Meet Detroit’s Finest Female Chefs and Restaurateurs

Story by Brittney Schering

Warning: Reading while hungry may result in reservations booked at one or more locations.

Just in case you, too, are utterly befuddled at the lack of an “n” in the word “Restaurateur,” the very reasoning just may restore and renew your idea of a restaurant. Fittingly, we’ve gathered some of the most respected and admired female chefs in Detroit to share with you here. Please enjoy this opportunity to shine a light on the leading ladies of Detroit's tastiest and rarest fare on offer for all to enjoy here in the soon-to-be sunny D. (Patio time!)

What follows is a spotlight profile on seven stunning women running the show in Detroit. We’ll start with the savory and make our way to decadent desserts. Bon Appétit. ¡Buen provecho!

Meet the Chef: Executive Chef and Partner Sarah Welch

Restaurant: Marrow
on Kercheval Avenue in the heart of West Village
Fun Food Fact: The butcher shop opened first, followed by the restaurant.
Signature Dish: Elevated bistro fare with internationally inspired flavors, the sausage is crafted to embody exceptional flavors, textures, and tastes derived from locally and ethically sourced ingredients per the restaurant’s thoughtful, thorough website.

Meet the Chef: Executive Chef Christina Stanco

Restaurant: Central Kitchen + Bar on Woodward Avenue
Fun Food Fact: Stanco finds her inspiration from French Cuisine.
Signature Dish: From brunch to lunch and dinner, each menu will make your stomach rumble.

Meet the Chef: Owner and Pastry Chef April Anderson

Restaurant: Good Cakes & Bakes on Columbia Street and Livernois Avenue
Fun Food Fact: April Anderson baked for the late, great Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin.
Signature Dish: Lemon Velvet Layer Cake - a special treat for Mother’s Day

Meet the Chef: Maryam Khan

Restaurant: Khana
Fun Food Fact: As seen on season 16 of Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race, Khana is not a food truck.
Signature Dish: From butter chicken sandooris to coconut curry lettuce wraps, the beloved Pakistani fusion food pop-up features fresh recipes inspired by Khan’s Pakistani heritage.

Featured Image
Credit: @khanadetroit

Meet the Chef: Owner, Co-Founder, Executive Chef Erika Boyd

Restaurant: Detroit Vegan Soul on Grand River Avenue
Fun Food Fact: Boyd has been a featured Chef at the Michigan VegFest, Windsor VegFest, and New Jersey VegFest.
Signature Dish: From the Bacon Ranch Pita to the Red Velvet Cupcakes, enjoy your favorite comfort foods with confidence that the ingredients are fresh, mostly organic, and completely plant-based.

Meet the Chef: Lisa Ludwinksi

Restaurant: Sister Pie on Kercheval Avenue, West Village on Detroit’s east side
Fun Food Fact: Lisa loves what she does so much, she wrote a cookbook all about it! Grab your copy of Sister Pie: The Recipes & Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit.
Signature Dish: Sweet and savory pies for every palate from her delicious Toasted Marshmallow-Butterscotch Pie to the delightful Sour Cherry-Bourbon Pie.

Meet the Chef: Ederique “Chef E” Goudia

Restaurant: Former head chef of the Upcycling Kitchen at Make Food Not Waste, Chef E is now managing Eastern Market’s community kitchen in Shed 5.
Fun Food Fact: “With Creole flair and Southern charm in her arsenal, she’s sprinkled a dash of bayou magic in Detroit.” - Frame
Signature Dish: New Orleans-style dinner pop-ups worth celebrating!

You May Also Like

Author

Brittney Schering
Brittney Schering is the author of Breadcrumbs by Miny Calapa & 11 other titles published in 2021. Not unrelated, Britt also met her limit in 2021. That’ll be the next book she writes in between her day job in biotech while moonlighting as a luxury home organizer & freelancing for Visit Detroit!