Chelsea Erickson, 27, has been the sous chef at Indigenous since deciding to come back to her hometown in 2012. Erickson grew up in Sarasota and attended Keiser University for culinary school before taking some time away from the Sunshine State to cultivate her talents in Charleston, S.C. Since being back she has proven to be quiet a creative and talented asset for Steve Phelphs and Indigenous.

unravel: You are a Sarasota native. What was it like growing up here and when did you leave and why?

Erickson: Sarasota was a really nice place to grow up. I was a lot quieter and more casual when I was a kid. It has been really interesting watching this town grow up. I left to go work for Sean Brock in Charleston. Charleston is an amazing city. I moved there right as it was becoming the new food city.

How and when did you get into cooking?

My mom is an amazing cook. She always made dinner for my brother and me. Growing up we ate what she ate. We never really had “kid food”. Having a passion for cooking and food was always kind of lurking in the background but I got serious about it when I was 21. It kind of just snowballed from there.

Where did you learn your cooking skills?

I went to Keiser University for culinary school. However, like I said, having grown up eating all different flavors was definitely an education.

Tell us a little about the two restaurants you worked at prior to Indigenous and how you ended up in South Carolina?

After culinary school I was super fortunate to get a position at McCrady’s working for Sean Brock. I basically kept calling him in the kitchen until I got the job. It was an amazing experience. This was in 2009 so right before he became the mega food celebrity that he is now. Fig was my favorite restaurant in Charleston and I desperately wanted to work for Mike Lata. I was able to get a job there. To this day he is the most intimidating Chef I have ever worked for. My time in Charleston was truly an amazing experience.

How did you come to be the sous chef at Indigenous?

You’d have to ask Steve! We work really well together and have a similar style and lean towards similar flavors. When I first started Steve told me he didn’t have a sous and didn’t want one. That we all work together. In my head I was like, “Oh I’m going to be your sous”, 10 months later I was offered the position.

Tell us a little about being a sous chef?

It’s been fun! We have a very tiny kitchen and crew so I would imagine my duties are different than sous chefs at big hotels or corporate places. For me, it’s a great sense of responsibility and pride. I basically assume that if there is a problem or something needs to get done, I’m the one that needs to do it. I like that. Keeps me on my toes.

Chelsea Erickson, 27, cuts up some mushrooms in the kitchen at Indigenous. Erickson is the sous chef at Indigenous.
Photo by Rachel S. O’Hara

What’s your favorite dish to make and why?

Breakfast for my boyfriend. Halfway kidding. I really love making ice cream. We try to push the envelope with flavor combinations at Indigenous. I have a lot of fun with mixing sweet and savory and ice cream is a great vehicle for playing with that.

What have you learned since working at Indigenous?

So much. Everyday I’m learning something because we change our specials daily so we are constantly having to study and create or recreate. I’ve also learned how to handle staff. Training and coaching. That’s been the biggest lesson. Learning to be even keeled in a high stress environment.

What makes Indigenous special to the area?

I feel like our food is something different to Sarasota. Having grown up here and dining out often, our type of food is something different and new to the area. I’m a big believer in restaurants being the thing that put towns on the map. I saw what it did to Charleston. There are a lot of small independent places opening up now and I would like to think that we helped pave the way for more experimental places to thrive.

What do you see as your next career move?

It’s hard to say! I’m so content with where I’m at. I have personal goals set that I would like to meet before making my next move. Down the road I would definitely like to have my own space.

You came back to Sarasota, what would you say to others to encourage them to come and work and grow their careers in Sarasota?

Be bold! I am really enjoying the amount of younger people making things happen in this town. And it’s because they are just going for it. Although there is a lot of opportunity for success, you have to be hungry. No pun intended.

When you are not working what do you enjoy doing?

My boyfriend cooks as well so we try to spend as much time together as we can on our days off. We like to go out to eat but we are mostly homebodies. Lots of movie watching and lounging with my pug dog Moose.