Who: Erin Clarke, 34
Chef de Cuisine at Casa Luca
What I do: “I am chef de cuisine of Chef Fabio Trabocchi‘s restaurant Casa Luca. You can find me in the kitchen between 9 AM and 10 PM pretty much any day of the week except Sunday. I cook, clean, create, and attempt to organize and direct a kitchen full of high-spirited cooks and a dining room full of some of the most talented people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.”
My work style: “At work I’m usually in clogs and chef whites—not much room for anything else except an apron. Most mornings, I throw on work pants, my boyfriend’s sweatshirt, and moccasins. They’re super soft, broken in, and you don’t have to lace them up, which makes changing into my uniform a breeze. Honestly, I’m half dressed before I get to work, but I always keep a blazer, a tailored pair of jeans, and a button-down collared shirt hanging up in the office just in case. It’s my uniform.”
In the Kitchen
“I purchased these Minnetonka moccasins when I lived in Charleston, South Carolina. Nights were cold, and there was always broken glass on the ground in the kitchens, so these were the perfect shoes to wear. They’re also great on plane trips.”
Out of the Kitchen
“I love this Theory blazer—I’ve had it for more years than I can remember. It’s a label I stick to; classic, tailored pieces that last a lifetime. The scarf and earrings were a gift from my mother, who also happens to be my fashion mentor. I have no idea where she bought the scarf, but the earrings were brought back from a recent trip to Santa Fe. I’m also never without my Ray Ban sunglasses when I’m outside; I feel strange without them. I’d leave the house without keys or a phone before I left without my Ray Bans. These booties are also some of my favorites. They’re a rare online purchase from a website I no longer remember, but they’re versatile, comfortable, and not heels—everything I look for in a shoe.”
Theory blazer, Hudson jeans, Mea Shadow boots, Ray Ban sunglasses.
The Details
All photographs by Andrew Propp.
Think you or someone you know deserves a chance in the What I Wear to Work spotlight? E-mail vboucas@washingtonian.com with pictures and a job description for consideration.
