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Inside The Kitchen at The Cook’s House in Traverse City

“It’s in a house, it’s like coming and having dinner at someone’s home,” said Sous-chef Ryan Corbin.

The Cook’s House offers a five and seven course tasting menu.

The whitefish is a dish sous-chef Ryan Corbin is fairly familiar with.

“Over the last 5 years I came somewhere between 15,000 and 30,000,” said Corbin.

A vast, ever changing variety, but one thing remains constant.

“It’s honest food, it’s mashing flavors but mostly letting the ingredients do the work,” said Corbin.

Co-owner Eric Patterson says those ingredients are almost all from our back yard.

“During the winter like it is now, we probably drop down to 80% on the menu. but during the summer we have almost 100% local product,” said Patterson.

Eric and Jen Blakeslee opened The Cook’s house about 12 years ago after working together.

“Jen spent a lot of time in India, it comes out in her cooking, and Eric is very French-classically trained,” said Corbin.

Eric first fell in love with the idea of cooking when he popped a bag of popcorn as a hungry 11-year-old.

“It was one of those epiphany moments, it was cool, it was magic,” said Patterson.

Keeping that magic alive in new creations like this.

“Radishes Three Ways, it’s raw radishes, pickled radish, and butter-poached radish,” said Patterson.

Corbin says it tastes wonderful, and also it acts as a palette cleanser after having your entrée.

The Cook’s House is home to unforgettable meals, and encounters.

“An elderly gentleman is having dinner at that table over there, he says ‘you know I grew up in this house,'” described Patterson.

The house still standing to remember old memories and create new ones.

“It’s just somewhere to come to enjoy some of the best parts of life, and that’s good food and good wine,” said Patterson.

The Cook’s House can be found at 115 Wellington Street in Traverse City, and their phone number is 231-946-8700.

If there’s a restaurant you’d like us to check out, let us know!

Just send us an email at insidethekitchen@9and10news.com.

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