The People Behind Eden Hill
A small dining room takes a tight-knit crew. Meet the kitchen and front-of-house team who ran Eden Hill Restaurant.
Kitchen & Dining Room
Eden Hill ran on a small, steady crew — a kitchen and dining room built around twenty-four seats meant everyone on staff had a hand in every table’s night. Here’s who made up that team.
Maximillian Petty
A Seattle-area native, Max started as a prep and line cook in his eldest sister’s restaurant during high school. He cooked at restaurants across the country — including Crème Café & Lounge, King Estate Winery, and Olivia — before returning home to open Eden Hill in 2015. He went on to earn three James Beard Foundation semifinalist nominations for Rising Star Chef. Max lived in Queen Anne with his wife and two children.
Elizabeth Hughes
A Washington native, Elizabeth fell for cooking because it was hands-on, creative, and challenging in a way her university studies never were. Before joining Eden Hill, she cooked with several Seattle institutions, including Tom Douglas Catering, Daniel’s Broiler, and Café Juanita. She lived in Eastlake.
Chauncey Arkfeld
An accomplished pianist, a graduate of California’s Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and an English major, Chauncey brought story and production to the dining room. Before joining Eden Hill in 2015, he worked for the Herbfarm and Bistro Laurent. He lived in Queen Anne.
Sean Arakaki
Born and raised in Hilo, HI, Sean wanted a career where he could work hard and play hard, which led him to culinary arts. A graduate of Hawaii Community College’s Culinary Arts program, he worked at Canlis, The Rainier Club, and Hilo Bay Cafe before joining Eden Hill. He lived in Magnolia.
Gillian Diedrick
A Seattle native, Gillian served at restaurants across the country, including Dot’s Charcuterie and Bistrot, Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar, and Vestal. She lived in Ballard with her husband.
Giulia Cole
Born in Houston and raised in Miami, Giulia moved to Bellevue in 2008 and fell in love with cooking through Newport High School’s culinary arts program. She previously worked for Miller’s Guild, Harvest Vine, Molly Moon’s Ice Cream, Brunswick & Hunt, and Le Grand Bistro. She lived in Interbay.
Claire Perry
A Chicago native, Claire felt the pull of the Pacific Northwest after joining the Washington Wine Commission’s 2016 Washington Wine Road Trip. A certified sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and the International Sommelier Guild, she previously worked at the Herbfarm and the Everest Room. She lived in Woodinville with her dog, Coop.
Franco Magofna
Raised in Graham, Franco pursued culinary arts after graduating high school in 2016. Alongside his time at Eden Hill since 2016, he also worked in the Naka and Opus Co. kitchens. He lived in West Seattle with his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew.
A small dining room takes a tight-knit crew.
Want to know more about how the restaurant came together? Read Our Story, or browse the photo gallery to see the team at work.