The Raven's Philosophy

Named for the raven pair who moved here in 1995 before we broke ground for the dining room, The Ravens is our vegetarian restaurant. We feature the best in vegetarian and vegan cuisine.

We recognize that most of our guests are not vegetarians and have been challenged to produce satisfying and delicious meals for those often suspicious of vegetarian dishes. In order to accomplish this, we have assembled chefs from throughout the United States in a co-creative, cooperative kitchen in which we work together with the common goal to nourish and satisfy, while reducing our impact on the environment. All of us are committed to preparing outstanding cuisine, supporting sustainable agriculture and organic farming through our purchasing, minimizing waste and recycling all manufactured items and food wastes. We use no meat or meat products.

Our search for gifted staff was made easier by the fact so many qualified chefs were looking for us. When our intentions became known, chefs from throughout the region and from as far away as New York, Moscow (Russia) and Mexico City applied. These men and women wished to work in a kitchen committed to the use of the finest organic ingredients available, much grown on the property. These chefs are artists, sensitive to their materials.

Since 1996, we have learned that the de rigeur kitchen with an ego centric executive chef, a creative and intense leader, simply does not work. Our kitchen is run by a director/coordinator whose responsibility is to assemble and knit the creative talents of all staff from those who primarily prepare the food for cooking to those who are actively producing the food on the line.

If your local supermarket has an organic produce section you may have noticed the wide variety in quality and eye appeal of some organic produce. At The Ravens those of us who prep must be sensitive to the variations in quality of organic produce, adjust seasonings and even basic ingredients to suit quality and availability. Although organic produce is becoming more widely produced outside the United States, providing year around supplies of commonly seasonal produce, our approach has remained essentially seasonal. What is available in northern California is generally what we serve.

The Raven's Kitchen

The Raven's kitchen is specially designed for preparing vegetarian cuisine. It is also a teaching kitchen. It is our objective to train each staff person, whether starting in a position as a dishwasher, prep cook, wait person, to be able to fill any position. In this way, should they leave the area, they will be able to find employment.

For those who do not work with us, we have offered a class in vegetarian holiday cooking and intend to expand to a continuing series on vegetarian cooking.

Mornings are overseen by Amy Smith, most recently of the West Brothers in Eugene, Oregon. She coordinates the morning kitchen with the evening staff and is responsible for AM employee development. Amy is an outstanding chef and brings her commitment to serve outstanding food. She understands the challenge and unique opportunity of being able to use the finest ingredients.

Porsche Combash, long time resident of Mendocino, brings to The Ravens extensive training and experience in pastry. Her responsibilities include the creation of healthy alternatives to standard restaurant desserts. Porsche's scones are renown throughout the country, the word spread by guests who have declared them as "the best I've ever had; better than any found in England." "Can you come to the East Coast and show us how?" Porsche is also our historian, a vital role in that we are attempting to take a highly intuitive approach to cooking and create a recipe book.

The morning crew includes Vickie Ward a member of the Sea Gull crew - a cult status. The Sea Gull was the local Mendocino hang-out before closing in the early 1990's. Vickie instructs and has been a fundamental force in developing alternatives to animal based foods helping to create a lemon tahini sauce, for example, as a vegan alternative to hollandaise sauce.

Our staff is rounded out by Roberto Gloria, locally well known breakfast cook and musician and Vickie Valenzuela who began in gardening and housekeeping while in high school and, following instruction and practice in prep cooking, is assisting on the morning
line.

Our breakfast is complimentary for inn guests and the staff who formerly prepared the buffet breakfast which we have served since 1981 continue to assist, producing smoothies, espresso drinks, and some of our dishes. Takako Griffin and Linda McKinney most often are in back, while Lynn Rexrode is our morning hostess.

A word about education: We believe that each of our staff, if willing, should have the opportunity to learn all aspects of our kitchen. We are willing to train staff to work as prep cooks; line cooks for both morning and afternoon; baking and pastry; and appetizer, salad and dessert preparation.

Furthermore we participate in The Natural Gourmet Cookery School's internship program. Students come to work with our staff for three to four weeks as practicum as part of their school's certificate program. This has been a happy alliance as some of our outstanding staff have been introduced to Mendocino and The Ravens through the school.

We are also committed to teaching our approach to healthy eating to any wishing to attend classes. To that end we are currently working on a cookbook and are planning a series of cooking classes beginning in the fall of 2000. These are to be hands-on, working classes. For more intense experience, we are planning to offer opportunities for non-professionals to intern with us.

Restaurants have a front and back. Quite often they are very separate often warring groups. Our "front" people are talented and committed to serving the finest food. They work closely with the kitchen staff to assure our guests have an outstanding experience. Coordinating our service as well as "special events" is Leila McPhee. Leila's enthusiasm is infectious.