Dame Karen Binder
Innovative and adaptable, creative and curious, a pioneer in Seattle’s restaurant universe in the 1980s, Dame Karen Binder’s high standards have guided her throughout her stellar career. Blend this with a passion for all things French. Living in Geneva, Switzerland, while working in a science research lab, she became fluent in both the language and cuisine. Added to her sommelier training, the combination guaranteed success running her neighborhood restaurant, the Madison Park Café, from the day she opened in 1979.
Originally a coffee and tearoom in a small 1926 house when Karen bought the business, she recreated the dining space into a warm and welcoming neighborhood destination featuring a breakfast and lunch menu. Inspired from travel and her work in Europe, the Café was first in the Madison Park neighborhood to serve authentic croissants and feature an espresso machine. Add sourdough waffles and notably the best scones in Seattle to the offerings and the menu was a hit. Customers and accolades arrived in short order.
While not a chef herself–her impressive academic background focused on molecular genetics–Karen hired chefs to run the kitchen while she managed the business side and front of the house setting the tone with her warm and welcoming style. This also required her to wear hats from dishwasher to wine merchant to restaurant owner to fill-in baker. To many, she was also Madison Park’s unofficial Jewish Mother.
In 1998, the 35-seat restaurant changed to serving French bistro-style dinners and brunch on weekends. The move accommodated Karen’s schedule, since she was also now a busy mom with a growing family. Her wine studies at CIA in Napa Valley raised the bar for the restaurant’s curated wine offerings and inspired popular wine-pairing dinners, a move anticipating their popularity.
Madison Park Café soon earned its spot on the restaurant credibility list. Karen, with her then-chef Amanda Zimlich, was invited to host a Women in Washington Wine dinner at the James Beard House in New York. Karen invited Dame Marie Eve Gilla, former owner/winemaker at Forgeron Winery in Walla Walla, to accompany her as the Washington winemaker.
In 2011, with the birth of her first grandchild on Oahu, Hawaii, and the subsequent need to travel there frequently, Karen sold Madison Park Cafe. She continued, however, with her successful catering business, which she ran for 41 years until early 2021. Ever the explorer, wine remains a passion and she is still a licensed wine seller.
Always an optimist and an enthusiast, Karen reflects on her singular career as a restaurateur saying, “True, it wasn’t always easy being female in the restaurant world. Dare I say my perseverance and versatility paired with my goal of making people feel at home while enjoying great food and wine created a winning path. I encourage anyone with a vision to trust and go for it.”
Members