2021 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
The DEPOT Restaurant enters a new era
Beloved chef Lalewicz wins Readers’ Choice
Best Chef once again, in time to pass the torch
BY PETER KORCHNAK
SHANGRILA CREEK MINING COMPANY
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Michael Lalewicz has lost count of
how many Coast Weekend Readers’
Choice Awards T he DEPOT Restaurant
has amassed over the 19 years he and his
wife, Nancy Gorshe, have owned it. He is
thrilled about the winning streak. For him,
it’s a compliment from the community, but
what matters most to him is “making peo-
ple happy, that’s what we like to do.”
The last day of February was also Lale-
wicz’s last as the Seaview, Washington,
restaurant’s chef. “I’m very tired. Eleven
to twelve hours a day, six days a week, it
took the wind out of my sails,” Lalewicz
said. Challenges wrought by the pandemic
became the last straw. ”We are all very
dedicated here, everybody who works here
works just as hard as I did. That’s what
made us a good team,” Lalewicz said.
Gorshe, his wife, agrees. “Even though
the restaurant may get the best din-
ing award and Michael the best chef, it’s
really about everybody. We want to thank
everybody,” Gorshe said.
This includes Ashley Wassmer, one of
the restaurant’s fi rst two employees and
Readers’ Choice Award Best Server for the
second straight year. “She’s like a daugh-
ter to us,” Gorshe said. Having worked
at the Depot for 20 years, since she was
15, Wassmer appreciates the accolade but
feels bashful about it. ”I really love the
restaurant, obviously, and I’m lucky that I
work with really good people,” Wassmer
said.
In total, The DEPOT won six fi rst place
2021 Readers’ Choice Awards, including
Wassmer’s Best Server award and Lale-
Photos by Peter Korchnak
ABOVE: From left, The DEPOT Restaurant’s
Jamie Gisby, Ashley Wassmer, Michael
Lalewicz and Nancy Gorshe. LEFT: The DEPOT
Restaurant in Seaview.
wicz’s Best Chef award in addition to win-
ning best burger, catering, dessert and fi ne
dining. The restaurant was the runner up
for Best Clam Chowder.
Jamie Gisby, The DEPOT’s longtime
sous chef, who has taken over the kitchen,
admits that stepping into Lalewicz’s shoes
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THANK
YOU
Readers!