Our Team

A woman with red hair, wearing a blue floral headband and a black long-sleeved shirt, standing indoors with her arms crossed, smiling slightly, with books and potted plants in the background.

Eda Johnson

Owner/Operator of Manuscript & Epilogue Kitchen Collective

Eda Johnson is the Owner and Operator of Manuscript, a Tacoma-based scratch kitchen rooted in Italian influence, collaborative hospitality, and food made with intention.

After nearly 20 years in hospitality — alongside careers in cosmetology and emergency response as a firefighter, EMT, and paramedic — Eda built Manuscript with the belief that great restaurants should care deeply about people, not just plates.

She believes in scratch cooking, collective creativity, deep house playlists, birthday cake, and not taking restaurant culture too seriously.

A smiling woman with curly hair wearing a black top and a blue, white, and red jacket in an indoor environment with warm lighting. Behind her, there is a wall with a colorful pink, purple, and red art piece, hanging plants, and part of a dark wooden curtain. There is a black leather chair and a display stand with a bottle and informational card on the right.

Gell Lele’a

Bar & Commissary Manager

Gell brings years of bartending experience from across Tacoma to Manuscript, where she manages both the bar program and commissary operations.

Originally from The Bay Area, she’s known for her enormous heart, calm presence, and ability to make just about anyone feel like family — which makes sense, considering she comes from a gigantic one herself.

A man with curly hair, a beard, and glasses with orange-tinted lenses smiling in front of green leafy plants with some small lights.

Corey Gamroth

Bar & Restaurant Manager

Corey hails from Wyoming and has been working alongside Eda for the past five years in a wide variety of roles. A former paraeducator with Tacoma Public Schools, he somehow balances being deeply dependable with being a complete nerd — which is exactly why everyone loves him. At Manuscript, Corey brings patience, humor, and an endlessly curious energy to the team every.

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