Meet Erika Gee

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erika Gee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Erika, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I’m not sure it’s ever completely overcome but the worry about being an imposter certainly diminishes over time. When I first became a lawyer, with a big job at a big law firm, I had a persistent feeling that I had somehow managed to sneak into a culture and a society without the family and background to be there. I thought that everyone else belonged but me. Then, when I publicly began to cook as a supper club entrepreneur, I experienced a resurgence of imposter syndrome because who was I to hold myself out as a chef without any credentials?

In both cases, I eventually realized that the people who belong are the ones who are there, doing the work. That while you might not have the pedigree or the “right” school or the professional training, you are bringing your own set of experiences to the table and telling your own unique story in a way that no one else could.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am an attorney and the owner, executive chef and creative director of Ease Supper Club, a ticketed dinner party that is so much more than dinner. Our Supper Club has two intertwined goals: to spark moments of surprise and delight for our guests with creative themes, menus and wine pairings and to create an atmosphere that encourages the connection that is so often missing from our day to day lives. Community and connection is always a key part of our events and sets us apart from other types of dinner experiences.

For me, the creative challenge of choosing the theme and menu and developing the recipes for each new Supper Club as well as designing the guest’s experience has awakened parts of my brain that I had abandoned in 25 years of law practice. It is one of the most satisfying and rewarding things that I’ve ever done and I feel so lucky to be able to do it.

After nearly three years of operation, we are preparing to move into the first floor of The Baker, a beautiful restored Victorian house now serving as a boutique hotel. The history and gorgeous artisanal surroundings are a perfect match for our Supper Club and we are so excited to explore new aspects of our brand in the new space.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I think my resilience has been key to my journey. Even when I wasn’t sure where I was headed or I ran into roadblocks, an inner determination to continue forward has led me to where I am today.

I’d also advise people not to have too narrow of a view of who you are – don’t allow someone else’s conception of you to become your own and block out important parts of your personality. Each of us is a complex person and we contain multitudes. Don’t be afraid to be your full self.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always looking for like-minded folks to collaborate on ways to build community, connection and joy. If this speaks to you, email me at [email protected]!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos by Kalen Kemp @ Kemp Photos

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