Willow's Inn, Lummi Island- Not a Good Look

Ouch. Really awful stuff for one of the top restaurants in this country. Terrible on many levels.

Definitely not a good look. My wife wanted to go for her birthday later in the summer, but the article has her looking elsewhere.

Yes pretty disheartening on so many levels. We were thinking of a birthday splurge recently also and, like you, are looking elsewhere.

The Costco thing is going to kill them.

At this point everyone pretty much assumes there’s misogyny, harassment and bad behavior at top restaurants; I’m pleasantly surprised if I find out there’s not.

The Costco thing is nothing. They generally don’t serve chicken on their main menu, and use the drippings only. It’s part of the simplest yet unbelievably tasty dish of a great bread dipped in the drippings. I could have eaten that dish all night. They aren’t listing it as ‘Lummi Island chicken drippings’, and I could give a crap that they got it from Costco. Hey, at least they are organic chickens!

It’s the behavior that I think most local Seattle folks have an issue with. And a lot of people around here are changing their plans. Personally, I went one time about 7 years ago for a foodie friend’s wedding dinner, and it was a wonderful meal, but nothing I feel the need to repeat, and with this article, I doubt I would again.

I completely agree. The chicken dripping dish was amazing – I am actually glad to hear I could perhaps recreate it with Costco chicken! Though the bread and of course many other things made it amazing. I don’t recall what we had that was represented as “local” that might not have been. I guess if the food tastes good, which it did, then I am somewhat okay with that (I don’t think given the quality we paid more for the mystique of local).

The damage to the people who work there, and to the local community – that I find the most offensive and problematic. And then Blaine’s response – at least as reported in the NTY – is also very problematic.

So yes, we will not be going back, and I would be surprised if the restaurant is around much longer.

Yuck. Compulsive liar says everyone is lying.

100% on the costco chickens not being an issue for me. In general most people I know feel “Costco” is synonymous with good+ quality and they were “organic” costco chickens.

The abusive culture is the deal breaker for me going back, despite that Willows is probably the best end to end meal I have ever had.

Maybe it is common in pro kitchens, and maybe this is akin to “don’t ask don’t tell”, but once I know about it, I can’t support that establishment again.

I could see the restaurant going OOB. That said, it would be so easy to rectify the situation. Complete house cleaning…immediate and full apology…hire a female chef of impeccable reputation…and a pledge of honesty around food sourcing. We shall see what happens.

And, technically, since Costco headquarters is in WA that would be local, right??? .

that’s what caught my eye too. Everyone is a liar but him

Having spent my high school and college years in the restaurant industry, none of this is surprising. I’d actually say the cultural issues with the restaurant are more “normal” than out of the ordinary. It isn’t acceptable by any means, but it also shouldn’t be shocking. This article reminded me of when a large news outlet runs a piece on binge drinking at large state universities.

I am no longer in the restaurant industry. I moved to a much more inclusive industry… construction