Anderson embarked on his career in the hospitality industry in 2006 at Chef Thomas Keller’s three Michelin-starred restaurant, The French Laundry, in Yountville, California. Anderson then moved to Minneapolis for a sous chef position at Auriga under Doug Flicker, the chef he now considers his mentor.

After three years working with Flicker, Anderson departed for a position at Hotel Ivy’s Porter & Frye, where he served as part of the restaurant’s opening team ultimately assuming the role of chef de cuisine.

In 2009, Anderson brought his creativity to Tim McKee’s Sea Change Restaurant & Bar, where he worked as chef de cuisine building menus focused on sustainable seafood and seasonal ingredients.

Anderson’s cooking at Sea Change garnered nationwide attention and marked a pinnacle in his career, being named a James Beard Foundation Award nominee and a Food & Wine Magazine “People’s Best New Chef Midwest” finalist. After staging at the prestigious Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, Anderson relocated to Nashville to helm the kitchen at The Catbird Seat.

At The Catbird Seat, now considered one of the Countries most ground-breaking restaurants, he delivered an ever-changing, fourteen-course tasting menu in an interactive format. In 2012, Anderson was named one of Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs..”

The following year, the magazine bestowed him with the additional honor of being named “Best New Chef All Star”, where a talent from each class of past 25 years was highlighted.

The Catbird Seat also received accolades including Bon Appétit’s “Best New Restaurants in America” and one of GQ Magazine’s “Top Ten Best New Restaurants in America.” As well as being featured in the NY Times and Mentions in Time Magazine.

Anderson has also appeared on Bizarre Food with Andrew Zimmern, PBS Series The Mind of a Chef, and Vice’s Munchies. Erik earned 2 michelin stars as the executive chef of Coi in San Francisco.