Leslie Engel

Cafe Manager

Leslie grew up in Chicago as the youngest of seven. Mealtime was an important to her family and always a time to be savored. Her mom cooked huge meals using only the best ingredients. When Leslie was 8 years old, she visited her grandfather at the world-famous Blackhawk restaurant in downtown Chicago where he worked. She was allowed to go in the kitchen and watch the chefs and make as many Shirley Temples as she wanted. Her whole family was given the royal treatment because her grandfather saved the restaurant from the Chicago Horse Meat Scandal of 1952 years earlier. He began going to the stock yard to personally pick out prime ribs and The Blackhawk would only accept beef that bore the mark of his custom-made stamp. Eventually, her two older sisters and future brother-in-law also worked at Blackhawk.

Leslie moved to the Northwest a week before her sixteenth birthday to live with her sister. Leslie soon started working in small cafes and began managing restaurants shortly after she turned 21. She moved on to TGI Fridays in the 1990s where she held many positions, including server, front of the house manager, bar manager and kitchen manager. Leslie left management and began serving at Ray’s in 2002 so that she had time to attend the University of Washington and earn her BA in English (2007). Since graduation, she decided to stay at Ray’s because of the people – those she works with and the guests who come in to dine. Leslie’s passion for Ray’s culture, values, and providing guests with the best service possible is what sets her apart. She swiftly rose through the ranks again, and in April 2011, Leslie was promoted to Café Manager – to the delight of staff, managers and guests.

In her spare time, Leslie enjoys gardening, cooking, reading, hiking and road-tripping through the Northwest. She spends time with friends and her two lucky black cats, Isabel and T. Bear. She visits her family in Chicago often and always checks out her favorite restaurants and watches a Cubs game.