January 4-29, 2009 (Sunday - Thursday)

Vivian Peterson - Executive Chef/Owner

Executive Chef Vivian Peterson was raised in Seattle, steeped within a rich Greek heritage, in which cooking ancient Greek recipes was an art, passed down from family matriarchs. The family home consisted of constant entertaining, surrounded by family and friends and the recipes from her "Mama Titika." Her father (Panos) was often found spit-roasting lamb in the back yard. It was Peterson's job to help in the kitchen, and she loved it. Her hands were in everything and she'd sometimes test the patience of her mother by sneaking in new ingredients such as fruits or nuts; fortunately the additions were always crowd-pleasers.

Owning and running a small restaurant was something Peterson long dreamed to attain. Not only does she enjoy food and being creative, she enjoys engaging with people. Together, it's an experience she calls "Divine," just like the name of the restaurant she's owned for the past two years.

With her Sous Chef and Kitchen Manager Kesava Morton as an integral part of the culinary team, Peterson enjoys merging Greek traditions with modern techniques and her creative touches. "I'm a lot of fun at work; I make a big mess and use pots and pans, and take up lots of space, but my biggest pet peeve are people who don't clean their messes," so you can bet the kitchen always ends up tidy. Five of Peterson's must have ingredients include sea salt, lemon, paprika, olive oil and oregano.

When she's not in the restaurant, you'll find Peterson spending time with her daughter Penelope, and Zorba, their Bernese mountain dog. She enjoys traveling, the beach and savoring good food and wine. Unlike many chefs who save their cooking energy for their restaurant kitchens, Peterson still loves to cook at home.