One Great Chef: Erik Camacho

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One Great Chef:  Erik Camacho

The title of this blog should be “Defying Expectations.”  I went for lunch with my publisher the other day and we went to Pinstripes in Prairiefire.  I am not going to talk that much about our lunch, though we got four different items including a very unusual version of carrot cake sitting in a pool of caramel that was tantalizing and acorn squash with burrata that was a true unique treat, but we also met their executive chef.  There are eight Pinstripes, mostly in the Midwest, and their head chefs’ titles are Bistro Chef.  Whatever.  They’ve clearly found a gem in Erik.

Chef Erik’s background is a little bit unusual.  He was in the army for 11 years, working on tanks.  When he came home to California, he really didn’t know what he wanted to do.  But he’d been cooking for his large family for years and thought, “Well, I love to cook, why not culinary school?”  So that’s what he did.  He worked in some restaurants out there and then packed up his daughter and came to Lee’s Summit to chef in his sister’s bar.  That led eventually to stints as Gordon Biersch and as head chef for RA Sushi.  Since then, he’s opened up several restaurants for Pinstripes, including this Overland Park location three years ago, remarried, had two more children (for a total of five), and learned even more.

His joy in his work and colleagues shines through.  “I like the challenges and I love the creativity here.  When we do large events, and we do all kinds with all kinds of food, it makes me so satisfied that people love the food.  I like contributing to a cool time when everyone is so happy.”

Pinstripes’ tagline is Bistro l Bowling l Bocce.  But Erik and his team have really made sure the bistro part is what foodies (yes, I used that word) like me need to remember. You probably didn’t know that this is a 98% scratch kitchen – including all their pastas.  I sure didn’t. You really should brave Prairiefire and 135th Street and go there.  So happy I did! 


Pinstripes
13500 Nall Avenue 
Overland Park, KS 66223 
Ph. 913-681-2255 


Pinstripes Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato  Pinstripes

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