's milk feta, lots of mint and dill, toasted pistachios and sesame seeds, a drizzle of honey, squeeze of lemon and a pinch of aleppo pepper.

Tell us your favorite ingredient and something we should know about it.

I have many favorites, but I think the one that I love to use year-round and has become a staple in our Corson repertoire would have to be preserved lemons. Their bright, lemony flavor shifts as it softens in the brine, and the result implies the presence of citrus but tastes and behaves entirely different than a fresh lemon. The origin of preserved lemons resides in the northern part of Africa, namely Morocco. Also used in dishes of the Indian subcontinent, preserved lemons are a savory, briney fermented treasure that we’ve become quite fond of. Some favorite ways to use them are in brown butter drizzled over fish, in a vinaigrette for roasted asparagus and radishes, or in an herb and nut relish to accompany savory yogurt preparations, or sprinkled on pureed soups.

What’s a memorable meal that someone else created for you?

Our dear friends invite us over to their lovely home throughout the year for special occasions or just for a simple meal if it's been too long since we've been together. Jeffrey is an incredible cook and is always discovering interesting new ingredients to work with, as well as celebrating the many traditions of years and generations past. Literally every meal at The Bergmans is memorable and delicious, but I do especially love our summer gatherings when we sit outside in their beautiful backyard and snack on socca and sip rosé while Jeff grills lamb. We are also always spoiled at our spectacular annual holiday dinner, which is often covered in the first of the season French truffles! We often jokingly say it is our favorite restaurant in the city. From the vintage French silver and linens to the remarkable food and wine, Jeff and Katherine always manage to make our time shared around their table memorable.

Which local restaurant or bar are you loving right now and what do you order?

Cafe Suliman. Suli and Marc are our dear friends and former co-workers. We adore the two of them and what they are doing so much. Some of our favorite bites have been the halloumi, melon and poblano pepper salad as well as the caramelized cabbage with black sesame, green chili, coriander butter and yogurt.

Tell us something you enjoy outside of work.

I love wandering through antique malls and vintage shops searching for treasure amongst the chaos of the cluttered aisles and shelves.

What’s your go-to drink? (We ask everyone!)

Negroni!

Learn more about The Corson Building here.

Jenise Silva is a freelance contributor for Seattle Refined.

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