“…people always remember how you made them feel…”
— Jen Doak, Owner
Jen Doak, Owner of Brimmer & Heeltap and The Coalman
Jen is the owner of Brimmer & Heeltap in Seattle and The Coalman in Coal Creek (in Newcastle, WA). A Seattle local with over two decades of experience in the wine and hospitality industries. She is an avid menu collector, ordained minister, and a collector of new experiences, both locally and globally. Jen thrives on bringing people together and truly cares about being surrounded by good people and quality interactions.
Excerpts from a conversation at Brimmer & Heeltap on an afternoon in March 2023
Do you have childhood memories of wanting to have a restaurant?
I don't [remember] wanting to have an establishment at a young age. I do remember that we were very fortunate that we all had family supper together. That was the priority of making sure that we all came together and had a meal. We were also very fortunate that, my mom and dad and I, being the only child, we would go out to dinner and it wasn't as difficult as say, a family of four, or a family of five, with multiple kids. [I was able to see] what hospitality was at an early age and I have very, very distinct memories of Black Angus, The Keg, even as simple as my first time going to a Dairy Queen by myself and somebody being rude and what that felt like on the other end. But I think that my love of maybe having my own business probably started when I was a professional in the wine industry so much later in life.
Brimmer and Heeltap has gone through a few iterations with respect to the culinary program since opening Chef Mike Whisenhunt (formerly of Revel and Joule). How is it different today?
The culinary aspect of having a strong presence of bold flavors was something that was always important to me. We had a couple of culinary directions that really did have a strong Latin influence but always wanted to keep that undercurrent of a neighborhood space. Thankfully, I love that we put out delicious, affordable fare that our neighbors could still support on an ongoing basis versus it feeling like it was so different and out of the norm…We're now under a totally different culinary leadership of an incredible talent. Her name is Laura Dewelll and her background has sprinkled this area for a long time…we have an incredible chef de cuisine, Corey Bellett; having their strengths speak while staying true to this neighborhood space. So [it’s] definitely more farm to table…if you just want to come and sit at the bar and have a bite to eat, or if you want to come in and have a full meal, the menu reflects having a little bit more flexibility, which is great.
What does hospitality mean to you?
…people always remember how you made them feel…I hope that they'll remember what they've had. There's so much care that goes into incredible wine selection; there's so much care that goes into our bar program; there is the utmost care and hard work that goes into our food selections….that's the foundation.
And then, on top of that, is the guest experience. That they can walk in and know that if they have a food sensitivity, it's not shameful. If they're crying at the table, if there's something happening in people's lives, that we will be able to hold space for it all..I think that hospitality is just giving our team the space… And then from the guest perspective, we give them the space to be. And so, hospitality is that dance of making sure that we as an organization are dotting our I’s and crossing our T's. And then getting out of the way of our crew to do the rest.
What does balance with your personal life look like? Does this feel sustainable?
…I think right now there is a total lack of balance…just picking moments of clarity. I'm so blessed to have a partner in my life who understands this. His sister is akin to our industry. He doesn't work in our industry, and having somebody who innately understands this path is amazing. And he works a full time job. And then when he's done with his full time job, then he and I are both leaving to go to the Coalman …it's a lot of work… having the clarity that tonight might be a walk and it might not be a great meal…I have enough tools in my tool belt to stay healthy, stay grounded, and just get this done. So there's no balance, unfortunately. But that will…I know that it just also takes time. I have the most incredible team that enables me…I'm not tied to Brimmer and Heeltap at this point so I can get [The Coalman] up and running. I mean, my goodness, that speaks volumes of the team that we have in place, too.
Coming out of COVID, aside from starting Red Arrow Coffee and Half Seas Wine, are there other shifts that have become permanent?
Yes. When you close down and restart, you lose your entire team and then you rebuild a team. I think from the sustainability model…we made changes with the onset of coming back into business that provided health care. We are working towards a four-day work-week. Those are the two biggest priorities.
What was the impetus for wanting to open The Coalman in Coal Creek near where you grew up?
…it was a whim. It was not something that was planned out with any type of intentionality. When my dad was sick, I was spending a lot of time over there and would want to kidnap my mom and be like, “Let's go have a glass of wine. Let's get you out of this environment for a change of scenery”. And it was still so shocking to me that so many years later, we had to go so far [to find that]...you could go to the golf course but then you're spending, you know, $20 on a glass of mediocre wine…There were awesome places to go grab a margarita but there just wasn't a spot that…had a lot of different things.
Fast forward: my dad passed away and I was still spending an inordinate amount of time over there…So just on a whim, I reached out to a broker and just said, “Hey, keep your eyes peeled for Newcastle”, and he corrected me and he's like, “Okay, what parts of Bellevue?” And I said no, I mean Newcastle specific and…you could just hear the skepticism in his voice… a week later he calls me and…there's a…former Starbucks space…
What, in your opinion, has shifted in diner behavior post-pandemic?
I think it's for the best… I think that [diners] have a better understanding of the trials and tribulations of small business on a level that they might not have understood as much before the pandemic… I think that when all of the staffing shortages were happening…putting a sign on the door that says, “We can't open today because we don't have staff”, I just think that before the pandemic, there would have been a Yelp review about it, or it would have been so inflammatory, or the understanding would not have been the same…like a permission slip to not have that same level of worry about making a decision that would impact like our our team.
There was an unfortunate situation here with a police situation that escalated quite quickly. About a week ago, there was a lockdown at the school and we made the choice to close the restaurant. A few people did not understand what was going on. Maybe they didn't realize what was happening in the news. Or maybe they didn't realize but then it was just like the same fears…It was about taking care of the bigger picture. … I just think that I have more comfort and can make those decisions without worrying about what that one person who doesn't get it [thinks]...
What’s your panic meal?
The New York Times like three ingredients like prosciutto, butter parmesan and pasta. It's so freakin’ delicious.
What bottle do you always have on hand?
Amaro.
What is the best piece of advice you've received?
…the thing that came to my mind is that serendipitous meeting with that professor, [who urged] that I chose a life based on a passion. I didn't choose a path that was based on a degree. I have friends who are in incredible careers, financially, and loathing what they do on a day-to-day basis. And so, I do think that the best piece of advice I ever received was to pick a path based on passion.
What’s the most memorable meal you’ve had in Seattle so far this year?
Celebrating my partner Ryan's birthday at The Pheasant at Beast and Cleaver. I love what they're doing. And then every other night of 2023 out is probably at Delancey and never getting tired of their pizza and their vegetables and their cookies. And it's always so good. It's just so rude. How does it have to be so good all the time?
