Chef Earl Hook's passion for food began as a child, having been brought up within a family of farmers and ranchers on the plains states. He helped his family raise chickens, ducks, pigs, cows, guinea hens and grew vegetables in the garden. Earl's cooking lineage started with his grandmother––a baker at eighty-years-old––and the fond memories of her homemade rolls, fried eggplant and paprika "red chicken". His mother's "delicacy" of scrambled eggs with pork brains inspired Earl's palate and instilled in him an appreciation for farm fresh food and it's place of origin, which has become the living tradition of his culinary philosophy.

In the early nineties, Earl moved to Minneapolis and fell under the tutelage of Chef Lenny Russo - the chef and owner of Heartland Restaurant - working with him as a cook at Loring Cafe and as his Chef de Cuisine at New French Cafe in Minneapolis. In 1996, Earl moved to Seattle and immersed himself in a self-taught exploration of the Pacific Northwest's evolving food and wine scene. He worked at Lampreia with Chef Scott Carsberg, Brasa with Chef Tamara Murphy, and at Cafe Juanita with Chef Holly Smith, working as her Sous Chef for four years while creating the kitchen garden in the restaurant's backyard.

In 2004, Earl was hired on as chef of La Medusa, where he was reunited with owner, Julie Andres (formerly of Brasa). He expanded La Medusa's original menu to include a greater selection of seasonal offerings by utilizing the local farmer's markets and the livestock producers of Oregon and Washington State. For the last four years, Chef Earl and La Medusa have received much praise for their Wednesday's Farmer's Market Menu, reflecting the bounties of the Columbia City Farmer's Market held just steps from their back door. Continuing his dream of becoming an authentic Pacific Northwest Chef, Earl has invested considerable time developing working relationships with local artisans, producers, farmers and restauranteurs in Washington State. His desire to explore and expand boundaries have led him to Oregon to continue his exploration and relationship to all things food.

Chef Hook's food reflects a farm to table approach with a Pacific Northwest menu and fresh produce from our own Meriwether's Skyline Farm. Earl's perspective is to continue the evolution of food and wine in the Pacific Northwest.