Barking Frog Executive Chef Dylan Herrick

Dylan grew up in Woodinville, and his first kitchen job was at The Herbfarm washing dishes for Jerry Traunfeld between his junior and senior high school years. Traunfeld let him do some prep and pick borage flowers.

In college, he was interested in Biogenetic Engineering and food, with a focus on seed development. He washed dishes at the Barking Frog to pay for his books. Then Barking Frog Executive Chef Bobby Moore asked him if he liked to cook. He admitted that when he was a kid he didn't watch cartoons-he watched the Great Chefs series. He cooked at home as a kid, making up his own recipes. His mother even kept his 2^nd grade recipe for flourless chocolate cake with candied oranges and shared it with him when he took on his new role as Executive Chef at the Barking Frog. One of the first meals he cooked was a special dinner for his parents' anniversary-shrimp scampi. After he scattered in the chili flakes, he rubbed his eyes. He was unable to continue cooking, but did learn a valuable lesson. So his answer to Bobby was, 'Yes, I like to cook.'

His chef career started at the Barking Frog and he would work at other restaurants, but always return to the Barking Frog. As his experience grew, more prep work came his way, and he worked the line every so often. Chef Bobby encouraged him to go to culinary school, so he signed up at Seattle Central, but didn't finish school. On his first day of school, Bobby called and told him he was working the line that night as Garde Manger. He made three items, a seafood sampler, a daily foie, and an amuse bouche, and would begin to work full-time in the kitchen.

Dylan got promoted from dishwasher to line cook and then to lead line cook. At this time, he met his now wife and mother of two children. At the time, there was no sous chef, so he had the opportunity to take on more responsibility. He was just 21. In 2006, when Barking Frog went to the James Beard House in New York the first time, Dylan helped write two of the courses. He spent several years on and off at Barking Frog over the past 16 years, and in 2013 ran the Barking Frog mobile kitchen as Sous Chef. During that time, he won "Best Burger Eastside" at Kirkland Uncorked.

Dylan is transparent about his journey and the people and mentors who helped get him where he is today. During his early years as a chef, Dylan struggled with drug addiction and was in and out of rehab. He was high functioning, kept jobs and maintained relationships, but there was a time where he lived out of the car. He knew he had to make a change when he had his son and started a family. He was finally ready to end his addiction and has been clean since 2016.

Many of his chef friends and family would continue to check on him, encourage him and provide opportunities to support him during this difficult season of his life and help him grow his career. Dylan's experience grew as he took chef positions at a variety of other restaurants around the Puget Sound. Over his career he has been mentored by top chefs at Miller's Guild, Bin Vivant at Woodmark Hotel, the Bookstore at the Alexis Hotel, and Preservation Kitchen. In 2009 he was Executive Chef at Jersey's Wine Bar & Bistro in Redmond. He also held chef positions at Microsoft and Sifted. Dylan even taught online cooking and culinary gardening classes while utilizing his special craftsman skill, installing hardwood flooring during the pandemic.

In September 2021, Chef Bobby Moore asked him to come back to the Barking Frog and he was promoted to Executive Chef of the Barking Frog in July 2022.

Dylan and his wife Alisa have a 9-year-old son, Kalan, and a nearly 2-year-old daughter, Sloan. They will soon be returning to live in Woodinville, buying the house where Alisa grew up. Full circle.

October 2022