Seattle / Washington / United States
About Diane Diane LaVonne fashioned Dianes Market Kitchen by combining her passion for food and wine, her talent for teaching and creating a comfortable inviting environment, and her commitment to balancing those for a life of health and well being. Diane grew up in Minnesota with its tradition of hospitality, where every guest to the home was greeted with an offer of coffee and sweets. Through visits to local restaurants she was introduced to ethnic foods and began to explore them and their cultures by preparing meals inspired by a series of cookbooks called Foods of the World. While in college, she worked waiting tables and cooking at a number of restaurants including the famous Als Kitchen near the University of Minnesota. She eventually traded her career for the life of wife, mother, active school volunteer, martial artist, and owner of a catering business. Over the twelve years of operating her catering business, she established long term clients, cooking for their celebrations and many important events in the lives of their families and businesses. Although Diane continues to be committed to her children, community, and her martial arts, she has chosen to pursue her passion for food and entertaining in a new and exciting venture, focusing on sharing her extensive experience and knowledge with a wider audience. Diane invites you to her kitchen to share time and conversation with her other guests and learn about the best of the Northwests foods and wines. Market Kitchen Story Dramatic changes in her life that left her without her children, her home and neighborhood and nothing more that the prospect of minimum wage employment at an age when most of her friends were looking forward to relaxation and retirement, Diane LaVonne was forced to redefine herself and to create a new vision for her life. When this former wife, mother, part-time caterer, martial arts instructor and community volunteer told friends about her dream to open a beautiful home kitchen in the heart of urban Seattle near the Pike Place Market, a place where the community could gather to connect and learn how to prepare and enjoy food, many thought it was a pipe dream. Certainly traditional small business lenders thought so, and refused to lend needed capital. But despite a lack of the necessary funding, and the construction surprises that came from turning a garage into a commercial kitchen Diane kept moving forward. A straight-forward, passionate, friendly force who believes in asking for what one needs when she couldnt afford the high end appliances necessary, she asked manufacturers and local dealers to donate them... and they did. At Dianes Market Kitchen, youll find the newest Miele equipment donated by Albert Lee Appliance as well as countertop equipment donated by Kitchenaid and Cuisinart. The final cost to build and equip this incredible display kitchen? Just $50, 000. The kitchen is an intimate, beautiful, state-of-the-art "home" kitchen where Diane shares her culinary skills and experience with her "guests". Food and menus are based on what is fresh, seasonal and local ; most of the items are supplied by her vendor friends at the Pike Place Market. This unique environment was created to allow her to model what cooking, surrounded by friends, can look like at its best ; lots of conversation and good food without having to choose between the two. Guests can observe, or they can tie on an apron and help prepare the meal! Dianes vision is about balance about how to place food in its appropriate context for a life well-lived and enjoyed. Recent guests have included a group of Microsoft Human Resource Managers after a long day of strategy and planning ; a woman who received the evening class for her and her friends as a birthday gift from her boyfriend ; and a local resident who gathered family together for a Thanksgiving meal. Besides regular classes and special guest chefs, future plans include childrens classes and parties. Diane has not fo
