Erin French is a renowned chef and the owner of the Lost Kitchen, a 40-seat restaurant in Freedom, Maine. She is also the author of two books, Finding Freedom and The Lost Kitchen Recipes and a Good Life Found in Freedom. But before she became a successful culinary star, she was a young girl who learned to love food from her father.
Growing Up in a Diner
Erin French’s dad, Jeffery Richardson, owned a diner just outside Freedom, a small town with less than 800 residents. Erin spent her childhood in the diner, helping out with various tasks, from washing dishes to waiting tables to frying pancakes. She developed a taste for simple, comforting food that was made with fresh ingredients and love.
“My whole childhood is filled with memories there. I remember the nutmeg-laced donuts, so warm and crunchy — I can still taste it,” Erin said in an interview with People.
According to Biography Host, Erin’s dad was a heavy-drinking and explosive man, while her mom, Deanna Richardson, was accommodating and loving. Erin had a sister, Nina, who also worked in the diner.
Leaving and Returning Home
Erin left Freedom to study medicine at Northeastern University in Boston, but she dropped out after two years when she got pregnant at age 21 by a high school boyfriend. She moved back home with her son, Jaim, and started cooking in her parents’ kitchen. She began hosting secret suppers and parties at her apartment, attracting a loyal following for her dishes.
Erin opened her first restaurant, the Farm House, in 2009, but she lost it in 2013 after a bitter divorce and a custody battle for her son. She also struggled with addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs, and entered rehab to get sober.
Finding Freedom and the Lost Kitchen
In 2014, Erin found a new lease on life when she opened the Lost Kitchen in an old mill in Freedom. She renovated the space with the help of her family and friends, and created a menu that showcased the local produce and seafood of Maine. She also adopted a unique reservation system, where guests had to send postcards to book a table.
The Lost Kitchen became a sensation, receiving rave reviews from critics and customers alike. It was named one of the world’s greatest places by Time Magazine, and one of the 12 restaurants worth traveling around the world to experience by Bloomberg.
Erin also found love again, marrying Michael Dutton, a furniture maker, in 2018. She wrote two books about her journey, and starred in a series on the Magnolia Network, called The Lost Kitchen.
Erin credits her dad for inspiring her passion for food and cooking. She said in an interview with CBS News, “He taught me how to make an omelet. He taught me how to make a pie crust. He taught me how to appreciate food.”
Erin French dad is not only the man behind the chef’s success, but also the man behind her heart.
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