Shannon McIntire
I have been happily immersed in all facets of hospitality management for over 20 years. After returning home from Evergreen State College, I began building my restaurant repertoire with casual fine dining service, kitchen operations and front-of-house management. These experiences evolved into operations and general management positions for several years until I decided to pivot away from restaurants and join Honest to Goodness in 2019! Facilitating the culinary and hospitality experience is a natural joy for me! I love working in the FOODIE club. I firmly believe folks who work with and seek out good food are some of the best people!!
My appreciation for great food started early. I grew up in a food-centric environment with strong cooks all throughout the family tree! I fondly remember: learning about herbs and crop planting from my Dad on spring and summer weekends and how to make the perfect tacos from my mom. My Grandma taught me how to bake her AMAZING chocolate spice cake for birthday parties.
When I’m not talking shop, I am spending quality time with my wonderful family and our Border Collie, Farrah! I am active in community camaraderie, health and wellness, and also enjoy music, travel and time with friends!
More about Shannon
Tell us about your role with Honest to Goodness and your favorite thing about our company.
I was thrilled to join Honest to Goodness in May of 2019 as the Operations Manager! Laura and I hit it off right away and I knew this would be a great fit all around! I manage daily operational efforts regarding client services, client relations, and logistics as well as team management, support, and recruiting. I also help oversee our bookkeeping and marketing efforts and contribute to business development projects and initiatives.
What is a fun food memory you have from your childhood?
My Aunt CeCe Sullivan was the Home Economist for the Seattle Times for many years! She would take me to her test kitchen on “Bring Your Niece to Work” days! I loved testing the recipes and then seeing the photography and layout teams work through the process of her recipes and pieces going to print!
What famous person would you love to have dinner with?
Morgan Freeman. He developed a cookbook, Morgan Freeman & Friends: Caribbean Cooking for a Cause, which grew out of his desire to raise funds to help rebuild Grenada that was ravaged by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. Freeman also opened a fine dining restaurant and blues club in Clarksdale, Mississippi, so he seems to be a bit of a foodie!
If you could choose your last meal, what would it be?
My Dad’s Chicken and Dumplings!! Ohhh, yummm!
What comfort food do you crave to stay warm and cozy?
I love a nourishing blended soup like potato leek or roasted carrot! Something with the hearty veggies and smooth texture is so comforting to me. Top it a little chive oil or creme fraiche!
What is something fun that we don’t know about you?
I am a portrait photographer in my spare time and take occasional jobs on the side. I really enjoy the balance of artistry and technicality! I even take all the headshots of our team for our bio pages on the Honest to Goodness website!
If you were a superhero (which we know you are for Honest to Goodness), what would your superpower be?
Definitely teleportation! How cool would it be to just “jump” to your destination with the snap of a finger! Whether it’s to Spain for a day-cation or to hurry off to my daughter’s school pick up line on busy afternoons.
How would you describe your “perfect dining experience”?
I love small plates to graze on and I eat slow, so I would bask in a multi-course Tuscan/Italian inspired dinner outdoors in Spring with the fresh air blowing. I’m thinking fresh melon and prosciutto, caprese, lamb and of course pasta! (Bonus points if it’s actually in Tuscany!)
If you weren’t in the hospitality/foodservice industry, what other career path would you have pursued?
I would pursue my own portrait photography business full time!
If you could win an Olympic medal for any sport, what would it be?
Running! I enjoy jogging and feel it’s the best medicine for clearing my head!
Favorite Quote:
"Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate, and to humble."
