Burien’s Lavish Roots Catering Grows a Culinary Workforce and Community

Lavish Roots Catering began in 2014 when founders Carly Duke, Brandon LaVielle, Evan Garrard, and Ann Lamb rented a small corner of a commissary kitchen in West Seattle. The group met through South Seattle College’s Culinary Arts Program and shared a goal of creating a workplace that valued people as much as food. Within a year, their small startup had outgrown the shared space. Burien became their next step.

“Burien just felt right,” said Carly Duke, President and Founder of Lavish Roots. “It’s central, it’s supportive, it feels like home, and food is very important to people here. We knew it was where we wanted to build something permanent.”

Their first Burien location, a former burger shop, became their own kitchen, which was a 2,000-square-foot space that helped them establish a foothold in the community.

Building a Home in Burien

Over the past 11 years, the company has expanded rapidly, growing from four owners to a peak of over 400 employees, with approximately 300 employees currently across the region. Even as operations spread throughout Seattle, Redmond, and Bellevue, Burien remained the company’s base.

In 2020, Lavish Roots purchased and renovated a 6,500-square-foot building in Burien, transforming an old paint store into a modern headquarters and training kitchen. “We closed on the building the day before the pandemic shutdowns,” Duke said. “It was a risk, but we believed in what we were building, and Burien made it easier to take that leap.”

That facility now houses both Lavish Roots’ operations and an American Culinary Federation apprenticeship program. “We donate our kitchen to their program to help further the training of the next generation of chefs,” said Duke. This program provides training opportunities for new culinary professionals, including many who are entering the workforce for the first time.

Serving 6,000 Meals a Day

Today, Lavish Roots specializes in corporate dining, providing daily food service for about 6,000 people across 15 sites in the Puget Sound region. Clients include major tech and retail firms. Corporate dining accounts for roughly 70 percent of the company’s operations, supported by private catering, weddings, culinary education, community partnerships, and even Christmas parties.

“We hire a lot of people for their first job in the U.S.,” Duke said. “We train them, support them as they learn English, and give them a career path. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of.”

Community Connection and Collaboration

Lavish Roots continues to contribute to Burien’s strong sense of community. The company partners with local organizations, participates in city events such as Empty Bowls, and regularly purchases meals for staff from neighboring Burien restaurants.

“There’s a real spirit of collaboration here,” Duke said. “Restaurants aren’t competing. We each do something different, and everyone helps one another succeed.”

For Lavish Roots, Burien’s location, being close to the airport and easily connected to both Seattle and Tacoma, remains a key advantage. “Burien is central to everything,” Duke said. “It’s the perfect home base for a business that serves the entire region.”

Businesses like Lavish Roots Catering demonstrate the value of Burien as a central location, a supportive community, and a place where entrepreneurs can find success. Contact the Burien Economic Development team if you are looking to start your own business in Burien, so we can help you get started.