‘It’s taking everything from me’: Pam’s Kitchen owner details rising costs behind Seattle restaurant’s closure

Pam’s Kitchen in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood will close Nov. 29 after 20 years in business. Owner Pam Jacob said declining sales and rising ingredient costs left her unable to keep the restaurant open despite refinancing her home and receiving financial help from supporters.

Speaking with “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio, Jacob said she realized last September that the restaurant’s financial struggles were threatening her personal finances.

“I can’t keep doing this because it’s getting into my personal life now. It’s taking everything from me,” Jacob said. “I had already depleted all of my credit cards. I had already refinanced my house a couple of times, but when December came, I couldn’t close the door. It’s been my baby.”

Community support helped, but sales remained uneven

Jacob said supporters helped her pay overdue rent, but the assistance did not resolve the restaurant’s ongoing expenses.

“There were some really nice people who turned out and helped me out financially, and that money just kept paying the rent because I keep owing the landlord $80,000, $90,000,” she said. “It never stops. When I get the help, I thought I could pay the rent, and maybe people seeing the story would come out.”

A busy weekend gave her a glimpse of the business she needed to sustain.

“This weekend gone, it was wonderful. If it had continued like that for at least three, four months, I would be in the positive. I would be good,” Jacob said. “But there were days — there was a day when we sold $50. $50 in that big space.”

Jacob points to the pandemic and ingredient costs

When asked what ultimately led to the closure, Jacob pointed to COVID-19 and described the increase in the cost of chicken.

“We used to buy the 40-pound chicken before COVID for like $35, $40. Now we pay like $109 for a case,” she said. “And that’s the cheapest of it because I do goat, I do lamb, I do beef.”

Pam’s Kitchen opened in the University District in 2006 and moved to Wallingford in 2015, according to the restaurant’s website.

Jacob’s goal was to introduce customers to food from Trinidad and Tobago.

“My whole idea was to teach people out here about the food, how you can get really authentic food right here and tasty,” she said. “It’s spicy, but it’s flavorful. And I have taught people over here to eat spice.”

Closing affects both Jacob and her son

The restaurant supports both Jacob and her son, who works alongside her.

“I am the breadwinner, and my son works with me, so he has also given up his life to be there,” Jacob said. “So when I’m broke, he’s broke. If we don’t pay the mortgage on our house, we have nothing. I’m 69 years old, so I’m keeping the hope, and I’m keeping the prayer, and I’m hoping that it’s going to work out.”

Catering could follow a break

The closure does not mean Jacob wants to stop sharing her food.

“Yes, it is goodbye for now. I don’t want to take this food away from people, so when I do take a rest and come back, I want to do catering,” she said. “I want to continue with catering.”

Jacob asked customers visiting before the closure to be patient.

“It’s just me and my son, and we struggle to keep the people happy and bring the food out,” she said. “It’s not fast food.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.