Chef Erika Cenci and husband Jim opened

Yakima home for business in 1995

By CHRIS THORN

When driving along 16th Avenue in Yakima there lies a hidden gem. This special location tucked back behind a slew of Arborvitaes is A Touch of Europe Bed and Breakfast. At this Victorian era home guests are treated to the edible delights and wonderful scenery created by Erika and Jim Cenci.

“We really enjoy our guests,” the couple said. “They are not bored while they are here.”

Indeed they aren’t. The couple recently received yet another award to add to their collection from the Lanier Bed and Breakfast Travel Guide as the 2011 Best Bed and Breakfast with nearby wineries. No other bed and breakfast in Washington State received an award from the site in 2011.

Erika and Jim said this award was special because it was based solely upon guest reviews.

“These B&B’s possess unique qualities and specific attention to detail in an effort to make your bed and breakfast stay a truly memorable and unforgettable experience,” read the Lanier website with regard to their award winners.

Other awards and acknowledgements the Cenci’s have received over the years include “Best Breakfast in the Northwest Award” in 2006 from Inn Traveler, “Best Evening Cuisine Award in 2005 from Inn Traveler, Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest, Best Breakfast in the Northwest in 2006 from Inn Traveler and finally Best Chef Award in 2004, including U.S.A. and Canada, from Inn Traveler.

“That was a really nice surprise,” Erika said of receiving the Best Chef Award.

Erika has worked her culinary magic in the Yakima Valley for 16 years now, beginning back in 1995 when the couple first opened the bed and breakfast. She began to develop her skills at the age of 14, in Europe. She spent approximately four years training to be a chef and chose that as her profession.

“You stuck it out or you weren’t around,” Erika said.

She is known by guests of the bed and breakfast as a chef talented in cooking dishes ranging from 11 European countries including Germany, France, Italy and Russia. Some of the main dishes she makes for three-course dinners include: filet mignon, medallions of pork tenderloin, rack of lamb, fillet of wild caught salmon or halibut, sea scallops, oven roasted duck, oven roasted guinea hen, oven roasted rabbit, rack of venison and rack of wild boar.

Erika’s talents as a chef were on display locally from 1998 to 2001 on the KIMA television show, “Cooking with Erika.” She said it was a treasured and memorable experience because she could create recipes using local wines, fruits, berries and produce to share with viewers.

Before opening A Touch of Europe here in Yakima, Erika and Jim had a successful restaurant in the Tacoma area. While they owned the restaurant they began looking for a Victorian era home in Tacoma for a time before a friend told them to take a trip to the Yakima Valley.

The Cenci’s said they have always been steadfast in serving the freshest food possible so their trip to Yakima was fortuitous because of the bountiful produce here. The couple began making routine weekend trips to Yakima and filled their vehicle full of ingredients to use in their Tacoma restaurant.

“It’s a good thing [the cars] had good springs because they were really loaded up,” Jim said.

Erika and Jim said they also enjoyed the vast amount of sunshine here in the valley compared to the west side.

On one of their weekends in the valley Erika and Jim began looking at Victorian era homes. Initially they didn’t find one that suited their needs but one afternoon they received a tip about a home that recently came on the market. The home was that of Charles Pollock Wilcox, who built the 4,000 square foot home back in 1889, the year Washington was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state.

The couple was pretty much sold on the home the minute they set their eyes upon it, as long as the price was right to get it up and going. After purchasing the home in 1995 Jim said it took about seven months working 18 hours a day to get the house ready for business.

“Once the word got out, we’ve been busy ever since,” Jim said.

Erika and Jim added that when wineries began booming in the valley their business picked up even more. 

The Cenci’s said when they first opened A Touch of Europe they were rare in that they introduced private fine dining to the Yakima Valley, something they continue to specialize in today. The couple also offers themed dinners including German, French Italian, Indian or Greek cuisine for groups of six or eight people.

A Touch of Europe Bed and Breakfast is located at 220 N. 16th Avenue in Yakima. For reservation or dining information contact them at (509) 454-9775 or 1-888-438-7073. Their website is www.winesnw.com/toucheuropeb&b.htm