How Ravenna’s Pancita at Pair Became a Permanent Restaurant | Eater Seattle

"Sarah Penn’s longstanding Ravenna restaurant has shifted from a sole-run project into a partnership model: Penn continues to own and run the space and its beverage program (the wine list may soon include more bottles from Mexico), but she invited Becerra in as a resident chef and now serves as an experienced backstop while the concept and kitchen are operated by Pancita. I saw Penn move away from the traditional top-down approach after the pandemic—when Pair temporarily closed and she struggled to find a committed chef—and instead offer her space, equipment, and two decades of experience to help someone else build a vision. Penn says she fell in love with Becerra’s food and recognized her as the total package, and the symbiotic arrangement has allowed both women to continue evolving the restaurant." - Naomi Tomky