The tagline on the door says “Eat Drink Live”; it’s a variation of the motto you’ll hear in the kitchen of Eden Archer’s eponymous restaurant—which is more along the lines of “Wake up. Kick ass. Eat. Sleep. Repeat.” Spend any amount of time getting to know her, and it’s clear Archer is the embodiment of both.
“Born in a school bus, literally in a garden in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada,” says Archer—whose father has a degree in viticulture and managed a raisin vineyard. She recalls living in the San Joaquin Valley and being raised vegetarian/vegan since her mom grew all of the family’s food.
“We didn’t eat out a lot. I thought it was so special to eat at a restaurant so when I was in high school, I started sneaking off campus to eat out and was sorely disappointed in all the food. I thought it was going to be so much better than our boring homemade, homegrown food,” Archer says. “That was an early wake-up call for me about good food, and it piqued my interest in cooking at a very young age.”
In high school, Archer had three jobs: bagging groceries, serving yogurt, and working at a small café called Tapas, where she went from washing dishes to flaming shrimp on the line. That experience served as the first step on a still unwinding career path dedicated to food.
“Cooking is one of those things, I feel like… it’s not really something that can be taught through a degree. It’s an instinct. When you’re in a kitchen long enough, you can tell—say, if you’re reducing something down, when it’s reached its perfect point just because you get used to recognizing the viscosity of the bubbles.”
Cheffing at a five-star resort in New York, launching fine-dining concepts in Sedona and Tucson, and overseeing Brix in Flagstaff were all part of Archer’s journey. Driven to learn other aspects of the industry, she entered the world of “school food,” ultimately becoming a regional food service director in charge of 25 school districts. Her career also became intertwined with grapes, at one point serving as hospitality director for a winery in California and then helping launch a tasting room and wine label in Cornville.
One thing always led to the next. Inevitably, after years spent launching and managing concepts for other people, she decided it was time for her own. “I spent a good six months to a year thinking about what I wanted to do,” Archer says. “Kind of like everything else in my life, it just fell into place.”
She phoned a colleague who owned a restaurant and catering business in Cottonwood to get her advice on whether the area needed another caterer, only to find out that the colleague’s business was for sale. Barely two weeks passed between the time the doors to Cork and Catch were closed and the doors to EDEN were opened.
What she describes as “modern American comfort food with a Southwest twist” has more to do with the use of fresh, quality ingredients than a particular cuisine. As much as seasonally possible, the menu features locally grown or raised ingredients and includes beef from K4 Copper State Reserve. The dedication to local extends beyond the plate; the house wine is a private-label offering from nearby Page Springs Cellars.
“That’s always been my style,” says Archer. “Seasonal, different. Really good food in a casual atmosphere. When I go out to eat, I want to eat something that I keep thinking about later and want to go back for. That’s what I want people to experience at EDEN.”
EDEN is open Tuesday–Sunday from 11:00 am–8:30 pm and is located at 1750 E. Villa Dr. in Cottonwood. See the menu at edencottonwood.com
