At the Earnest Gourmet you'll
experience many a delectable bite -- anything from homemade soups to freshly prepared hors d'oeuvres. In
total it is a menu of quality foods served with an appetizing and appealing presentation designed to fit
the occasion. Linda Earnest got comfortable in the kitchen during her high school years, both at
her homestead learning from her mother Verna, as well as at the infamous Sugarbush Mountain Resort, a family restaurant
and shooting range on top of Youngstown Ridge above Latrobe, PA. She received a Bachelor of Music Education
from Seton Hill College in Greensburg, PA and shortly thereafter returned to the food buisness to address all
the school loans!
She ventured to downtown Pittsburgh
to work at the Rusty Skupper, a branch of Stouffer Restaurants, who in turn was owned by Nestles Corporation. In the
ten years of working at the "Skupper", Linda quickly advanced from prep cook, to line cook, to corporate trainer and into
management. As a trainer Linda had the exciting assignment of opening 18 new Rusty Skupper units and taught new employees
the methods and techniques the corporation demanded in their kitchens. Linda completly enjoyed travelling the
different areas of the country to see, learn, and taste foods that are indigenous of each region. In
her managerial role she learned all aspects of running a successful restaurant from the bar, dining room, book keeping, and
reading P&L statements; however her favorite remained the expertise of a well run kitchen!
Leaving the strong corporate world was a tough decision for
Linda to make, but found an even greater challenge in accepting a sous chef position at the Tuskarora Mill restaurant in Leesburg,
Virginia. For a year Linda was on a precision team of four - herself, the chef, a pastry chef and a salad/sandwich maker.
It was at this time she decided nothing was quite like home -- and subsequently returned to western Pennsylvania to work two
seasons at Linden Hall before acquiring and opening The Earnest Gourmet in January 1991.
Linda is a Member of the American Culinary Federation and has
participated in further education at The Greenbriar Resort. Gather round one of Linda's tables or at an event catered
by the Earnest Gourmet and simply listen to the people expressing their appreciation of such well prepared,
mouthwatering, and exquisite foods! The Earnest Gourmet .... for the serious palette!
