Valerie Erwin

Valerie Erwin is a chef and activist with a particular interest in the intersection of food, culture and social justice.

Valerie was the creator, general manager, and executive chef of Geechee Girl Rice Cafe, a critically acclaimed restaurant in Philadelphia. Geechee Girl, immediately lauded by the media when it opened in 2003, was known not only for extraordinary food. It was remarkable in its commitment to hyper local products, its employment of neighborhood residents, and its interest in the life of its community. 

Valerie is board president of the People's Kitchen Philly, a mutual aid kitchen. She serves on the board of Wyck Historic House, Garden and Farm, a house museum in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood. She manages Farm to Families, a produce access program of St. Christopher’s Foundation for Children. In 2026 she started teaching a course on Design, Food, and the Environment at Haverford College.

Valerie frequently collaborates with institutions such as the Free Library of Philadelphia on programming involving cooking and culinary history. In the summer of 2026, she is partnering with Art Philly to produce a program highlighting the role of street vendors like the Pepperpot Woman in colonial Philadelphia