Chef Ericka Burke Leaves Oddfellows Cafe
Guess who’s replacing her?
Posted by: Kathryn Robinson on Mar 19, 2009 at 11:00AM
8 Comments
Got a call last night from Ericka Burke, co-founder and chef of Volunteer Park Cafe and consulting chef at the hottest new Capitol Hill commissary, Oddfellows Cafe.
Last Friday, it seems, was her last day at Oddfellows. Trouble with owner, the visionary bar-maker Linda Derschang? “No, no, oh God no,” Burke told me. “Linda’s great. It’s just that Volunteer Park Cafe was suffering a little in my absence. I needed to get back to it.”
Consulting at Oddfellows during the transition will be Matt Dillon of Sitka & Spruce and The Corson Building, who will hold the fort and oversee the search for a new Burke.
Tags: Ericka Burke, Volunteer Park Cafe, Oddfellows, Matt Dillon
HOLY CRAP! What am I gonna do now? I loves me Ericka’s short ribs! Note to Oddfellows: DON’T lose the shortribs.
I’m not saying a word.
What were you going to say? WHAT?! That the food was never all that but the drinks are amazing and that it’s the best place to hang on Capitol Hill?
We had a great time with Ericka at Oddfellows, additionally Matt Dillon is just offering a bit of a helping hand rather than acting as a consultant. He’s a dear friend and has been an advisor at Smith in the past also.
Oops. Scratch “consulting,” replace with “being a friend.” Thanks Linda.
Yeah…short ribs are REAl tough to do…
whatever
Yes, short ribs are sooo difficult—especially when someone else has created the recipe for you. Right, Ericka? Funny how the best menu items at Oddfellows come from the menu that former VPC chef de cuisine Chris Stoneback created while Ericka was away. And even more interesting how Miss Burke gets credit for creating those recipes. No wonder that both Linda Derschang and Mr. Stoneback have cut their ties from Burke, no matter what reason they give publicly.
Chris Stoneback never created a short rib dish for me at VPC or Oddfellows. Chris was let go due to poor food quality and emotional instability. Best of luck to you Chris.