ERIC Warnstedt
Favorite Part of Job? I love the energy of restaurants. I love all of the freaks that work in them. And I really enjoy the idea of throwing a great party every night!!!
Most Inspiring Mentor: There are many great cooks that have come before me. Many of them have been immortalized in beautiful cookbooks. There are a handful of books that I still look at regularly..those books are my most inspiring mentors.
Tell us something fun about yourself that few people know: I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale..for some reason people find that funny!!!!
Favorite Downtime Activity: I have a huge music collection... I fish from my kayak whenever possible. And I have beautiful 6 year old daughter.
Favorite Vermont Escape: Green River Reservoir when I have time to drive. The Waterbury Reservoir when I just have time to hop out of the back door.
Favorite Social Media: I use facebook often enough..I don't tweet!
Vermont Business Person you would most want to Network with: Jay Canning and Chuck Deslauriers.. Luckily we are already working together at Hen Burlington and Hotel Vermont!
Career Highlights: We have been so lucky at Hen of the Wood. Being a James Beard finalist is up there, Food and Wine Mag 10 best new chefs is up there... But honestly, the highlights are daily when I see that we have created something that others find special. It's the respect of my community that I am interested in, not national magazines and trends and such.
Community Involvement: Community involvement is a major part of our business plan. We have been lucky in that our popularity translates into the ability to raise quite a bit of money for organizations that we believe in.
John Boutin, Publisher of VBM, Lisa Gosselin, VT Dept. Economic Dev. and Rising Star Eric Warnstedt.