Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin McGrath.
Hi Erin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started working in restaurants and bars when I was fourteen years old in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I climbed my way up in the industry and moved to New Orleans at twenty-two. After a few years, I was ready for a change and moved to Denver where I had my first General Manager position at twenty -six. In the last few years in Denver, I wanted a new challenge and started working as an Event and Community Outreach Director for a Brewery where I headed a charity event series that I am very proud of.
Like many, the pandemic made me re-evaluate and restructure my priorities. All of my family is on the east coast based and being so far away for ten years I was ready to be closer to them. Charleston ticked all the boxes for what I wanted next; closer to my loved ones, the ocean, a food city, no snow, and a fresh start. I sent out my resume to a few places and that’s how I found Coterie.
Located in downtown Charleston Coterie is a Modern Indian with a Southern influence restaurant with a bar program headed by owner Jeremy Buck. Flint Spencer and Viraj Borkar are the co-executive chefs that have created something really unique, especially for Charleston. Coterie means a small group of people with shared interests or tastes. It had been open about half a year since I started as the General Manager and I love the challenges that come with a new restaurant and the type of community created when everyone has the same goal.
I have always wanted to be in this industry and at thirty-three, with nineteen years of experience, I still love every second of it. The pace, the stress, the community, insane hours, and having to learn and adjust on the spot. I am one of the lucky ones who have always known what I have wanted to do and taken the risks when the opportunity knocked. This job isn’t for everyone but I would want to do anything else.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While the industry is getting better there is still a lot of sexism, especially when it comes to female managers. Having to justify why I was put in a position of authority instead of someone else happens too often and all throughout my career. Talk to any female manager, bartender, chef, or owner and I am sure they will have plenty of stories that sound all too familiar,
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in events after running a program in Colorado for three and a half years. Now with Coterie, I am hoping to bring some of that experience here. The challenge of taking someone’s vision for a special event and making it something they will remember is important to me.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
To trust me. I have good instincts and years of experience behind me. Tuning out all the outside voices that doubt me isn’t easy but I have faith in myself and my abilities. I know I will make mistakes but I also trust myself to handle them in the best way I can no matter what happens.
Contact Info:
- Website: coteriechs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coterie_chs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coteriechs
