Employee Feature: Caid
EMPLOYEE FEATURE: CAID
Skilled lead prep cook, audio and visual artist, and Aslan's most stylish employee!
Caid started at Aslan three years ago, and his Aslan-iversary just passed this December! When he first joined us, he started as a dishwasher and quickly worked his way up. From dishwashing to line cook, to prep cook, and now lead prep cook—Caid has risen through the ranks! Although he misses the social aspect of working on the line, he enjoys the freedom to listen to his own music and “vibe” in the prep room.
One of the most exciting parts of his job is when he gets to run the show. “When I get to be the big man in charge—show up at 6 AM, do the food order, and cook the gravy.” At Aslan, we take a lot of pride in our gravy, ensuring it's always chef's kiss, so it is crafted only by a select few!
One of Caid's favorite dishes was the Pork Belly Bánh Mì sandwich we served a couple of years ago, even though he’s allergic to cinnamon, one of the key ingredients in the pork belly (it was worth a little reaction). These days, he keeps it light with a simple rice and greens bowl topped with chimichurri and braised chicken.
Outside of work, Caid is an artist, scholar, and a laid-back guy. He’s currently working on a set of collages for an upcoming show at the Brewpub in May. On top of that, he’s a singer/songwriter and will be performing live at the Depot soon! He moved to Bellingham from Wenatchee to earn his degree in Philosophy from Western and hopes to pursue a career in the field, potentially teaching one day. When he’s had a long day at work, Caid likes to unwind by spending time with his cats, Fredrick (aka Fred) & Hexxy, and playing video games.
I bet you're wondering: what would Caid do if he won the lottery tomorrow? “I would buy a 9th century estate in Tuscany and raise goats”. Now that's a dream we can get behind.
Caid is notorious around here for his style, and he credits much of it to his girlfriend Brooklyn. She encouraged him to explore his personal style, and through her work at a women’s consignment store, he discovered some of his favorite pieces. To give you a better idea, Caid has a jacket in nearly every color you can imagine. Truly the style king!
As we wrap up, Caid wanted to express his gratitude to the people in his life. “I’m just appreciative of all my co-workers, Brooklyn, my mom, my dad. Shout out to everyone. Shout out to the women at Aslan who advocate for me doing my art. Without you, I wouldn’t advocate for myself.”
Caid is such a dynamic person both in and out of the kitchen, and we’re lucky to have him as part of our team! Thank you for being the funny, artistic, and hard-working guy you are, Caid!
