Drummers and chefs are always in high demand. Henry Nowak's dynamic career is proof of that.
As the head chef at Cole's Bakery & Cafe — a gluten-free restaurant near the North Division Y in Spokane with a smaller second location on East Riverside — Nowak fiddles with fussy gluten-free flours and creates elevated specials to offer alongside the comfort food (like biscuits and gravy, onion rings, and avocado toast) that dominates Cole's menu.
But once Nowak slips out of his chef's whites, he often slides behind a drum kit and lays down beats for two local bands: The Smoking Amish and Push. He even built a cabin on his 10-acre property at Loon Lake so he could drum up a storm without disturbing neighbors.
He's also played with the Philadelphia-based glam metal band Britny Fox, a gig he landed when the band's drummer at the time sustained a foot injury. Last September, Nowak — clad in a black tank top and bandana — found himself sweating under the bright lights of Minnesota's Rocktember outdoor music festival, drumming for Britny Snow and "feeling like someone special on stage." Two days later though, "I was back in the kitchen again," he says.
Loyal Cole's patrons — some of whom swing in from out of town just for dishes like the lemon ricotta pancakes — might tell you Nowak is just as special in his back-of-house role as he is in hair-metal mode.
"She said, 'I haven't been able to have these in forever.'"
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The food Nowak whips up at Cole's is always gluten free. But the menu also caters to dietary niches like keto, vegan, and peanut allergy diets. And responses from diners with severe dietary limitations can be downright emotional: "I had a woman crying to me because she was able to eat fish and chips," says Nowak. "She said, 'I haven't been able to have these in forever.'"
Operating within that niche role isn't easy. Since specialty gluten-free and vegan ingredients tend to be pricey and can't always be purchased from one vendor, Nowak has to stay creatively nimble. So when a fresh bread loaf turns out wonky, he chops and crushes it into breadcrumbs for salads.
CEO and owner Jeanine Smith has fine-tuned Cole's proprietary flour blends with Nowak's feedback. On Saturdays, Smith's husband blends flour in a nearby warehouse safe from gluten contamination. Nowak explains that the flour is so sensitive it reacts differently depending on when it was milled.
Though this is Nowak's first time in a gluten-free kitchen, the Philadelphia-born rocker has worked in the restaurant industry — from Arizona to Idaho — for decades. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he left a "pretty high-pressure" role in health care. That weekend, Nowak's wife, a nurse, showed him Cole's chef-wanted ad on Craigslist. He applied. Turns out his time off lasted only a couple days.
Nowak's been at Cole's ever since, where he brines chicken overnight and consistently checks in with his staff. "This crew takes care of me," he says. "Everyone communicates well." He must be doing something right, because in those three years, Nowak has kept the same crew, an uncommon feat for kitchens, especially considering "the pain that small businesses and restaurants are going through right now is hardcore," he says.
Like many restaurants, Cole's recently raised prices on some menu items. But customers still keep coming: They dine in, hit up the drive-through window, purchase baking mixes and herbed cheese balls from the grab-and-go section, and buy breakfast sandwiches at the East Riverside Avenue location.
And Henry Nowak is behind it all, moving with the rhythm of the kitchen, setting the tempo, satisfied that his skills are appreciated both on and off stage.
CHEF'S PICKS
Beef Lasagna
Most people buy a whole lasagna out of the case. The vegan version is packed with three types of vegan cheeses like Violife.
Cole's Signature Pizza
Topped with pulled pork and pineapple. There's also a keto version in the personal-pan size.
Coconut Chicken
Roasted chicken is coated in crispy coconut flakes and fried till golden brown.
Dirty Fries
Fries smothered with nacho cheese sauce and sprinkled with BBQ pork or vegan jackfruit
Curry Chicken Bowl
Available at the East Riverside Avenue location. Nowak is itching to add more spicy dishes to the menu.
