Floor Duty

Seattle Times: August 6 2006

By Sherry Grindeland

Eastsider Matt Jones left Microsoft almost two years ago to follow his passion. Jones, who had been a product designer and an art director, wanted to cook professionally. He took classes for several years before leaving his day job.

A few months ago Jones opened Starry Nights, a private event center and catering company, in Kirkland. Denise, his wife, didn't sign up to be a sous-chef or assistant. She's a software engineer and likes her job just fine, thank you.

But because Denise is married to the chef, she helps at evening and weekend events. Which explains why she was on her hands and knees, scrubbing the floor at Starry Nights before a big party.

"I stopped in the middle, looked around and said, 'I went to college so I wouldn't have a job doing this kind of thing.' Not that it helped. I still had to finish scrubbing the floor," she said.

Expect to see Matt on television this fall. He cooked for Anthony Bourdain, an author and chef who visited Seattle in June. Bourdain stars in television's "No Reservations."