ANDREA CARPENTER

SERVICE MANAGER

THIS IS ANNIE.  Very shortly after we opened the door at Community Plate in 2011, she strode through it with infant son, Ari, in her arms. He was a week old. Since that meeting 8 years ago, Annie has been running our front counter like only a local can. She, too, was born and raised in McMinnville, attended the same elementary school as her two sons (Ari & Zaiah), graduated from Mac Hi, stayed in Oregon to go to college at University of Oregon and is now raising her family here in town with Ryan Carpenter, husband of 13 years. At age 15, she was hired as a prep cook and dishwasher at The Lawrence Gallery (Augustine’s) and then worked in restaurants to put herself through school. She was soon hooked as a hospitality professional in the front of the house. It’s this combination of home town connection and in-the-trenches training that makes her absolutely invaluable as our Service Manager at Community Plate.

Our Annie is a rare find… trusted to hire/manage staff, keep the books, supervise operations, handle emergencies. She’s earned the autonomy to RUN this restaurant and does so with both grace and graciousness. Her abilities as a manager developed exponentially when she found her ideal counterpart in Chef Jenna Hunter; each leads her respective crew while setting the ultimate example of cooperation and support for the other. These ladies are Community Plate’s dream team and we’re pretty sure the restaurant has never run better.

WHAT DOES ANNIE LOVE ABOUT WORKING AT COMMUNITY PLATE?
“There are so many things,” she says. “I truly look forward to coming to work everyday. The bonds that I’ve made with my coworkers and guests are invaluable. Many have become family members for life. I’ve loved watching babies come into the world and grow into bouncy, talkative children. Children turning into teens, teens into adults. One of our regulars was 12 when we opened… just a quiet, shy kid. Now she is a grown woman full of creativity and amazing style. So cool!”

FIRST COOKING JOB Augustine’s | McMinnville, Oregon
SPECIALTIES Bloody Mary Mix, House Chai
IF EATING AT COMMUNITY PLATE Cody’s soups, Jenna’s specials
YOU CAN FIND HER Playing dice with Jenna, Thrift Store bargain hunting
HOBBIES Reading, hiking with her boys, exploring the Oregon coast
LOVES Ryan, Ari, Zaiah