About me
Adam Hegsted (born January 18, 1980) is an American chef, TV host, and restaurateur.[1] He is the chef/owner of Eat Good Group, which operates restaurants, eateries, and kitchens that include Francaise, De Espana, Gilded Unicorn, Yards Bruncheon, baba Spokane, Republic Kitchen + Taphouse, Laughing Dog Brewing, Summit Cider, Current Seltzer, Le Catering, Honey Eatery & Social Club, and Eat Good Café. Hegsted is the host and founder of Crave TV, Eat Like a Chef, Co-Founder of Share Farm[2] and Crave NW Food & Wine Festival.
Early life and education
Hegsted was born on January 18, 1980, in Spokane, Washington.[3] He attended Inland Northwest Culinary Academy where he obtained an Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts and graduated with honors. He attended the Art Institute of Seattle and worked at the Space Needle. In 2002, he received another Applied Arts degree in Culinary Arts from the Art Institute of Seattle. After graduating from the Art Institute of Seattle, Hegsted apprenticed in Los Angeles at various clubs and restaurants.
Professional Career
Hegsted started his career in 1996 at Marie Callender's as a dishwasher. After his apprenticeship in 2002, he moved back to the Spokane area and became chef at Cedars Floating Restaurant which was owned by Black Rock Corporation. After leaving Cedars, he became chef at Brix Restaurant downtown Coeur d’ Alene, ID.
In 2008, he opened his first restaurant, Le Piastre,[4] which was only open for one year. Realizing he needed to learn more, after closing at the end of 2008 during the recession, he went to work for the Coeur d’ Alene Casino and Resort where he became the Executive Chef. In 2011, while at the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort, he won the National Foodservice Beef Backer Award (Innovator of the Year).[5]
After leaving the Coeur d' Alene Casino, he went on to open Eat Good Group restaurants. First was Eat Good Cafe (2013), then Yards Bruncheon[6] (2014) and Wandering Table (2014) where he was named semi finalist for best chef northwest from James Beard Foundation.[7] Hegsted went on to open Le Catering Co. (2015), Gilded Unicorn (2015) and Incrediburger & Eggs (2017, now closed) in downtown Spokane, WA, as well as Republic Kitchen + Taphouse (2017) in Post Falls, ID, and Honey Eatery[8] and Social Club (2019) in Coeur d' Alene, ID Good Foods, and Doughlicious Bakery.
In 2017, he was named in the top 40 under 40 rising stars by FSR magazine.[9]
In 2019, Hegsted, with his wife Jeni, Karen, and Tom Stebbins co-founded the JAKT Foundation, a non-profit which organizes events that focus on bringing new appreciation for culinary arts to the community of Spokane Valley. That organization runs the Spokane Valley Farmers Market and Crave NW festival,[10] both in the Spokane Valley
In 2022, he acquired Laughing Dog Brewing along with Summit Cider and Current Seltzer in Ponderay, ID, and in May 2022, he opened a French restaurant named, Francaise[11] in the Perry neighborhood of Spokane, WA and De Espana[12] in Downtown Spokane.
Multimedia
In 2020, along with Coho Media, he produced and co-hosted with Chandler Baird the TV show, Crave TV which is shown in markets across; Washington, Idaho, British Columbia and Montana.
Restaurants, Catering and Breweries
Eat Good Cafe
The Yards Bruncheon
Gilded Unicorn
baba
De Espana
Francaise
Republic Kitchen + Taphouse
Honey Eatery and Social Club
Le Catering Company
Laughing Dog Brewing
Summit Cider
Recognition
Best Chef Northwest (semi-finalist), James Beard Award, 2016[14]
Named Difference Maker by The Spokesman Review[15]
Power List: Founders who are changing the restaurant industry[16]
50 most influential people in Spokane 2021[17]
The 2014 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Award winner[18]
Innovator of the Year award, the National Beef Council [5]
Top 40 under 40 Rising Stars, FSR magazine, 2017[19]
Top 20 under 40 leaders in Spokane, Catalyst magazine, 2016[20
