Ameen first learned to cook when she was a small girl tugging on her mother's kurti. At 17, she decided to cook up her creations at art school. Ameen stewed lithography prints for years, then later, she stirred up colorful hues of the Punjabi city scape, often peppering her brush onto radi wallah food carts, fluorescent pink jalebis, and other tasty treats. Once happily married with kids, Ameen realized that cooking is so similar to painting, yet tastes so much better. One day, despite shelves of cooking books and piles of culinary magazines, she realized there was still something missing. So Ameen latched onto two of her aunts, both of whom were Indian army wives (aka seriously competitive culinary socialites). Ameen's aunts spent much of their lives traversing India from army base to army base, all the while assimilating the culinary styles of myriad different parts of India. From Kashmiri Kabobs of the north, to the creamy coconut prawns of Kerala, their food was the stuff of legends. After years of auntie lessons, word got out amongst Ameen's friends and ultimately their friends. They begged to come over for dinner and bugged her to teach them how to cook. So Ameen did. And now she teaches classes around town.

Anthony Hubbard has been with Chow Foods since 2002. Starting as sous chef for the company, he worked his way through 5 Spot, Hi-Life and Endolyne Joe's kitchens and since 2006 has been Chow Foods' Executive Chef. Anthony guides each of the restaurants with menu planning and execution and serves as a mentor for the chefs and sous chefs. Anthony attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island for his formal culinary training. He has traveled far and wide, cooking his way across the country on America's only private luxury train. His exploration of the United States' diverse regions informs his work on the restaurants' rotating festival menus. Anthony also lived and worked in Puerto Rico, where he took to heart the effect food has in uniting community and family, while a stint in New York cemented his love for working in restaurants. His passion for restaurants and cooking—and being among all the action with creative, innovative people—inspires and delights those who work with him. Recently, in a competition with four other top Seattle chefs, Anthony was crowned Seattle's "Prince of Pork" after winning Cochon 555. 

In THE KITCHEN COUNTER COOKING SCHOOL: How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks, Kathleen Flinn follows the journey of nine insecure kitchen novices from varying backgrounds as she invades their cabinets, samples their cooking, and arms them with basic cooking skills. The students learn to wield knives, trust their palates, improve their food choices, and shop for food economically—it’s “What Not to Wear” meets Michael Pollan. THE KITCHEN COUNTER COOKING SCHOOL will inspire readers to stop being afraid of the kitchen and never again want to buy pasta in a box that is meant to “approximate” the flavor of pasta tossed in a bit of olive oil and parmesan cheese that, in fact, contains 28 ingredients, most of them fats and preservatives. It’s a stirring, practical and humorous book that includes many easy recipes to get readers cooking and strategies to get the most for your dollar. And most importantly, it shows how boosting your self-confidence in the kitchen can make your entire life easier, cheaper, healthier and more fun.

Kathleen Flinn has been a writer and journalist for twenty years. Her first book was a finalist in the Washington State Book Awards, and she serves on the board of directors for the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She lives in Seattle.

Carol Richardson is the owner of Carol’s Creative Confections. Carol, whose work has been featured in the Sur La Table kitchen catalog, is a trained Wilton Method Cake Instructor. She regularly teaches cake decorating at Michael’s Craft stores and various culinary studios throughout the Puget Sound region.

Carol comes from a long line of outstanding cooks. She began her baking career at the age of 12 by helping her Mom bake cakes for friends and family, and she hasn’t stopped since. Carol is looking forward to helping you enjoy the artistry of cake baking and decorating.

Chef Jacob writes, "The food at the Blackboard Bistro follows my life and career. Having been moved around a lot in the States as a kid, and England as a teenager, I got to see food from a variety of perspectives. There are elements in every dish that take me back to a memory. Sometimes I think I see my life in terms of food: meals shared with family and friends, that great hole-in-the-wall I found on vacation, or dishes I have prepared for others. My food is very personal to me; I will serve nothing that I would not want to eat and share with friends. I hope that you come to the Blackboard Bistro and do the same."

Over the past seventeen years Chef Levine has made Seattle, Washington his home. Throughout those years he has been Executive Chef at Troiani Ristorante Italiano, Vivanda Ristorante in the famed Pike Place Market, The BluWater Bistro’s at both Lake Union and Greenlake, Trattoria Carmine in Madison Park and Isabella Ristorante in downtown Seattle. Chef Levine also worked as the Executive Chef of AQUA by El Gaucho, formerly The Waterfront Seafood Grill in Seattle, Washington, responsible for overseeing all kitchen operations and staff.
Peter has taught a host of cooking classes, both private and professional, including time as a Chef Instructor for the Art Institute of Seattle. He donates his time to numerous local and national charities, frequently giving his time to Farestart and other notable events in the Pacific Northwest and surrounding area. He currently lives in West Seattle with his wife of 20 years Susan Oxholm and their two boys Axel and Henry.

My road to becoming the owner and creator of a chocolate company has the pattern of the gently rolling hills of the Palouse in Eastern Washington where I spent my early life.

I graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from WSU then lived and traveled in Europe. I moved to Seattle when returning to the states and I met and married Guy Peckham. After our first daughter Claire's birth, Guy and I made truffles as Christmas gifts. They were so well received and I had requests for more and I found myself developing a growing delight in learning and exploring every aspect of chocolate. I took classes, experimented, researched, tasted many varieties and eventually ended up with a business.

Heavenly Chocolates has been growing and changing since 1991- so has our family. The new millennium brought us another daughter, Caitlin. She adores chocolate more than the rest of us combined and already has a discerning chocolate palette.

Jason is a local chef who received his training as an apprentice in several restaurants and catering operations in the Seattle area. He has years of experience in the local food scene. He has worked at Campagne, Brasa, Flying Fish, and The Ruins Bistro. Jason has catered with Lowell-Hunt Catering, SAM, and most recently with Cameron Catering, creating and collaborating on hundreds of custom menus for private parties. In recent years Jason has traveled the continent as a Private Chef, worked in Boston and New York City and is now back to Seattle, stalking marketplaces and food stalls and telling tales from the kitchen. These days he is available to prepare bites of all types, for soirees of all types and loves sharing his passion for trying and learning new ways of crafting fantastic foods...

Chef John Nesby and his wife and co-owner Laura have run the acclaimed Mor Mor Bistro and Bar since it opened in Poulsbo in 2004. After meeting as students at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, John and Laura spent the next decade training in some of the country’s most respected kitchens, including The Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon North, Joachim Splichal’s Napa Valley restaurant Pinot Blanc, and Portland Oregon’s James Beard Award Winning Paley’s Place. While in the Napa Valley, John also attended the Culinary Institute of America Greystone. John oversees the kitchen, drawing on his classic Italian and French influences to create daily changing menus. John is an active board member with the Poulsbo Farmers Market and enjoys working with local products and producers to offer his customers the best the region has to offer. The cuisine of the Nesby’s stays simple and elegant and true to their roots as third generation business owners in the fantastic Poulsbo community.

John Neumark has cooked and taught in Seattle kitchens for over twenty years. John’s passion for harmony with the seasons, with flavors, with who’s at the table and what’s on the table inspires his efforts. He directed two of the Seattle area’s most beloved restaurants, Serafina and Café Juanita, for fourteen years as both Executive Chef and General Manager. It’s the teaching of technique and sharing of passion that John finds most rewarding. John continues to express his passion for the Northwest’s bounty as an instructor and impromptu chef and caterer. His most recent class was a private one with his ten year old daughter Olivia. They made John’s mother’s famous fried chicken and put up 20 jars of Yakima peach jam.

Karen Binkhorst formerly a Chef at The Hunt Club, Serafina, and Trattoria Michelli, Karen has been the owner of "Home Meals with Karen" since 1997. This talented chef has been teaching classes for over eight years and has cooked professionally for 20 years.

Despite years of training and experience, Pastry Chef Laurie Pfalzer still remembers being a home cook, toiling away in her kitchen discovering the art and craft of pastry and making a lot of mistakes. Her introduction to the well-made pastry was as a child in her mother's kitchen, learning to make her mother's legendary pies and cakes. Her childhood cooking lessons have remained ingrained in her, later combined with the knowledge and skills acquired in culinary school and professional kitchens across the United States.
Laurie has worked in various East Coast pastry kitchens, including the King Arthur Flour Company in Vermont. Laurie joined the Salish Lodge & Spa pastry team in 2006 and was the pastry chef from 2007-2009. In 2010, Laurie created Pastry Craft to make learning how to create great pastry, bread and confections approachable and attainable by the home cook. Laurie encourages lively discussions with students about baking and pastry technique, seasonal produce and specialty products, and she is passionate about teaching not only the “how,” but the “why” of baking and pastry. She believes that beautiful pastries, whether simple or elaborate, can be made in your own home with a little knowledge and dedicated, hands-on guidance.
Laurie is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, where she achieved top honors. She is a member of Seattle Chef's Collaborative and Slow Food.

Lisbet opened Ravishing Radish Catering in 1993.  Lisbet and her team pride themselves on creating beautiful and very edible events both off and on site at their waterfront facility on Lake Union.  From table linens to floral arrangements, Lisbet’s company focuses on full service catering.

Chef Matt discovered his passion for food after several exotic trips abroad. He left a graphic design career at Microsoft to apprentice with a local chef, where he spent a year studying, cooking, teaching, and learning the curriculum of the Culinary Institute of America. He has worked with such notable chefs as Gabriel Claycamp of Culinary Communion, Nick Musser of Icon Grill, Brian O'Connor of Blueacre Seafood, and Greg Atkinson, formerly of Canlis. Matt has attended cooking schools not only in Seattle, but in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Bali, Indonesia.

Mitra was born in Tehran -Iran in a household with diverse food cultures. Her interest and love for cooking started when she was a young girl. With one parent from northern state of Azerbaijan near Russia and one from the southern state of Fars near the Persian Gulf, the family prepared and celebrated cuisine of many regions. She learned by observing her mother and aunts and then cooking alongside of them. Travelling throughout Iran, she learned firsthand knowledge of spices and herbs that were used in preparation of authentic foods of Persia and neighboring countries and techniques for making them.

Having traveled to other parts of the world, she has learned to cherish the experience of authentic cuisine of different countries and loves to share that with others. She also holds private culinary classes and parties in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Her formal education is in Architecture but cooking has remained a passion.

Chef Patrick Frank has over 25 years of restaurant experience. He has experience in high-end French fine dining to rustic Italian and nearly everything in between. Over the years he has built a huge repertoire of recipes and loves to instill culinary knowledge to all willing students.

French Chef Philippe Thomelin has over 20 years of culinary experience. Growing up in France and then living a number of years in his adopted-homeland, Spain, Philippe became even more passionate about the Mediterranean-style cuisine and wine. This is not only his cooking specialty, but his lifestyle.

Philippe studied at the Curnonsky Culinary School in the Loire Valley of Saumur, France. He has worked in the kitchens of Chalet du Mont d’Arbois, a four-star luxury hotel in Megeve, France; The Wildflower at The Lodge at Vail in Vail, Colorado; Daphne's in London, England; and Restaurant Portofino in Nerja-Malaga, Spain. For many years, he split his time between the Costa del Sol in Spain and the French Alps.

After meeting his future wife on a Spanish beach in 2001, he left his beloved Spain and relocated to the rainy Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington. He has since worked as a Sous chef at both Cascadia Restaurant and Il Terrazzo Carmine. His talent and professionalism have also made him a popular choice to assist and fill in for other local restaurants, including Rover's and Voila Bistrot.

In Pranee's generation, most kids in Thailand helped out by doing chores in the kitchen. Her regular assignments were grating coconut, pounding curry paste, and cooking rice. At age 12, Pranee was given more responsibility as a substitute cook of the house. Her mother was a chef of the village and was famous for her fish cakes.

When Pranee moved to Seattle, she brought along a mortar and pestle and filled up her kitchen with Thai herbs, spices and cooking equipment. "The best way to enjoy eating and cooking Thai food is to cook and share it with friends" says Pranee. "Thai food is everyone's favorite and they are not patient for the next feast; therefore they started asking me for Thai cooking lessons. Teaching cooking is fun because you share skills and experiences, laughter and the excitement of each result".

Pranee is a member of IACP, and enjoys teaching Thai cooking throughout Washington. Pranee visits Thailand annually to collect and preserve family and home town recipes. She also hones her culinary skills by participating in many classes, seminars, and conferences. When she is not teaching, she enjoys helping her community by fund raising with her Thai cooking and working on her cookbook and her blog Pranee's Thai Kitchen, www.ilovethaicooking.wordpress.com

Focusing on "locally derived, seasonally inspired" cuisine has been Chef Caswell's hallmark for more than a decade.

Caswell first began cooking professionally in 1994, shortly after graduating from Vassar College with a degree in environmental studies and comparative religion. Caswell, who had been planning on becoming an environmental lawyer, uncovered his true calling during a ski-season baking job in Taos, NM.

After several restaurant stints in Taos, NM and Seattle, WA, and training in a baking and pastry program at Dubrulle Culinary Arts School in Vancouver, BC, Caswell set out for New York City. There, Caswell cut his teeth with such luminaries as Jean-Georges Vongrichten, David Pasternack, and Dan Barber, from whom he learned the importance of technique, high-quality ingredients, and simplicity.

From 1998-2005, Caswell was Chef de Cuisine at the renowned East Hampton restaurant Nick & Toni's. On Long Island, Caswell was inspired by by the availability of seasonal produce from local farms, day-boat fish from Montauk fisherman, and the acre-and- a-half organic garden behind the restaurant. His work at Nick & Toni's earned the restaurant three stars from The New York Times.

In 2005, Caswell made the decision to return to the Pacific Northwest. As Caswell said "I've always been enamored with the variety of ingredients in the Pacific Northwest. Not only are there four true seasons here, but also many micro-seasons. This encourages me to become creative with ingredients that are available for very short periods of time."

In Seattle, Caswell immersed himself in the local food community. As Executive Chef at the Stumbling Goat Bistro, Caswell became a regular at local farmers' markets. He also regularly visited the farms, fisheries, and cheesemakers that he supported to understand exactly how and why our local food is produced the way it is. At the Stumbling Goat, Caswell garnered accolades for his homey yet sophisticated dishes.

In 2010, Caswell opened emmer&rye in a restored Victorian house on the top of Queen Anne Hill to further his vision of "locally derived, seasonally inspired" cuisine. Here, Caswell creates dishes that showcase the best ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Caswell's involvement with the local community and its food systems extends beyond the kitchen. From 2006-2009, Caswell served as president of the nonprofit Chefs Collaborative. Today, Caswell continues to support the organization as a volunteer and member. Caswell also regularly participates in fundraising efforts for various local organizations, such as FareStart and the Cascade Harvest Coalition. Caswell serves as a guest educator for food education programs and initiatives, such as Beecher's Good Food Kids program, UW's Food and the Environment, and WSU's CAIRN school. Currently he is serving on the national Board of Directors for Chefs Collaborative, where he is extending the mission of the organization to new regions of the country.

Sureyya Gokeri is from Turkey close to the Syrian border on the coast, where Turkish food is a blend of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern styles. She loves the richness and uniqueness of her culture and kitchen and is generous with her knowledge of healthy ingredients and quick cooking techniques. She has worked in Turkish restaurants, and has had a business selling Turkish imports with her husband for 17 years. She loves dealing with people every day, but says that it’s more fun to cook!

Chef Tom Black has extensive high-end restaurant as well as teaching and personal chef experience. The former executive chef and general manager of the Barking Frog restaurant at Willows Lodge in Woodinville and The Restaurant at Alderbrook Resort on Hood Canal, Tom is both a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute and a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. His restaurant experience also includes work as the as sous chef at the Seattle Sheraton under Monique Barbeau and as the chef of Fullers restaurant. Tom’s awards include the 2001 Zagat Best Northwest Cuisine, the 2003 Washington Wine Commission’s Restaurant of the Year (for Barking Frog).

Tom’s influence on Seattle has been strong, with articles on his creativity in Sante, Bon Appetit, Nation’s Restaurant News, WHERE – Seattle, and Northwest Palate. In the spring of 2004 Tom was asked to cook at the James Beard House in NYC as part of a Winemaker / Chef Series Dinner. Tom has been a FareStart guest chef on numerous occasions, has taught many classes for Operation Front Line (an organization focused on teaching culinary skills to kids aged seven to twelve at Seattle youth centers), and is also involved with the Fred Hutchinson Chef’s Gala, the American Liver Foundation, Auction of Northwest Wines & many other charitable associations.

Tom’s culinary instruction experience includes teaching at the New England Culinary Institute, multiple cooking classes over the years for a variety of kitchens, and full-time employment as a culinary instructor for the hands-on cooking school Culinary Communion. Most recently, Tom has been traveling the world as a personal chef: cooking on yachts in the Caribbean, private estates in South African wine country, and more. He is currently getting ready to launch Restaurant Bea in the Madrona neighborhood.

Victoria Castillo is a Seattle native and University of Washington graduate; after graduation she worked for Baci Artful Catering. After a year of catering she yearned to sharpen her culinary skills further so she moved to San Francisco to attend the California Culinary Academy where she graduated in 2002 with honors. Chef Castillo spent her culinary school externship working abroad at Badia a Coltibuono in Tuscany, Italy. On her days off she helped with the estate vegetable garden, tasted freshly pressed olive oil at olive mills, visited sheep farms and hunted for truffles with two Italian truffle hunting dogs. She has been cooking professionally for bakeries, catering companies, restaurants and private clients for over 10 years. Whether picking strawberries, planting pumpkin seeds, rolling out fresh pasta or searing fish, Victoria has been enchanted with food and its origins right from the start. Over the years she has interned for Plum Forest Farm and volunteered at Seattle Tilth's Children's Garden. Chef Victoria Castillo enjoys sharing her love of seasonal and whole foods cooking with her family, students and clients. She teaches culinary classes in and around the Seattle area and is the Chef & Author of the food blogs: honey dumplings & my gluten-free belly.
 

A.J. Rathbun was a bar tender and waiter for many years at Manhattan Kansas’ venerable Hibachi Hut restaurant. His book, Party Drinks: 50 Classic Cocktails and Lively Libations, a drink recipe collection, came out in October, 2004 from Harvard Common Press. In addition, he has a poetry collection entitled Want available (ZYZZYVA, 2001), and he currently is a Senior Editor for Amazon.com as well as editor and co-publisher of LitRag, a Seattle-based literary and art magazine that has an online component at www.litrag.com. He has also done a number of national and local radio and print interviews (including interviews with The Knot, The Cooking Couple, The Seattle Times, and The Arizona Republic), talking mainly about kitchen products, trends in kitchen products, and cocktails. Finally, his pie, "Totally Tofu Coconut Kareem Pie" won Most Creative at Amazon.com’s EEPAPO (or, ETK-Edit Pro-Am Pie-Off), 2003.

Adria Shimada’s culinary journey began after studying literature at Cornell University, which led to a year in France immersed at the University of Paris. During that time, she was inspired by the high cultural value placed on fresh food, the prevalence of artisan producers, and the overall French aesthetic with its acute attention to beauty and detail. (She also contends that she helped keep the Berthillon creamery in business through her personal consumption of ice cream!) That summer she had the opportunity to assist in the kitchen of an authentic farmstead inn near Toulouse, and the culinary bug took hold.

Adria returned to the States committed to building a career around quality living and eating. Her passion led to an internship at Amy’s bread in New York, a stint at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, work at the nationally renowned Greens restaurant, and a job as a pastry chef in the Bay Area’s celebrated La Farine bakery. For years, Adria dreamed of opening her own business. Ice cream being the best food in the world (tied only perhaps with french fries, chocolate, or a really good salade niçoise), she wanted to create an ice cream shop that embraced the same made-from-scratch integrity as that of a fine French bakery.

In 2006, Adria moved to the Northwest, committed to bringing true artisan ice cream to Seattle, where an appreciation for real, organic, farm-fresh food, and a dedication to protecting the environment, prevails. By creating an upscale ice cream truck for her venue, Adria was able to keep her overhead costs low, the quality of her ingredients high, and her carbon footprint small. Parfait is the result of nearly three years of planning and hard work, a steadfast investment in the organic and local food movements, and a lot of creativity and love.

It was the innocent phone call from a friend wondering how to bake a potato that made me realize that if she couldn’t make a potato for herself at the age of 22, how would she ever cook for a family dinner, let alone for a special event. It was then that I decided to use everything I had learned to teach my friends how to cook, craft, and create fabulous events for everyday.

Growing up, I spent hours in the kitchen cooking and experimenting with ingredients and flavors – some concoctions more successful than others. Since my mother was a home economics teacher and my father was an art major, they provided hours of projects and inspiration for my sister and me. Studying Art History in college, living in Rome, and graduate studies in the Italian Renaissance rounded out my artistic education until finally I was bursting to share everything I knew

As the Lifestyle and Entertaining expert for ABC and FOX affiliates in Seattle and Portland, as the Style Editor for 425 Magazine and through contributions to Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, I have been able to share my love of food, design, and good living for the past five years.

I earned a degree in Art History from the University of Washington and continue to live in Seattle with my growing little family.

I have always loved food. I grew up on the eastern stretches of Long Island with goats in my front yard and a vegetable patch in back. I got up early to milk and earned first dibs at the cream, which I drank by the cupfuls. We raised and butchered a pig, Maggie, and later fried up her bacon.

As an adult, I worked with some of the best restaurants in the city, and I was surrounded by food every day. It is here where my love of food and an education in biology intersected. I became most interested in where the food I eat comes from. I started shopping at the farmers markets more than once a week. All of my food came from a local food source. I started cooking only with whole foods. And eventually, I needed some room to grow. It wasn't enough that I could get all my food from within a stones throw. I wanted to grow my own.

Growing your own food is a natural extension of eating healthy and eating well. With the knowledge of food miles, the prevalence of chemicals in industrial agriculture and the notion that shipping food halfway around the world is kooky, I launched go go green garden as a way to educate, inspire and enjoy the qualities of locally grown food. I aim to take the guess work out of backyard gardening so everyone can enjoy the fruits of their own labor. And I hope to instill a passion for food that extends well beyond the dirt of our own backyards and in to our kitchens.

I am also a food writer and cook. My first book, Urban Pantry-Tips and Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable and Seasonal Kitchen, was published in spring of 2010. My second book, Apartment Gardening, will be published in spring of 2011.

Andy has always had his finger on the pulse of the restaurant and beverage industry.  Growing up in Europe and the Northwest he gained an appreciation and a love for local & organic food.  Andy has worked in the restaurant industry for over 11 years and has done everything from being a barback to teaching a wine class for Tom Douglas' wine press club.

Prior to Golden Beetle, Andy wored at Lola and the Palace Kitchen.  He was one of the first bartenders at Lola, and helped open the restaurant.  It was at Lola, where Andy found his passion in tending bar and mixology.  Andy is also a certified Sommelier.

Andy is a great home and his love for the culinary arts carries over into his unique mixology style, where he uses cooking techniques in his cocktail making process.  He has a knack for making drinks that pair wonderfully with the food, while also keeping the classic cocktail in mind. 

Located in the heart of Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square district, Armondino Batali and Salumi bring to the Pacific Northwest a new concept based on some very old ideas.
Salumi is the retirement dream for co-founder and Principal Salumist, Armondino Batali. His grandfather, Angelo Merlino, opened the first Italian food import store in Seattle in 1903. A century later and only a block from that original site, Armondino opened Salumi. His 31 year career as a Process Control Engineer at Boeing, a lifetime in the kitchen and 2 years in formal study of meat curing and cooking make Armondino uniquely qualified to produce artisan products. With Marilyn Batali, wife and co-founder, Salumi has grown from a small neighborhood deli to a well-known stop on the Seattle Culinary scene.

In 2002, Armandino and Marilyn’s daughter, Gina Batali and son-in-law Brian D’Amato joined the business and together decided to expand the cured meats line. Salumi now sells to both wholesale and retail customers and the focus is on restaurant chefs, delis and the individual Salumi lover.

“Where would we be without Salt?” – James Beard. Ashley Rodriguez is a food blogger and is happily sharing her passion for all things salted. Her career in food grew from working as a baker in Seattle. It evolved through working with one of the top ten best pastry chefs in America, Sherry Yard, and landed her back in the Northwest where she ran a sucessful wedding cake business for several years. Since the birth of her third child, Ashley decided to put her business on hold and now keeps busy writing, teaching, blogging and feeding her family.

Former Head Chocolatier of Theo Chocolate Autumn Martin is currently tantalizing the city of Seattle with her mobile Hot Cakes Confections booth seen at farmers markets throughout Seattle. Autumn is getting kudos right and left for her taste-driven take-n-bake molten chocolate cake in a mason jar and her famous salted caramel sauce. Autumn’s work can be seen in many community events that feature great regional chefs and support local farmers and food initiatives in the Northwest as well as many specialty food retailers. Autumn is also sweeping the city with her non-profit organization Sweets for the Streets, teaching inexpensive truffle-making classes where all of the truffles made are donated to soup kitchens and shelters.

When not cavorting around the woods picking edible things, Becky Selengut is a private chef at Cornucopia Cuisine, cooking instructor, and co-author of The Washington Local and Seasonal Cookbook. Selengut has had stints at La Medusa and La Spiga and spent three years at the nationally acclaimed restaurant The Herbfarm in Woodinville, Washington. She has a new cookbook coming out in May 2011 from Sasquatch Press on sustainable seafood entitled Good Fish. In her "spare" time she runs the blog Chef Reinvented, which was voted the top Seattle chef blog by Seattle Weekly and also has a colorful, award-winning twitter presence @chefreinvented.

When I was growing up in France, my family was always having friends over for dinner. These meals were times of sharing delicious food with wonderful guests. I loved to cook since I could remember and eventually went on to study at the famous Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris where I learned superb French culinary techniques and developed my skills as a chef.

I created my business, "Bertrand" in 1995 by offering something decidedly different to my clients. I focused on an original approach in experiencing French cuisine with my "Cooking Parties" where everyone participates in preparing the meal they will enjoy in a relaxed inviting environment.

Birgitte Antonsen, CNT is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Art in New York City and has certification in Washington as a Certified Nutritional Therapist. Birgitte is also certified in Denmark as a practitioner of Shiatzu massage, Reflexology, Hatha Yoga and Spiritual Healing. She integrates these concepts into her professional pursuits, focusing on total body wellness and balance achieved with whole, organic, nutrient rich foods and essential supplementation. She has worked as a head chef in Europe, Australia, and the United States. Birgitte is a culinary instructor and teaches classes both in private and public settings. In her private practice, Nature’s Way Food, she is a personal chef and has a nutritional therapy clinic in Bellevue.

Born in Portland, ME, Chef Brent Leary comes to us from Burlington, Vermont where he was working as a professor of Hotel and Restaurant management at the New England Culinary Institute. Chef Brent also worked at some of the most acclaimed restaurants on the East Coast. Chef Brent is classically trained in haute cuisine under Master Chef of France, Michelle LaBorne.

Brian grew up in a family that loved to eat, and most of his life has been spent in a kitchen. From hanging
out with grandpa learning how he made his famous blueberry pancakes to cooking alongside
of some of the best chefs from New York to San Francisco. He spent the last 17 years in fine dining
kitchens perfecting his craft and now at Skillet Diner strives to make delicious food that is sourced
responsibly and is familiar to dining guests.

Executive Chef Bruce Dillon is a culinary veteran who brings passion, organization, and a worldly culinary repertoire to all he does. Mild-mannered, focused, and astute, he is always challenging himself and his staff to perform to the highest ability possible.

The brainchild behind Marazul’s cross-cultural menu and its sensual surroundings, Bruce has applied his early upbringing in Kingston, Jamaica, travels from Iceland to Spain, Mexico to Central America, and throughout Oceania, and 23-plus years with highly respected restaurants to cultivate his greatest accomplishment yet.

Bruce launched a promising career in the early 1980s as an executive chef, running several multi-million dollar earning restaurants. Past regional credits include Noble House Hotels and Resorts, Corporate chef appointment at Tommy Bahama, and heading his own restaurant consultancy, the Metamorphus Group.

The chef began as a finance major at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He studied cuisine at the Culinary School of Washington (D.C.), with additional coursework in the art of French cuisine at L’Academie de Cuisine in Bethesda, Md.

When he’s not coming up with new ideas for the restaurant’s menu, Bruce can be found enjoying his extensive music collection, reading historical books and biographies, and taking regional daytrips to check out small-scale restaurants and new sights.

"The Father of Northwest Cuisine", masters chef Bruce Naftaly's labor of love has proven enduringly timeless. Since 1985, this tidy French restaurant?s unassuming sweetness, expert service and divine culinary precision, has held diners captive. Chef Naftaly's fastidious use of local, seasonal produce has been his focus since the beginning. Pastry chef Sarah Naftaly's desserts are among the best in the city. Sambar is the new tiny addition to the restaurant and is named for Sarah and Bruce's son, Sam.

Seattle native Carolin Messier de Jiménez found her way back to the kitchen after a few scholarly detours. After a year and a half of studying chemistry and Germanics at the U of W, (during which time she once skipped a mid-term to finish preparations for a seven course dinner for friends, prepared in her dorm on a hot plate!) the calling to return to Europe became too great to ignore. During the next 18 months she worked as a personal cook for a family in Munich and discovered her true passion.

Carolin attended the culinary program at South Seattle Community College, earning both the Culinary and Specialty Pastry Certificates. She had the opportunity to work at many landmark Seattle restaurants: Le Tastevin, Labuznik, Fullers, B&O Espresso Café, Café Flora and The Ruins.

In 1997 Carolin opened The Harvest Vine with her husband and Chef Joseph Jiménez de Jiménez, as well as a pastry shop and wedding cake studio two doors down. They have now expanded the restaurant to 50 seats. Messier de Jiménez continues to create new desserts, as well as develop a new project—a boutique hotel and fine dining restaurant in southwest France.

Jason brings years of experience and immense creativity to the table. Stoneburner began his culinary career in Colorado, as pastry chef at the famed Flagstaff House Restaurant and Chef de Cuisine under chef James Mazzio at 15°. Jason honed his skills in Seattle under Ethan Stowell at Union and How to Cook a Wolf. He lives in Ballard with his lovely wife, Vanessa.

In 2007, Chef Josh Henderson created Skillet Street Food in Seattle, one of the first food experiences of what has since become a prototype for the national street food movement that has swept the country. Out of a vintage Airstream trailer, he created innovative lunch menus based on American-inspired food prepared with classic technique and seasonal ingredients. The reception from Seattle'ites was immediate and passionate. They were drawn to the chef driven food, the excitement of being a part of a new, energetic, urban experience, and to the intimate involvement through the use of social media channels that intensified the connection with the Skillet brand.

Since then, the business has grown up. Josh is still creating great menus served throughout the streets of Seattle from the Airstream. But Skillet is now much more than that. It is a thriving catering enterprise, supporting weddings, private parties, and corporate events throughout the Pacific Northwest. It is a food products business, distributing its signature Bacon Jam product through retailers across the US and Canada. And, in the Spring of 2011, it will become a brick-and-mortar restaurant located in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The original street food business has become a brand but has not strayed from its roots. The thread is still there: great food prepared with care, technique and the best of ingredients; an innovative experience that consistently surprises and satisfies; and a feeling of being personally connected to Skillet, in all its manifestations. We see this as our mission - to continue to deliver on these themes and to continue to find new channels though which we can expand the brand and the family of loyal Skillet customers.

Ray's Boathouse lured Chef Peter from Kansas City to its breathtaking Puget Sound restaurant in 2000 for the position of Executive Sous Chef. In 2004, Ray's created the position of Chef de Cuisine to reward Peter's outstanding level of leadership and creativity in menu development and kitchen management. Chef Peter's succession to executive chef in January 2007 exemplifies Ray's unwavering confidence in his proven ability to lead Ray's into the next chapter of our incredible fish story.
Born and raised in Joplin, Missouri, Chef Peter began his culinary career in his family's southeast Kansas restaurant. He attended the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon and interned at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kansas City. Chef Peter then traveled extensively and worked at various restaurants throughout the Pacific Northwest, and McCormick & Schmick's Los Angeles and Kansas City locations.
Although quiet and unassuming, Chef Peter is locally famous for his tireless pursuit and promotion of local Northwest seafood and produce. He is an early-morning regular at the Ballard Sunday Farmers Market and has actively become an authority on artisan cheeses, fresh shellfish and crustaceans, sustainability, wild salmon and grass-fed beef. His skill for classically based preparations with modern twists is a perfect match to the versatility and variety of seafood that Ray's offers.

As a young boy I enjoyed being in the Kitchen cooking with my grandmother. By eight I was baking cookies on Saturday mornings, sometime eating more dough than baking. I took my first restaurant job at fourteen washing dishes at Jakes on the Beach in Del Mar California. From there I moved up to prep cook and learned a few tricks of the trade. After high school I moved up to Washington State to play football for the Huskies. This lasted a short while and I pursued a cooking job while going to community college. Yarrow Bay Beach Cafe was where I learned to cook moving from prep to pantry to broil, sauté, kitchen manager and eventually to Sous Chef. I was able to work under some very supportive and talented Chefs, Nick Musser of Icon Grill, Kris Keff of Flying Fish and Vicky Mc Caffree and Cameon Orel. The opportunity to run my own kitchen came along with the remodel at Hector's Bar and Grill in Kirkland in 2003. I was there for eight years with the support of my loving wife of eighteen years and three children. I am currently at The Redmond Bar & Grill which opened in September. The food I like to cook is fresh seasonal ingredients and simple preparations with flavors ranging from classic Italian to Southern Creole. I like a wide variety of food and like to give my guests the ability to find something on the menu that will appease them.

In his position as Executive Chef at the Restaurant at Alderbrook Resort & Spa, Chris Schwarz oversees all food and beverage production, design and planning for the resort. Apart from maintaining The Restaurant’s reputation as a premier Northwest dining establishment, he is also responsible for improving overall excellence. Prior to joining Alderbrook Resort & Spa in November 2007, Chef Chris gained experience and guidance from Tom Douglas as executive chef at Etta’s in downtown Seattle since 2000. Previously, he developed his skill for Northwest style dishes at Dahlia Lounge as lead line cook.

A native of Maywood, N.J., Chef Chris received his bachelor of science degree in Culinary Arts & Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University in 1990. He is a frequent contributor to The Pike Place Market Foundation and spends much of his free time teaching cooking classes. Chef Chris currently resides in Federal Way, Wash. with his wife, Jennifer and three children.

Christian Brown brings nearly fifteen years of culinary experience to his role of executive chef at Union Square Grill. His career has included stints in food preparation and kitchen, banquet, and a la carte operations for leading hotels and restaurants. Known for his skills in leadership, coaching and team building, Chef Brown is committed to creating a memorable dining experience for his guests.

Chef Brown is a culinary innovator. His emphasis in the kitchen is on producing top-quality, creative menus using fresh local ingredients. He strives to create new menu items that complement Union Square Grill’s comprehensive, award-winning wine list and more than fifty signature cocktails, while focusing the menu on freshness and seasonality.

Chef Brown began his culinary career with Mad Anthony’s Restaurant Group based in Bellevue, Washington. He was a sous chef at both Anthony’s in Everett and Chinook’s in Seattle before assuming the role of executive chef at Banlican Bistro, North Bend – the position he held before joining Union Square Grill.

A native of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Christina acquired culinary training at Malaysia’s Hyatt Regency, then later continued her professional training at Jimbaran Bali’s, Four Season Resort, Thailand’s Four Seasons Resort in Chiang Mai, The Oriental Thai Cooking School in Bangkok, the Wandee Culinary Institute in Thailand, and the Blue Elephant Restaurant and Cooking School in Thailand, which was voted one of the world’s top 75 new restaurants in 2005 by Conde Nast Traveler.

Christina migrated to the United States in 1994 and opened CHENDI Asian Cooking School in the Pacific Northwest. Her cooking classes attract food enthusiasts of all levels – from novice looking to gain confidence in Southeast Asian cooking to skilled chefs seeking fresh ideas. She also leads culinary and cultural tours to Asia every year.

A member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), Christina attends food conferences locally and internationally to broaden her culinary knowledge.

Christine Keff launched her culinary career with a two-year apprenticeship in New York’s renowned Four Seasons in 1978. Following her Four Seasons training, Keff worked in New York City for 10 years. She was cited by New York Magazine for her innovative approach to regional cuisine and was featured in Bryan Miller’s New York Times column and in the New York Daily News. From 1987 to 1988, Keff traveled extensively throughout the United States and Asia, spending time in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia before relocating to Seattle where she had a vision to combine her culinary travels with a passion for the products of Pacific Northwest. In 1988, Keff was appointed Executive Chef at McCormick and Schmick’s, and then from 1992 to 1995, Keff served as Executive Chef of the Hunt Club, located in the Sorrento Hotel. Christine opened Flying Fish in July of 1995. Located in the Belltown neighborhood, Keff’s seafood bistro has appeared in major publications across the country including the New York Times, Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Wine Spectator, Decanter and Food & Wine. In March of 1999, Flying Fish received a 4-Star rating by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Two months later, the James Beard Foundation recognized Keff as the Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest/Hawaii. She has been featured in an interview with National Public Radio, and on CNN’s On the Menu and the Food Network’s Dining Around. Her powerful relationships with regional fishermen, as well as her use of global spices and local ingredients to create signature dishes, continue to bring her national attention as Seattle’s seafood expert. Keff is a member of many food related organizations and regularly offers her time and talent to numerous fundraising groups that include the March of Dimes, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Share Our Strength and the Women’s Funding Alliance.

• A lifelong Northwesterner, Cynthia Nims holds the Diplôme d’Etudes Culinaires from La Varenne cooking school in France, where she worked on numerous cookbooks with owner Anne Willan. Previously editor of Simply Seafood magazine and food editor of Seattle Magazine, Cynthia now focuses on writing cookbooks (her most recent is Gourmet Game Night) and freelance writing for magazines such as Cooking Light, Alaska Airlines, and Sunset. You can follow her blog at www.monappetit.com  

Born in Jamaica and raised in Kentucky, Daisley Gordon has been working in restaurants for a dozen years. Mr. Gordon attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, graduating in 1994. He spent his externship at Actuelle in Dallas during the early 90's and returned to Kentucky in 1994, continuing to hone his craft in the kitchens of the Brown Hotel and Azalea's.

Determined to work at only the finest restaurant in Seattle, Mr. Gordon found his place alongside then-Chef Tamara Murphy and Sous-Chef Jim Drohman at Campagne in 1995. Both instilled in him a respect for technique and tradition while encouraging Mr. Gordon to discover his own individual style. Asked to describe his idiom, Mr. Gordon responds, "Getting the most flavor out of simple ingredients."

Chef Dan Thiessen hails from Asotin, a small town in eastern Washington. Dan has always had a passion for life in the Pacific Northwest so moving to Seattle was important to him and his career. Chef Dan studied at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and graduated with honors in 1992. Dan was hired as an instructor in the new Culinary Arts Program at the Art Institute of Seattle. In 1999 Chef Dan because the executive chef of Sky City at the Space Needle. In October 2001 Dan joined Schwartz Brothers as executive chef and Corporate Creative Development Chef.

Dan Thiessen has received numerous awards for his culinary skills. He has been awarded Gold and Bronze medals from the American Culinary Federation for culinary competitions. In 1999 Chef Dan was elected President of the Washington State Chef's Association. He is a chef of many talents and will be a force to watch in the coming years.

In 2004 Dan joined Salty's Seafood Grill restaurants as Corporate Chef where Salty's won many local BEST Restaurant Awards

In 2006 Dan opened his restaurant 08 Seaffood Grill in Bellevue.

Chef Dave’s passion about food started at an early age, spending countless afternoons in his grandmother’s kitchen. A graduate of the University of Washington, Dave spent several years as a clinical microbiologist before his love for cooking brought him back to school. Dave received his culinary arts degree from Seattle Central Community College and started his post school training at the esteemed Hunt Club located in the Sorrento Hotel. Under the tutelage of executive chef Brian Scheesher he learned the finer points of Mediterranean cuisine and a philosophy that he has become his mantra- the importance of whole and organic foods. From there Chef Dave left Seattle to Bend Oregon where he worked as a chef at several world-class restaurants including Broken Top Club, Awbrey Glen Golf Club and Merenda’s where he perfected his own style of Northwest Spa Cuisine incorporating northwest flavors with traditional French, Italian and Asian recipes. He is currently the Executive Chef at the Alexis Hotel's Library Bistro & Bar.

In 1982, David Holcomb launched his first invention, the Garlic Machine on the principle that kitchen products could be smarter, easier and a lot more fun. The Garlic Machine was a tubular device that stored and pressed garlic. Since the initial product, the company has been moving in fast forward with a passion for innovation in our products, operations and people.  In 1995, Chef’n unveiled the PepperBall®, the first one-handed pepper grinder. The PepperBall® and its shape have since become an icon and an international hit. Today, the Chef’n product line has over 300 patents worldwide and has expanded into numerous categories including Grind, Gadgets, Tools, Cleaning and Grilling.

Since its inception, the entrepreneurial spirit David has instilled in the company has fueled creativity in both the design and business arenas. Based in Seattle, Washington, the company remains on the cutting edge of innovation and has won numerous design and best-companies-to-work for awards. With the success of the Chef’n brand, Chef’n Corporation has launched numerous other brands including Vibe, arta and Lab921.

Devra Gartenstein is the owner of Patty Pan Grill, Seattle's oldest farmer's market concession.  Devra is a fixture at the Ballard Farmers' Market since it was the Fremont Farmers' Market. An omnivore herself, she has published two vegan cookbooks: The Accidental Vegan and Local Bounty, Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

From the moment Don Curtiss and Michelle Quisenberry were introduced by a mutual friend, Chef Kathy Casey, it was the beginning of a great culinary duo. Don's innovative culinary style and Michelle's business savvy were a natural combination.

Together, they created "Sunday Afternoons in Chef Don's Kitchen," intimately designed cooking classes held in their private kitchen monthly. Each class was a showcase for the culinary delights of the Pacific Northwest and culminated with an intimate dinner with the Chef. The classes sold out each month and attracted the attention of Gourmet magazine, who hired the duo to teach two private classes and selected Don as the local Celebrity Chef for their "Treated Famously" event.

Opening their own restaurant was their next goal. Their vision was to create a warm, inviting experience, offering dishes that underscore the interplay between the Northwest and Italy: local foods married with thousands of years of Italian tradition. On a trip through Tuscany, they were captivated by the hill-top city of Volterra. It became the setting for their wedding and the inspiration for their new venture.

Volterra's charm lies not only in its history but in the peaceful surrounding countryside where statuesque cypress trees, grain-filled plains and magnificent rolling hills enhance a slow, traditional way of life. Fresh ingredients are abundant down every narrow cobblestone street — from the tiny fresh produce stand to the traditional butcher shop.

The town of Volterra sparks a culinary idea at every turn and was the inspiration of Chef Curtiss' menu. Chandeliers, sconces, and hanging alabaster light fixtures designed by Michelle and carved by artisans in Volterra adorn the restaurant, paying tribute to the many friends Michelle and Don have made. With Don's 20 years of culinary success complemented by Michelle's business savvy and sparkling personality in the front of the house, the duo aspire to bring the warmth and charm of Tuscany to Seattle's Historic Ballard Neighborhood.

Donna Gerhart originally learned hand sharpening techniques in cabinet making school. She has been sharpening knives and hair shears for 12 years. Her mobile knife sharpening service, Kitchen Song, is used regularly by many of Seattle's finest chefs, restaurants, catering companies, as well as a growing number of private households.

Donna's knife knowledge is extensive as well. She can instruct in how to choose the best knives for you, how knives are made and how to take proper care of the knives you have or plan to purchase.

Enza Sorrentino grew up in Palermo, among the small farms, vineyards and fishing villages of the Mediterranean coast. For the past few years, in much-loved neighborhood restaurants like La Vita è Bella and Mondello, Enza and her family have served as culinary ambassadors, bringing the spirit, flavors and hospitality of Sicily to Seattle. Now, at Sorrentino Trattoria & Pizzeria, Mamma Enza expands her repertoire to a range of historic, traditional, antique and forgotten dishes that honor regions across Italy: Friuli, Lombardy, Latium, Campania and Apulia as well as the islands of Sardinia and Sicily.

The most important culinary lessons brother and sister Eric and Sophie Banh learned were taught in the family kitchen in their native Saigon. Together with their parents and extended family, every night was a cooking adventure - which included their Vietnamese culture and their father’s Chinese heritage. Above all, Eric and Sophie’s family instilled in them the importance of starting each meal with the freshest ingredients.

After their childhood in Saigon, Eric and Sophie moved to Canada and then to the United States. Their passion for food and cooking remained central to their identity. While Eric studied at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and graduated with a degree in finance, Sophie studied banking at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Sophie soon came to Seattle where she received formal culinary training at North Seattle Community College.

In 1999, Eric moved to Seattle to join Sophie in creating Monsoon - their own restaurant that blends fine Vietnamese cuisine with fresh ingredients and traditions of the Pacific Northwest.

Today Eric has expanded his presence in the Seattle food scene, opening “Baguette Box”, a gourmet bistro serving daily sandwiches inspired by French, Italian, Vietnamese, and Chinese cuisines.

Eric Hellner comes full circle as the executive chef of Union Square Grill, having worked as the sous chef at the restaurant in 1997. A Seattle institution for nearly 20 years, Union Square Grill serves regional cuisine at the Northwest grill.

Hellner brings a strong appreciation for fresh Northwest ingredients to Union Square Grill. The menu includes seasonal Washington produce, locally harvested seafood and regionally foraged mushrooms.

In an effort to highlight food and wine indigenous to the Puget Sound region, Hellner has forged partnerships with several local companies such as Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, Theo Chocolate, and Bob Betz Winery.

Hellner continuously creates new seasonal dishes to complement Union Square Grill’s comprehensive, award-winning wine list and more than 45 signature cocktails.

He is committed to the community, actively volunteering with the FareStart foodservice training program for homeless men and women.

He has shared his culinary knowledge on local Seattle television, in national magazines and in cooking classes and demonstrations throughout the region. He is also in process of auditions with the Food Network.

Eric Larson spent 18 early years growing up overseas, twelve in Bangladesh, three in Pakistan and three in Kenya. He attended Horst Mager Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. Previous work included Santa Fe Cafe in Seattle, Marion's in Bellevue and several locations for Restaurants Unlimited. He developed and oversees the menu at Shamiana and is a featured chef on Fox Channel 13. Shamiana has been recognized in numerous ways over the years: Best Casual Dining -- Seattle -- Bon Appétit Magazine, Jan. 2003; James Beard Awards Gala -- New York City -- 2002; listed in Northwest Best Places; chosen by Zagat Pacific Northwest Restaurant Survey as the top Indian restaurant in the Northwest; Seattle Weekly Reader's Poll voted it Favorite Indian Restaurant, Best Ethnic Restaurant and Best Vegetarian Restaurant; John Hinterberger's Top 10, 1991, Seattle Times; Jonathan Susskind's Top 10, 1992, Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Eric is a culinary student, line cook, blogger, and is always on the look out to cook and learn. He specializes in Spanish, French, and Puerto Rican cuisine. He uses locally sourced ingredients to give another interpretation of classic dishes he has grown up eating and now cooks for himself and his lovely wife Mindy. One day he will have a restaurant of his own but until then he focuses on learning from the best chefs in the world by reading their books, trying their recipes, and hopefully working for them once he graduates from culinary school.

Erik Cannella graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, in 1994. After moving to Seattle with his wife, Gina, Erik worked at Saleh al Lago and as a chef instructor at Common Meals before helping Matt open Matt’s in the Market as chef, in 1996. Born of an Italian-American father and a Finnish mother, Erik loves braised meats and all things pickled.

A self-trained natural in the kitchen, Ethan Stowell creates exquisite daily menus inspired by family traditions and fresh, unique ingredients at Union in downtown Seattle, located just steps from the city's world famous Pike Place Market. Stowell is Chef and Co-Owner of Union, which opened in October of 2003. He has been invited to the James Beard House in New York for the fall of 2004 as a featured chef and is receiving accolades from "Seattle Magazine" and other local Seattle newspapers. Stowell is well on his way to fame.

Stowell has worked with Seattle chefs Philip Mihalski of Nell's Restaurant, Tim Kelley of the Painted Table, and his long time mentor, Joe McDonnal of the Ruins. In Atlanta he worked with Guenter Seeger of Seeger's. Still, Stowell traces his passion and creativity with cuisine back to the family kitchen where every night was a culinary experiment of blending traditional and contemporary ingredients and preparation. An avid reader, Stowell keeps a library of over 600 cookbooks, which he has veraciously read and collected over his life. Further, Stowell has hosted private cooking parties blending cooking and teaching and making him one of Seattle's most requested chefs.

Fran Bigelow studied at the California Culinary Academy. Her chocolates are favorites in Seattle, where she runs two branches of Fran's Chocolates, and her thriving mail order and internet business. Fran’s new book, “Pure Chocolate, Divine Desserts and Sweets from Seattle’s Famed Chocolatier ” goes on sale in October of 2004.

Pure Chocolate will present the authors award winning ability trade secrets for making irresistible chocolate desserts, from simple to spectacular.

Frothingham is a graduate of the prestigious New England Culinary Institute’s highly competitive accelerated culinary program. After graduating from the Culinary Institute, Frothingham moved back to Boston to work for Frank McClellan at Sel de la Terre. For years, Frothingham had been admiring the career of renowned chef and fellow Bostonian Todd English, and when English opened his first steakhouse, Bonfire at the Park Plaza Hotel, Frothingham seized the opportunity to work under him. Beginning as a Tournant, Frothingham impressed English with his culinary creativity and skill, and quickly rose through ranks, being promoted first to Executive Sous Chef and then ultimately to Executive Chef of Bonfire.

In 2004, after four years under the tutelage of Todd English, Frothingham was offered the incredible opportunity to be Sous Chef for Legal Sea Foods. Working directly with the Senior Chef, Frothingham’s duties included the development of new culinary concepts for the corporation, as well as the management of a 10 million dollar training store. The experience was invaluable, but after a year Frothingham was eager to return to his roots in a restaurant kitchen. When the position at Fish Club became available, English immediately thought of Frothingham as the perfect fit—not only a great leader, but a seasoned and talented interpreter of Todd English’s cuisine.

George DePasquale met Jeff Fairhall, founder of Essential Foods in 1994 and was asked to start an organic bakery in Seattle. George had been a baker for decades in the Bay area and relocated to Seattle to become an integral part of the creation of Essential Bakery. The first location in Fremont found George baking everyday and selling their breads in a booth in the Fremont Sunday Market. "The first day we made 400 loaves and it snowballed from there" says DePasquale. George took them from the original location where, at the end, they were fermenting the dough in the offices for lack of space, and moved them to their current location, a14,000-square-foot building that was also a bakery in the 1920s.

Today DePasquale oversees production of between 9,000 loaves to 13,000 loaves and a staff of 108, including 32 bread bakers. Now with a restaurant and catering company Essential continues to grow and quality continues as well.

Chef, cooking instructor, and food journalist, Greg Atkinson directs "Culinary Consulting," a restaurant consulting service based on Bainbridge Island near Seattle. He also conducts culinary adventures bringing chefs and home cooks to the source of flavor at farms and fishing centers in the Great Pacific Northwest.

As executive chef at Canlis Restaurant, Atkinson introduced seasonal and regional elements that brought new life and vitality into to a fifty-year-old fine dining restaurant. As chef at IslandWood, an environmental learning center on Bainbridge, Atkinson was instrumental in establishing the sustainable cuisine program that helps school age children understand the impact of their food choices on the natural world. Atkinson is a contributing editor to "Food Arts," and a regular contributor to "Pacific Northwest Magazine" (the Sunday newsmagazine of The Seattle Times). He is the author of the award-winning cookbook In Season (Sasquatch, 1997) and The Northwest Essentials Cookbook (Sasquatch, 1999). Every Wednesday, Atkinson appears on Seattle's NPR affiliate KUOW where he discusses the latest in food and dining on "The Beat" with Megan Sukys.

Chef and Father, Greg Johnson, has been cooking professionally for 16 years. He is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy and has worked in some of the finest restaurants in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hawaii, Mexico and Seattle. His love of food has brought him around the world studying cuisine in France, Italy, England, Spain, and Mexico. For the past 7 years Chef Greg has been a Private Chef for some of the Northwest’s most high profile families.

Presently, as the co-founder of Create Change Studios, Greg is inspiring families to come back to the table with his DVD series Chef and Father and website, www.chefandfather.com. Chef and Father helps parents with step-by-step instructions on cooking for your family from a Chef’s point of view. He is also co-producer of a children’s music CD with musician Adam Wood as well as working on various documentaries bringing chefs and farmers together.

Hajime was raised in Utsunomiya, Tochigi, Japan. Known by Hajime as “the Renton of Tokyo", located about 100 kilometers north of Tokyo. Utsunomiya is most famous for its gyoza! The year he was scheduled to complete high school, Hajime instead took a detour to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. There he attended high school for one year, where Hajime was a key member of their choir. After his time as an exchange student was up, Hajime went home to Utsunomiya where he finished high school and then promptly returned America, this time settling in Seattle. After gaining a formal culinary education in Seattle, Hajime returned to Coeur d'Alene for extensive hands-on training. Hajime opened Mashiko Restaurant in West Seattle in September of 1994. Outside the restaurant Hajime’s hobbies include keeping fresh and saltwater fish and motorcycle racing.

Chef Hope Sandler is in high demand as a culinary educator, consultant, and cookbook author. Her expertise in fundamental culinary technique and fine cuisine for the home chef has brought her touring throughout the United States and Canada. As menu and recipe consultant, she has worked with restaurants, food companies, and individuals with specific dietary requirements. Chef Sandler was the director of The Seattle Culinary Arts School For Home Chefs, and the chef de cuisine at Sandler & Company Catering. Her many classes, radio shows, books and freelance articles in popular publications continue to delight food enthusiasts nationwide. Her latest book is Contemporary Salads, The Art of Delectable Salad Composition.

Hsiao-Ching Chou grew up making potstickers at her mother’s side and believes that homemade from scratch is best. She is most recognized as the former food editor at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Currently, she is a partner at the PR agency Suzuki + Chou Communimedia. In her spare time, she teaches children’s cooking classes as part of her JOFRSEA project to localize Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. She also is the founder of Refrigerator Soup Magazine, which is published on-demand through MagCloud.com. She was named “Best Role Model for Cooking with Kids” by Seattle Magazine in December 2010.

After graduating from the American School in London, Jacob went to The London Academy of Performing Arts and got a diploma in classical acting. Jacob needed rent money (still waiting for the movies to call) so he went to work in the kitchen. He found out that he liked it. A lot. After working for a few years in several kitchens of varying quality, in jobs ranging from dishwasher to night cook at an all night cafe, Jacob attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu London earning a degree in both cuisine and pastry. The next stop was at the Elms Hotel in Worcestershire, England (the place not the sauce). It was a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. After a year and a half it was time to go back to London and the landmark Conran flagship restaurant Bibendum. It was here that Jacob discovered his love for the simple; letting ingredients speak for themselves. The less is more philosophy that Jacob still carries with him today. Next stop stateside to Naples, Florida and Cafe Lurcat. Comfort food done well at high volume. Then the opportunity presented itself to go on a culinary walk about to England, New Zealand and France with his family. Upon returning Jacob and his family settled in Seattle were he had the good fortune to open Olivar with Philippe Thomlin as his sous chef. Philippe introduced him to chefs, farmers, foragers and suppliers. Olivar was the perfect culmination to Jacob's career working for someone else. Jacob now owns and operates the Blackboard Bistro in West Seattle where he sources many local products and brings all of his life experiences onto an ever changing and seasonal menu.

Chef James Drohman began working in kitchens at the age of fifteen. He continued working as a cook during his undergraduate and graduate studies in Aeronautical engineering at the University of Washington. But in 1989 he decided that cooking was his real passion and moved to Paris to study the cuisine. Chef Drohman attended L'Ecole Superior du Cuisine Jean Ferrandi and during his time in Paris, he worked at several restaurants, including Le Boudin Sauvage and Michelin rated Le Coq de la Maison Blanche.

In 1991 he became the kitchen manager at Market Place Caterers in Seattle and in 1992 joined the staff at Seattle’s Campagne Restaurant. In 1997 Jim was made Executive Chef of both Campagne Restaurant and Café Campagne. He continued in this capacity until February of 2000.

In August 2000, Chef Drohman and business partner Joanne Herron opened Restaurant Le Pichet. Since it’s opening, Le Pichet has received excellent review from the two major newspapers in Seattle as well as multiple other acknowledgements in both local and national publications.

Jason remains true to his ideals preparing the finest local organic ingredients in a manner befitting the title modern NW cuisine.  A graduate of the esteemed California Culinary Academy Jason assisted in kitchens afar a field as France, California and Singapore.  He considers the kitchens of Flying Saucer, Aqua and Stars his main influences.  In 2006, Jason was declared one of the top 10 new Chefs in North America by the prestigious Food & Wine Magazine.

Chef Jay's experience in the kitchen, as with most chefs, began at home. Simply licking the chocolate from his mother's wooden spoons as a child and manning the barbeque during family dinners as a teen in upstate New York were just the sparks needed to begin his culinary journey. His formal culinary training began with Harriet Bullitt at Sleeping Lady Conference Retreat in Leavenworth, Washington. He was apprentice to the very reputable Damian Browne under whom he honed skills in classical French cooking.

Only one month out of his apprenticeship, Jay landed a job as Sous Chef at The Stimson Green Mansion in Seattle. His next stop brought him to the Women's University Club of Seattle where he gained a reputation for detail, creativity, and flavorful cuisine. Jay's dedication and work ethic earned him one of only three annual continuing education scholarships from the Evergreen Chapter of The Club Managers Association.

Chef Jay is a certified Chef de Cuisine and is currently pursuing his Personal Chef Certification from the United States Personal Chef Association.

After completing 8 years as a science teacher, Jay felt that his life long passion for cooking was pulling him away from his passion for teaching. With his 40th birthday fast approaching, he left the classroom to open JAY COOKS Ltd., a catering and personal chef service. Catering, personal chef duties and teaching cooking classes are all part of the business now. In addition he continues to write about food, travel and serves as a guest lecturer highlighting his unique take on food history/science and cooking. Born in Nairobi, Kenya and raised in an Indian household, his primary culinary influences are East Indian and African.

Jeanne Sauvage, of the gluten-free baking blog, Four Chickens and the Art of Gluten-Free Baking, was diagnosed with gluten intolerance 10 years ago after the birth of her daughter. She has been an avid baker her entire life and didn’t let the fact that she could no longer eat gluten deter her from baking. In the intervening 10 years, she has been developing recipes and techniques for gluten-free baking that make her baked goods taste just like those baked with wheat. She is thrilled to be able to share this knowledge with others to help them bake deliciously gluten-free!

As executive chef of The Herbfarm, Jerry Traunfeld combined his passion for cooking with a love of gardening and garners national attention for his innovative multi-course menus. An expert in the subject of culinary herbs, he has been featured in The New York Times Magazine, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Fortune, and many other publications. He has appeared on Martha Stewart Living, Better Homes and Gardens Television, and The Food Network and is a regular guest on Public Radio's The Splendid Table.

Nancy Leson of The Seattle Times, named Jerry "an incomparable chef/genius" in a 4 star review, and in Bon Appetit's 2003 Decade of Dining issue, Jerry was named one of the ?chefs who made a difference?. The Herbfarm Restaurant was ranked number 15 of the 50 best restaurants in the United States by Gourmet in 2001. USA Today's Jerry Shriver named his dinner at The Herbfarm as his top meal of 2002 and it is the only restaurant in the Northwest to be awarded 5 diamonds by AAA.

Jerry is the recipient of the 2000 James Beard award for Best Chef. He is the author of The Herbfarm Cookbook; which won The International Association of Cooking Professionals award for the Best Cookbook in the Chef/Restaurant category. He is currently working on a second book of herbal recipes.

Jerry opened his restaurant, Poppy, in late 2008.

Joanne Herron has worked in the service industry since 1981. From 1988-2000, she was employed by Market Place Caterers/The RUINS in many capacities including Club Coordinator, Catering Events Planner and Assistant Director.

Joanne has always had an interest in French culture beginning with her first trip there at the age of nineteen. This interest has continued to grow throughout years of associated work experience and continued travel. While there she has had the opportunity to meet and visit the farms of French winemakers and dine at their tables.

In 2000 she joined forces with business partner, Chef James Drohman, and opened Restaurant Le Pichet. In addition to being a managing owner, Joanne is also the Dining Room Manager and Wine Director.

Chef Jodi Cheetham has been cooking for over ten years. Creating great food and helping people eat well are truly her greatest passions. She is a graduate of Bon Vivant School of Cooking, the Culinary Business Academy in Phoenix, AZ, and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Chef Jodi is a premier member of the United States Personal Chef Association and resides in Seattle, WA.

John Sundstrom began formal training at the New England Culinary Institute, in 1987. Prior to this, John apprenticed for 4 years to chef Yasuyuki Shigarami, classically trained in Japanese cuisine and sushi. After graduating from culinary school, John worked in some of the country's grand resort hotels, including; the 5-star Ritz-Carlton, Club XIX in Pebble Beach, CA and Stein Ericksen Lodge (Park City, Utah), Conde Naste's #1 resort hotel for 1992.

He moved to Seattle in 1991, worked at Raison d'etre, Campagne, and Café Sport, learning about local ingredients and meeting northwest farmers and foragers. Later he became the chef at Dahlia Lounge, working closely with owner Tom Douglas.

John toured Japan in 1999 and did a working tour in New York and San Francisco's finest kitchens, returning to Seattle with a renewed sense of purpose, new ideas and techniques, and a greater understanding of excellence. During a stint at Carmelita, John began to invest in organic, foraged, and heirloom ingredients and flavors. In 2000, he took over at Earth & Ocean, and within 6 months John was named one of Food & Wine Magazine's Best New Chef's for 2001.

John was one of 13 top chefs featured in the PBS original series "Chefs a-field", which was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2003.

John opened Lark in December 2003, with his wife JM Enos and partner Kelly Ronan. Lark is an artisan focused restaurant, serving dinner only. John will be adhering Slow Food principles to source ingredients and products and to create incredible meals with a European sensibility.

Carla Leonardi and Jordi Viladas opened Cafe Lago in 1990 with 22 seats and a hand written menu. Cafe Lago has grown to 100 seats but still serves the same delicate handmade pasta and Neapolitan inspired wood fire pizza that has earned the restaurant its reputation for great food.

Spanish and French Basque chef Jiménez de Jiménez, of Basque and Castilian heritage began his career in 1979 in Madrid. His culinary education continued in San Sebastian, which continues to influence his career today. Then in Paris he studied classical French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu, followed by several months in Biarritz where he specialized in the cuisine of Gascon and the French Basque country. The list of his schooling in Europe is long and impressive.

Joseph was hired by the Spanish government to work as an apprentice at the Royal House in special events as well as working for United States Embassy in Madrid in 1983. But in 1984 he left Spain to work under Chef Louis Urrumbide, a French, Basque chef. During this time he helped to set-up and open over 20 restaurants in New York and throughout the country.

Jiménez de Jiménez moved to Seattle in 1991 and worked at Maximilien’s becoming Chef de Cuisine 2 years later. Further Jimenez was Chef de Cuisine of Prego and in 1994, while working at the Ruins, he meet his wife, Pastry Chef Carolin Messier de Jiménez. Shortly after the wedding a year later, they opened a catering business, The Harvest Vine. Then in September, 1997 The Harvest Vine (a tiny restaurant with only 22 seats) was born with regional specialties of tapas from Madrid to pintxos of Donostia. In 2003 the Harvest Vine expanded and now seats 50. His wife Carolin develops the desserts using an eclectic as well as classic Spanish approach.

Presently Jiménez de Jiménez and Carolin are enjoying the unexpected and overwhelming success of their little taverna and hope to start a family soon. In the future.... But for now they combined his skills of culinary expertise and her ability to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Josh Green is a Seattle Native and Graduate of Seattle Central Community College’s culinary program. Prior to becoming the executive chef at the Virginia Inn Josh was the Executive chef at Ponti Seafood Grill for 6 years. Josh began his culinary career at Szmanias as the apprentice of Ludger Szmania. Josh, who grew up on Vashon Island in a small fishing town of Dockton, honed his fishing, trolling, digging, diving, trapping, netting, and foraging skills at an early age. Pairing his passion for local ingredients with his culinary expertise Josh has created a following amongst peers and foodies alike.

Marination – A Story
Once upon a time Kamala and Roz sent their very hard-earned money to Wall Street to grow. Turns out Wall Street wasn’t raised well by its parents, and the once-healthy bundle they sent eastward limped back home, a broken sliver of its former self. The ladies considered the anemic remains they were dealing with, and wondered how on Earth to prop it back up and get it going again?

All the thinking and no play made Kamala and Roz hungry. So Kamala marinated some stuff. Then over came a shoulder to lean on and, talking with her mouth full, Kamala admitted things like “I work so hard, I can’t start from scratch again, there’s got to be a way to stop this train before it totally derails. Wow these spicy pork tacos are the best I’ve made in weeks.”

The shoulder, being a friend with a full belly and therefore a full brain, replied “Your marinades are exquisite, bordering on ambrosial. Hey, I know, you can build a marinated meat stand on wheels. Ha ha ha.”

Kamala’s eyes grew as big as a kimchi rice bowl and Roz’s brain spun like a chrome hubcap. Marination, The Saucy Food Truck, was born.

Roz is at the wheel a lot, and you’ll find Kamala’s taking orders and “talking story” every week. Check our website and Twitter <http://twitter.com/curb_cuisine> for current location updates. Come kick it on the curb! There isn’t a drive-through, but there’s always plenty of feet parking.

And while the Big Blue fills their hearts with mucho glee, the opportunity to add a brick ‘n mortar location to the family was too good to believe, and too good to pass up. Marination Station is alive and well, serving aloha daily in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood (holla!) as of April 2011. Exact locale on the Many Locations! page.

The End.

Karen Jurgensen is currently the Chef Instructor at Quillisascut Cheese Company’s Farm School and at Seattle Culinary Academy teaching professional chefs, culinary students and agricultural professionals, farm to table practices and philosophy. Kären spends winters teaching, catering, mercenary cooking and restaurant consulting. Kären was the founding president of the FORKS, the Seattle chapter of Chefs Collaborative. Kären is active in the food community, a member of Slow Food working on the RAFT project, a member and mentor of Women Chef’s and Restaurateurs, a member and civic agriculture project mentor for Les Dames de Escoffier. She is the co-author of Rethinking the Kitchen, the sustainable kitchen handbook and the soon to be released “Chefs on the Farm” cookbook.

Kaspar Donier, an energetic supporter of many community causes, has been featured in national magazines, television and radio for his creative cuisine, and is a four-time nominee for the James Beard Award as America's Best Chef-Northwest. Kaspar's restaurant has placed in the annual lists of the top restaurants in Seattle every year since it's opening in 1989. A native of Davos, Switzerland, Donier began his formal training as a chef apprentice at the Hilton Hotel in Zurich. He soon followed with positions at other five star hotels in Switzerland, The Suvretta House, and The Beau Rivage. In 1976, he moved to Vancouver, Canada for chef positions at the Hilton's Hotel Vancouver and The Four Seasons Hotel and was promoted to Executive Chef of the Four Seasons Hotel, Inn at the Park, in Houston, Texas. After four years, he returned to the Pacific Northwest to open Kaspar's Restaurant, with his wife Nancy. At Kaspar's, Donier creates contemporary Pacific Northwest cuisine, combining the bounty of the Northwest ingredients with classical French, Asian, and Southwestern styles.

Kate writes, "From the time I was a little girl I loved to bake. In the afternoons after school, I would come home and while my mom taught piano lessons, I would get out the mixing bowl and spoons to make cookies, cakes, and bread. I took great delight in arranging a pretty table with china, cloth napkins, cutlery and flowers from mom’s garden."Some of these first attempts were disasters but many turned out to be pretty good and kept me interested in baking.  Those years of learning and experimenting later served me well in baking for my young family. We lived “out”, had a big garden and in the kitchen was a wonderful six-burner stove with an oven that could fit six loaves of bread. I loved getting up early to bake for my family. My first forays into baking pie were in the late 1990’s when my son Duncan and I moved to a blueberry u-pick farm on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. I made blueberry pie, blackberry pie, raspberry pie, combining them all to make triple-berry pie. I brought pies to the local Grange for pie sales, heading later in the day to the pie table to take a quick peek, to see if they had been bought. They always had. 2005 is the year pie became a passion and a two-year exploration of crust ensued. There was lots of experimentation with different flours and fats, ratios and recipes. The crust that we make in class is the culmination of much that was learned along the way. I love sharing the craft of crust in classes anywhere there are pie bakers, pie eaters and pie seekers. Folks say this crust is just delicious and are surprised to learn how easy it is to make. Add to that a delicious seasonal fruit filling and it couldn't be better. And, if it comes from your heart, the pie will be full of love!

Kathy Gehrt is a member of the International Association of Cooking Professionals (IACP), an experienced home cook, and a sought-after speaker on the topic of lavender. Her passion for excellent food is a gift from her parents, who knew the best strawberries were at the U-pick fields, the freshest fish was the steelhead dad brought home from his early morning fishing trip to the Green River, and the sweetest tomatoes came from the family garden. Simple, fresh and flavorful are the attributes Kathy loves most in the kitchen.

When you meet Kerry, and there's a good chance you will, the first thing you notice is his smile. It is the smile of someone doing exactly what he loves to do. Irrepressible. Enthusiastic. Slightly mischievous. Which might explain the cotton candy machine in the open pastry kitchen.

Born and raised on a dairy farm in Warwickshire, England, Kerry apprenticed at Stratford-on-Avon de Vere Hotel. He later received international acclaim during 11 years with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in Vancouver, Toronto and Seattle.

Kerry's love of food, his love of the experience of food and of sharing that with others is visible in everything he does — from his hand sketching of the presentation of each dish right back to that smile. For Chef Kerry Sear, the fascination never subsides, his sense of wonder always apparent. Today, Kerry lives in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood with Heidi, his wife and co-owner of Cascadia, and Sebastian, their two year-old son.

0/8 Seafood Grill and Twisted Cork Wine Bar

A native of Orange, Calif., and trained at the California School of the Culinary Arts in Pasadena, Monaco has spent the last 15 years earning his chops by cooking for Lion’s Gate Films, HBO, New Line Cinema and the Grammy Foundation. After a brief stop in New York, he finally found a home in Seattle working at local restaurants such as Il Bistro in Pike Place Market, BOKA and Veil in Queen Anne.

I feel that much of my life has been a training ground for Allium. The training started even before my humble beginnings as a prep cook for Lisa Dupar and Jonathan Zimmer, who graciously allowed me to work for them, even though I had no experience in a professional kitchen.

Allium involves all the aspects of my past: my studies in botany, my years as a flight attendant (when airlines offered gracious service and amenities) and life on an island.

The training continued on in the kitchens of Gerard Pangaud, Thomas Keller and David Kinch, where I learned to respect the ingredients and to let the food speak for itself. I gained an international flair with stints in Germany and Korea. I found my courage in New Orleans during Katrina, staying for the storm, and for the aftermath. I re-directed my focus closer to home, learning at The Herbfarm to take local eating to a tighter level.

Now I have (unbelievably) the privilege of carrying on the torch for Christina Orchid, who I have admired from a distance for so many years. I am honored that she would entrust me with her baby. While it will no longer be fine dining or even Christina’s, I hope to continue the warm hospitality and tradition for great food that she created for so many years.

Luigi Denunzio arrived in Seattle in 1977 and soon embarked on what would become his life’s passion, expanding and nurturing the Italian palate of Seattle by introducing them to "authentic" Italian cuisine. He accomplishes this daily by preparing and serving to perfection, only the freshest offerings of the season.

His experiences at Jonah and the Whale, Mama Lantoni, Umberto’s, Il Terazzo Carmine and Settebello, provided the springboard to his partnership in opening Al Boccalino in 1989. In 1992 he added Denunzio’s (formerly La Buca), where in 1997 he began offering cooking classes heavily influenced by his interest in ancient Roman and regional Italian styles.

This progression sparked his Little Italy dream encompassing all aspects of Italian dining. Café Bengodi was opened in 1999, followed by Pastiamo (formerly Brindisi), in 2003. Today, the four restaurants, all in Pioneer Square, provide a completely unique and different Italian dining experience for those wishing to embellish their tastes. From hand made ingredients, to the oils, the balsimicos and brilliant wine, come let Luigi Denunzio share his vision, talent, and belief that food should make you healthy and happy. His infectious spirit and personality will take you to Italia.

Marc Van Mulken began pursuing his dream of becoming a Chef at an early age. He attended Chef School in Belgium and Holland from the age of 13 until 20. Upon completion of his studies, he worked in several upscale restaurants in Holland before choosing to satisfy his desire for travel. He joined Seattle-based Holland America Line as a Chef de Partie and sailed his way up the ladder to Sous Chef for the five-star cruise line. In December of 1999, Marc joined Tom Douglas Restaurants at the Dahlia Lounge. His tenure at Tom Douglas Restaurants was briefly interrupted at the end of 2003 when he became Chef at the Jitterbug.

Wine appreciation is an avid subject for Marja Murray who is the Sommelier for Madison Park Café. She is a Seattle native and grew up in a family that took great pleasure in pairing wine and food at large family gatherings. She has taught wine education for her own company since 1999 and also for Beaulieu Vineyards (BV). Marja's background includes enology courses from UC Davis, wine manager training from the International Sommelier Guild, and touring French vineyards. She has assisted local winemakers with their cellar manuals and crush. In her spare time, she volunteers for the Washington Wine Commission, and California and Washington wineries. She has assisted with harvest at California vineyards and led winetastings for large events.

Cedarbrook Lodge's Executive Chef, Mark Bodinet graduated in 2002 with honors from The Art Institute of Phoenix with an associate's degree in Culinary Arts.

He honed his culinary skills during a two-year stint on Martha's Vineyard at the Winnetu Inn & Resort, a 48-room boutique hotel where he assisted in developing the cutting edge seafood restaurant, Opus. In 2004 Bodinet returned to his native West Coast to continue his passionate pursuit of bringing “slow food” and “farm to table” concepts to the foreground of American cuisine.

From 2004 – 2009 Chef Bodinet accepted the opportunity of a career lifetime, creating in the kitchen at the world-renowned French Laundry Restaurant in Yountville, Napa Valley. While there Mark came to understand the principals of his honored profession and deepened his true epicurean passion and pursuit of culinary excellence.

As Executive Chef of Cedarbrook Lodge, he and his culinary team are focused on sustainable food concepts -- developing relationships with many local farms to bring the best of the season to the table. Chef Bodinet's culinary travels to Europe and work in restaurants from Arizona to Martha’s Vineyard, will help bring a variety of culinary influences to his kitchen.

With 15 years of experience in the culinary industry, 10 of them with Restaurants Unlimited, Inc., Mark’s skills have been cultivated through his many productive years of applying himself and galvanizing his expertise in all aspects of food and beverage.

It was the lure of a high energy, creative lifestyle that drew Mark to becoming a chef. He has since traversed the country working with such notable restaurants as Hunter Steak House (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Palomino restaurants in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Cincinnati, and most recently closer to home at Stanley & Seafort’s in Tacoma, as Restaurant Unlimited’s food and beverage director.

At Palisade, Mark strives to evolve and incorporate new, innovative ideas to fuse into Palisade’s unique Polynesian inspired menu. His philosophy - "Cooking is an art that has to taste good," which is illustrated in his choice of ingredients, cooking techniques and plate presentation.

Cooking is a natural vice for Mark, and the sanctuary of home allows him to let everything go and create exiting and sensual dishes. When not in the kitchen, the 33-year-old chef fills his time wake boarding, snow boarding, mountain biking, golfing, and dining out.

Mauro Golmarvi grew up in Ancona Italy in the heart of the Marche region, renowned for its beauty and excellent cuisine. A sel-taught chef with over 25 years of experience, Mauro settled in Seattle in 1989 and with $8000 and a credit card started Assaggio Ristorante. Mauro lives on the shores of Puget Sound with his wife Karen and his daughter, future chef Francesca.

A native of Philadelphia, Chef Bruno has a background in business as well as a fine talent in artistic photography. He has brought his culinary skills to such renowned houses as the Sheraton at Rittenhouse Square, Passerelle in Radnor, and Il Terrazo Carmine's here in Seattle.  Chef Bruno is the Executive Chef of the iconic restaurant, Vito's.

Michael Domitrovich was born and raised in a family of restauranteurs and has worked with food all his life. He is co-author of Tastes Like Cuba: An Exile's Hunger for Home which will be released in paperback, October, 2008. He is currently working on his next book, Faith in Food, which examines the major world religions from a gastronomic point of view. As a playwright his work has been produced off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway.

After spending three years as an Electronics Engineer, Michael Weeks knew this was not meant to be his life's work. He left engineering to pursue his passion - travel. It was during Michael's travels through North America, Hawaii and Europe, that he discovered another passion - food. He would settle in a town for anywhere from two months to a year at a time, taking various restaurant work, including cooking, waiting tables and bussing. This allowed him the opportunity to work with different chefs and experience various types of cuisine, including French, American Regional, Italian and Pan Asian/Pacific Rim. After many years of traveling Michael settled in Seattle and on a career - as a chef.

Michael began working at McCormick & Schmick' as Sous Chef for five years and two years as Executive Chef. He then became the Executive Chef for Arnies Restaurant in Edmonds, and moved on to the position of Corporate Concept Chef at Arnies Restaurants Northwest. Micheal then moved on to work as Exectutive Chef at the Dragonfish Asian Café.

Chef Weeks is often asked to participate at various food events throughout the area, on television and on radio, and has appeared on the Chef Keith Famie television show, "Keith Famie's Adventures" on the Food Network. His recipes were included in the companion book to the series.

When not in the kitchen, Michael is an avid bicyclist, hiker, camper and fisherman. According to Michael, "I feel fortunate to be able to do the work and the things I really enjoy and have a loving family to share it with. Life is great. Eat well and enjoy!"

Nancy is committed to seeking out the ultimate food and wine pairings! This passion has led her to study at the Northwest Wine Academy where she has successfully exposed her palate to countless different styles and varietals of wine. She is also a member of the Wine Century Club, Society of Wine Educators and Women for WineSense organizations, as well as a contributor to several food and wine blogs. Nancy believes that you can easily make any meal a special occasion – just add wine.

She is the Nature Daycamp and Nature Kids Preschool Teacher and Director at Discovery Park, the largest green space in Seattle. Natalie has been teaching and cooking with kids for many years and feels it's a great way to explore ours senses. Natalie has a wonderful husband who she loves to cook with and for. She grew up in Kansas cooking hearty meat dishes with her mother and sister and although she is now vegetarian she still loves biscuits and gravy (veggie of course.)

Chef Musser's career began working with Flying Fish Chef Christine Keff where he developed his own focus and personality in his cuisine. Throughout his career he has continued to develop his own style at restaurants like McCormick and Schmick's, Yarrow Bay Café, and now the icon Grill. He is always looking for new ways to challenge and diversify his palate and continue his culinary growth.

Chef Nick received Redbook's Magazine "Husband of the year award in 2000. He is a classically trained violist playing and teaching in chamber groups and symphonies all around the West Coast.

Patrice Savery spent her formative years living overseas in Asia, Central America, and the Middle East. While seated at tables around the world, she gained an appreciation for food and culture and cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Patrice holds a Culinary Arts degree from Seattle Culinary Academy and a master's in food studies at New York University, where she focused on issues of healthy eating among children. Patrice is committed to food education, promoting healthy nutrition, and connecting others to the joys of the table. She resides in Seattle, where she teaches children's culinary classes and works on a range of food-related projects. Her blog, A Savery Life, chronicles her food inspirations and times spent in the kitchen and around the table.

Chef Peter Morrison went to Washington State University in 1983 but later decided his true calling was in the culinary world. In 1993 he finished his culinary degree from The California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

From 1994 to 1999 he was the Chef de Cuisine at the romantic and well loved, Chez Shea, in the Pike Place Market. Other restaurants included, Matt's In The Market, Ponti's Seafood Grill and The Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco. Chef Morrison has done consulting work and contributed to the community through benefits such as the March of Dimes and Teaching cooking and nutrition for Share Our Strength.

Today, Chef Morrison has taken his love and knowledge of shellfish to a new level and he is the sales and shipping manager for a gourmet shellfish farm, Westcott Bay Seafood, in Friday Harbor Washington. Morrison promotes their northwest oysters, mussels, and clams from here to Hong Kong. Still cooking, his job also includes culinary festivals and special dinners to show these mollusks in their best light!

Chef/Owner Philip Mihalski did not always aspire to be a chef. He graduated from Cornell University in Political Science and after working in NYC doing commercial real estate, he examined his options and decided upon something he had always enjoyed - cooking.

He started as a line cook at one of New York's most popular restaurants, Park Bistro. From there, he went on to work with Chef David Burke at the River Caf". Later, after spending 6 months in France working for 3 different top restaurants, Philip and his wife Nell, decided to relocate to the Pacific Northwest in 1992. Mihalski worked with Tom Douglas at the Dahlia Lounge and later became the chef at Marco?s Supper club.

In 1998 Chef Mihalski met Saleh Joudeh, owner of the renowned Saleh al Lago restaurant on Green Lake. One thing led to another and as Mihalski had always wanted to own his own restaurant, when Saleh decided to sell his intimate and scenic Green Lake location, Chef Mihalski was the chef he chose to make the change. Nells opened in November of 1999.

Nell's menu offers a contemporary American cuisine with a European influence and featuring fresh seasonal ingredients of the Pacific Northwest. Chef Mihalski, his wife Nell and daughter Alexandra live in the Fremont neighborhood.

Rachel loves fruit! Though she would be hard-pressed to name a favorite, she especially loves the months of September and October, because there is such a wide variety of fruits at that time: figs, tomatoes, apples, grapes, stone fruits, and more. Rachel is the creative mind behind Blue Chair, and she lives the life of a small business person. Which is to say, she does the jobs of about three or four people! Rachel is inordinately grateful to her fantastic staff, which is what makes Blue Chair Fruit possible!!

Before becoming a chef, Robin was an artist. While pursuing a Masters in Fine Arts at the University of Michigan, she took a job in the catering department. This was only intended to be a summer job, but it quickly became clear she had a passion for food.

Robin's Pacific Northwest roots are the foundation of her cooking, which is accented by the flavors of her world travels. Robin formerly owned and operated Crave, a popular Seattle bistro, and currently uses her cooking and culinary connections to help raise money for Lymphoma research and is closely involved with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

A graduate of La Cordon Rouge Culinary School in Sausalito California, Chef Breiman began his career in four-and five-star restaurants in San Francisco and New York City.

Drawn by centuries of history and culinary tradition, Breiman moved to France for several years working in Michelin-starred restaurants such as La Trois Marche in Versailles, La Bourride in Caen, Normandy Le Château Eza in Eze Village and Restaurant Chantecler at Hotel Negreso in Nice.

Returning to the United States, Chef Breiman brought critical acclaim to Meadowood Napa Valley by traveling to Baden Baden, Germany; Beijing, China and Seoul, South Korea, promoting food & wines from Napa Valley.

Breiman was subsequently hailed by PBS as one of America Rising Star Chefs. Esquire Magazine named him a "Chef to keep your Eyes On." And Bon Appetit lauded him as one of thirteen "Top Hotel Chefs in America."

In 2003, following a four-year stint on Martha's Vineyard to design and open a 48-room boutique hotel and signature Opus restaurant, Breiman settled in the Seattle area. At Salish Lodge & Spa he pursued his passion of promoting sustainable foods. In 2005 he and his culinary team were recognized by Condé Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards as the number #2 dining destination in the USA. As Culinary Director, Breiman's focus at Cedarbrook Lodge is sustainable food concepts. On-site composting, water reclamation and development of unique on-site systems plans for the Cedarbrook farm is what he considers "a labor of love." And sustainable practices will help promote the Lodge as a Pacific Northwest culinary model, while enriching each and every Cedarbrook guest's dining experience.

Chef Sam Crannell has worked in restaurants since he was 13. At 5 Corner Market Bar & Kitchen, he prepares regional American cuisine, using great local, seasonal ingredients and traditional cooking techniques. He believes in bold, flavorful dishes that are honest and offered at reasonable prices. To keep the menus fresh, he updates the choices monthly.

Chef Crannell attended the Cooking and Hospitality Institute in Chicago, where he grew up.

A graduate of Washington State University?s Hotel/Restaurant Program, Chef Scott Samuel?s intention to become a chef began as a teenager. Chef Scott apprenticed in 1991 at Gerard?s Relais de Lyon in Seattle, under Chef Christophe DeGouix. Other employment in his early culinary years included catering, working in the bistro at The Ruins, sous chef at Café Juanita and working as the private chef on a yacht touring southeast Alaska.

Scott?s first chef position was for the wonderful Brie and Bordeaux, a 30 seat bistro that also featured wines and cheeses. Scott?s menus have always reflected a commitment to local farmers and seasonal harvests. His style combines the Northwest bounty, classic French technique and an adventurous spirit. In the fall of 1998, Scott was a nominated by the James Beard Foundation as "Rising Chef of the Year". This same year, he completed a five-week apprenticeship at The French Laundry in Napa Valley with Chef Thomas Keller.

After many good years with Brie and Bordeaux, Scott left in 2000 to help open Waterfront Pier 70 as the Executive Sous Chef. Next came the Herbfarm in its new location and another high profile sous chef position.

Throughout his 15 years of cooking, Chef Scott has been teaching his talents both publicly and privately and now divides his time between teaching at Seattle Culinary Academy and his own company, "Simply Brilliant".

Seppo is a culinary instructor, personal chef, and bestselling author. He has a breadth of experience creating and modifying recipes to accommodate food allergies, health concerns, and special diets. His cookbook “Three Bowls: Vegetarian Recipes from an American Zen Buddhist Monastery,” was nominated for the James Beard Award for Best Vegetarian Cookbook of 2001. A member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, he is currently creating and developing recipes for his next cookbook. Seppo offers cooking classes from coast to coast at schools, universities, stores and privately. He has recently relocated to the Seattle area and is eager to share his knowledge, passion for cooking and many delicious creations with you

A native to the Pacific Northwest, chef/co-owner Shannon Galusha applies his philosophy of eliminating the “unnecessary to obtain simplicity” resulting in exquisite culinary magic. Specializing in ‘Progressive American’ cuisine inspired by seasonal ingredients and local farmers, Galusha actively integrates this philosophy in every aspect of his craft elevating American Cuisine to a distinctive level.

Galusha polished his culinary skills at the New England Culinary Institute, and upon graduating, took on residency for three years at the world-renowned French Laundry in Yountville, California. In addition, he has traveled such places as France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and Italy; working with various chefs while enjoying a six month gastronomic tour. In Paris, Galusha had the honor of working under two-star Michelin chef, Michel Rostand. His impressive local résumé includes serving as executive Sous Chef at Fullers in the Seattle Sheraton, Executive Sous Chef at Campagne and Café Campagne, and Executive Chef at 727 Pine (formerly in the Grand Hyatt Hotel), and currently owner and executive Chef of Veil.

Sue McCown fast-talked her way into her very first restaurant job in Switzerland sparked by a desire to spend the winter skiing in the Alps. With no kitchen experience, she was able to land a job as a prep cook/dishwasher at the Leysin Resort. Hooked by the creativity, intensity and passion of the resort's kitchen, Sue returned home to San Francisco and enrolled in the California Culinary Academy where she graduated with honors in 1990.

Sue moved to the Pacific Northwest and worked as a line cook at Seattle's Campagne restaurant. After a few months, she was asked to assume the pastry chef position. With only her recent pastry and baking courses at culinary school she threw herself into this challenge with abandon. This flirtation with pastry blossomed into a full-fledged love affair and an exciting career.

In 1993, Sue moved on to the Painted Table at the Alexis Hotel. While there, she wowed such notables as Ivana Trump and the Sutlan of Brunei. The Sorrento Hotel and later Wolfgang Puck's ObaChine also were blessed with her talents. In 1997, Sue was part of the opening team at the Pampas Club in hip Belltown. Here, she began to perfect her creative and whimsical style. "Whimsical, yes, but first and foremost artfully crafted and delicious", said Seattle Magazine, October 2001. Sue was voted "Seattle's Best Pastry Chef". In 2002, Sue produced "The Dessert Diva for The Poor Man's Kitchen", a weekly food program produced by KVI am radio in Seattle. But today you will find Sue at the W Hotel as Executive Pastry Chef where she tempts and delights the guests at Earth & Ocean.

Further, Sue contributes her talents as a guest chef at charitable events in Seattle and around the country and has begun work on a pastry cookbook.

Trained in New York City, Tamara Murphy honed her craft while working at top restaurants in this city. In 1988, drawn to the Northwest?s bounty of fresh ingredients, Tamara moved to Seattle. As Sous Chef for Dominique's, Tamara was selected to participate in the Bocuse d?Or competition.

Then in 1990, after two years at Dominique's, Tamara became the Executive Chef at Campagne Restaurant. In 1995 Tamara was named the Best Chef of the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii by the James Beard Foundation, in addition, Food and Wine Magazine dubbed her one of the Ten Best New Chefs in America. Other publications such as Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Food Arts and The New York Times all profiled Tamara and her unique culinary style. Meanwhile, local critics such as John Hinterberger, Johnathan Susskind, Tom Sietsma, and "Seattle's Best Places" showered Tamara and Campagne with rave reviews. In 1993 Tamara was part of the opening of Café Campagne, and the Café soon became the darling of Seattle foodies.

Then in March of 1999 Tamara partnered with Bryan Hill, the former GM and Wine Director at Campagne and Brasa was born. Brasa became a restaurant based upon community and has been wildly successful. Seattleites love the creative food and sensual ambiance. It garnered an outstanding review from Nancy Leson of the Seattle Times. Tamara returned to New York in June, 2000 to cook for a James Beard Foundation event and both Food and Wine and Gourmet magazines have recognized Brasa as one of Seattle?s top tables.

Tamara is an ardent supporter of Fare Start and Share Our Strength/Taste of the Nation. With a focus on children's causes, she has been a featured chef at the Auction of Washington Wines, benefiting Northwest Children's Hospital. She has also been featured at the March of Dimes annual Star Chef's Gala. Tamara makes it a point to be extremely supportive of school children, even hosting groups at Brasa to experience the kitchen and all it offers.

Theo produces premium organic and Fair Trade specialty chocolate. The company founder, Joseph Whinney, pioneered the supply of organic cocoa beans into the United States in 1994. Joe always dreamt of building the first organic chocolate factory in the US, as prior to Theo’s inaugural chocolate run in March of 2006, all organic chocolate was manufactured in Europe and imported into the US market. As the first and only organic and Fair Trade chocolate factory in the country, all of Theo's ingredients are carefully screened to ensure they meet their high standards for social and environmental responsibility.

Award winning chef/owner, Thierry Rautureau of Rover’s restaurant, hails from the Muscadet region of France and the town of Saint Hilaire de Loulay. Seasonal cooking came naturally as his parents toiled the earth and cooked only what they grew. Rautureau was assigned the kitchen duty of doing the “prep” for dinner and working closely with his mother, he quickly became acquainted with fresh homegrown ingredients at a young age. At fourteen, Rautureau started a cooking apprenticeship in Anjou, France and at twenty, with already six years of traditional French training behind him; Rautureau headed for the United States and took his professional experience to “La Fontaine” in Chicago for three years. Then on to Los Angeles for five years at the “Regency Club” and “The Seven Street Bistro”. Upon a visit to Seattle in 1987, Rautureau happened to dine at “Rover’s” and discovered that the restaurant was up for sale. Today this intimate little restaurant is filled with art and warm sophistication---a trademark of the friendly French man, Chef Thierry Rautureau, the Chef in the Hat!!! Over the last seventeen years that Thierry has owned Rover’s, the restaurant and chef have received local and national press recognition. Both the Seattle Post Intelligencer in 1999 and the Seattle Times in 2003 gave Rover’s a Four-Star review. The restaurant has received Mobil 4 Star and AAA 4 Diamond recognition for close to a decade as well as top accolades from the 2004 Zagat Survey. Wine Spectator, Gourmet Magazine, Seattle Magazine and many others have all recognized him and his lovely restaurant with many awards on more than one occasion.
Thierry has been honored by the government of his native France as well, with one of their highest awards. Thierry has been lead chef for the Seattle March of Dimes Gala and he has made an appearance in the famous national Food Arts Vita-Prep blender ad wearing no more than his trademark fedora and a smile. Most recently, Thierry has been working on his new cookbook to be published in 2005 and co-hosting on Tom Douglas’ radio show on 710 KIRO AM. As well, he has been featured on PBS, the Discovery Channel and The Food Network.

A Delaware native, Tom Douglas started cooking at the Hotel DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware before heading to Seattle in 1978. From house building to wine selling to railroad car repair, Tom tried his hand at several jobs before settling on the restaurant business as his final career choice. Never having attended a culinary school, Tom’s cooking knowledge comes mostly from dining out across America and Europe, using his “taste memory” to recreate and develop recipes in his own style. Starting with Cafe Sport in 1984, Tom’s cuisine helped define the Northwest style. Tom’s creativity with local ingredients and his respect for Seattle’s ethnic traditions have earned his four restaurants a place on the national culinary map. In November 1989, Tom started his own restaurant, “Dahlia Lounge” and won the James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef in 1994. The Dahlia moved in May, 2001, and Tom’s retail bakery, “Dahlia Bakery”, opened in 2001. In February,1995, Tom and Jackie Cross, his wife and business partner, opened “Etta’s”, named after their daughter Loretta, and then in 1996 “Palace Kitchen” was opened, the a lively downtown favorite for Seattleites and out-of-towners alike. Palace Kitchen was nominated by the James Beard Association as one of the country’s best new restaurants in 1996. In July of 2004 Tom and Jackie’s fourth restaurant opened. “Lola” is Greek inspired and is already garnering great reviews. Further, Tom’s catering is available as well as the Tom Douglas “Rub with Love” spice rubs that were introduced in 1999. Tom hosts his own talk radio show “Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen” on 710 KIRO AM as well as creating the menu for Teatro ZinZanni’s Dinner and Dreams. Finally, Tom has published two cookbooks, “Tom Douglas’ Seattle Kitchen” and most recently “Tom’s Big Dinners”

Toni Piquet has been cooking since the age of 10. She is the mother of two healthy and health-conscious girls and is well-versed in nutrition and food allergy avoidance. She has attended, assisted and instructed cooking and health classes for many years and is a passionate "foodie," pressure-cooker fanatic, cookbook collector and mom.

Tony Hill successful escaped from the high-tech industry to start World Merchants, Spice Herb, and Teahouse in the spring of 1994. Global travels from his previous career allowed him to develop a network of suppliers from around the world, eat in a myriad of global kitchens, and touch all aspects of the gourmet food movement.

Mr. Hill has been featured in numerous culinary publications like “Food & Wine” and “Northwest Palate.” He has appeared on television with some of the best chefs in America and has contributed to the food-themed radio show, “Northwest Cooking.” Tony can still be found, however, tending his retail store near the Pike Place Market.

Tony attended University both domestically and overseas and immediately began traveling the world “eating all the way,” taking him to the pepper coast of India, the teal gardens of China and the jungles of South America. Tony and World Spice sells to the top restaurateurs, culinary schools and home chefs in the Northwest.

Three times has proven to be a charm, as award-winning chef Vicky McCaffree can vouch for Kirkland's fine dining Yarrow Bay Grill!

Growing up in Bellevue, Vicky's love for good food was inspired by her grandmothers, who were both excellent cooks. While attending the School of Art at the University of Washington, Vicky waited tables at the Surrogate Hostess in Seattle. Owner Robin Woodward, recognizing Vicky's cooking talents, gave her "The Joy of Cooking" and Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". Vicky was hooked and learned to cook with a simple flair going on to spend two years as co-chef at Seattle's fine dining restaurant, Rosellini's Other Place. In 1990 she was awarded "Best Chef in Seattle" from the Association of Chefs.

In March of 1991, Chef McCaffree crossed the bridge to the Eastside and became the creative force behind the cuisine of the Yarrow Bay Grill. Vicky excelled in innovative menus and exquisite presentations. She won the Columbia Crest Premier Chefs’ Dinner Competition in April of 1996. Tom Sietsema of the Seattle Post Intelligencer said: “the Yarrow Bay Grill …overlooks Lake Washington, not the food or the service” The Eastside Week felt that “.... Yarrow Bay Grill food is more than East meets West...it is a delicious melding of cuisines.” Under Vicky’s guidance, the restaurant was recognized by the Seattle Magazine Readers Poll as “Best Eastside Restaurant” for five consecutive years.

Vicky was invited to cook at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City in 1997 and then in 1999 Vicky left the Yarrow Bay Grill to help launch Waterfront restaurant in Seattle returning "home" in 2002. Seasonality is first and foremost in any decision Vicky makes about menu items. I want the food to be fun and accented with the unexpected, she notes.

Vicky is a great believer in community involvement and she spends countless hours donating time, product and skills at non-profit fundraisers. Her cooking classes are in great demand as are appearances at cooking shows, local television, and other culinary events.

For Chef Walter Pisano, running an Italian restaurant was preordained. As the son of a New York restaurateur, the business runs in his blood; as part of an East Coast Italian family, the food is in his heart.

Pisano is a longtime fixture on the Northwest restaurant scene, most notably for opening and operating Tulio Ristorante. Tulio has been a regular on the awards lists, including Seattle’s Best Italian Restaurant, Best Business Lunch and Best Kept Secret.

Among his many honors, Pisano attended the American Harvest Workshop. Locally, Pisano regularly donates his talents to charitable causes, from black-tie events to soup kitchens.

Pisano was trained in classical European cuisine before moving to Seattle, where he helped open The Hunt Club in the Sorrento Hotel. In 1984, Pisano took a culinary tour of Europe, and appointments that followed included Executive Chef at Bravo Pagliacci, and Sous Chef at Gerard Relais de Lyon, where he met Chef Jean-Louis Palladin. Pisano became the first American to work as sous chef at the prestigious Jean-Louis restaurant at the Watergate in Washington, D.C.

In 1992, he returned to Seattle and opened Tulio Ristorante, named after his Father John Tulio. In 2002, Walter Pisano took a hiatus to help open another restaurant and traveled extensively to visit restaurants nationwide. Pisano returned to Tulio in Oct. 2004, invigorated and inspired.

Wayne Johnson was Born April 29, 1958 in Ft. Knox, Kentucky, "army brat" Wayne Johnson traveled the world, experiencing the diversity of various cultures through his youth. No matter where his family was based, the Johnson's were always together in Kentucky during the holidays, and his mother's famous "feasts" were a definite influence on Wayne's cooking in later years.

Wayne's culinary adventures started in high school, working as a dishwasher and prep cook. He headed off to school at University of Northern Colorado to study accounting and spent the next three and a half years cooking his way through college.

In 1981, Wayne moved to Vail, Colorado, where he decided to pursue a culinary calling. He started his career with the Marriott Hotels and Resorts going from "cook" to banquet chef from 1981 to 1990. In 1990, Wayne took his first Executive Chef position and later became the Executive Chef at the four-diamond rated Renaissance Parc 55 Hotel in San Francisco.

He has special training in the foods of Spain and studied at Greystone, located in Napa Valley. But in 1999, Wayne was lured north and became Executive Chef of the Mayflower Park Hotel in downtown Seattle and the well loved Andaluca Restaurant and Bar. Gathering fresh local products and using the seductive flavor of Mediterranean spices such as cumin, saffron, paprika and cinnamon, he produces a palate of unique and flavorful menu items.

Chef Wayne cooked at the James Beard House in 2002 and under his supervision Adaluca has won many awards including "Seattle?'s Best Mediterranean Restaurant", Seattle Magazine's "Best Overall Restaurant".

Committed to pledging personal attention to the Seattle community, Chef Wayne spends time throughout the year serving homeless youth by teaching and training them how to eat nutritiously. He also shares his culinary talent with homeless men and women, and prepares holiday meals for area firefighters.

He was recently named one of the US's Top African American Chefs.

Chef William Leaman has 16 years of experience in the professional baking industry. Currently, William is Pastry Chef and Chocolatier at the Essential Baking Company in Seattle. His prior experiences include, Assistant Pastry Chef at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, NV; Executive Pastry Chef at a large Seattle restaurant; and owner/operator of his own baking company in Fayetteville, Arkansas. William has been a guest instructor in many cooking class venues including the San Francisco Baking Institute.

William’s awards include Captain of the 2005 Bread Baker’s Guild 2005 Team USA in the international Coupe du Monde de Boulangerie (World Cup of Baking). He was recently named one of the Top 10 Next Generation Chocolatiers in the U.S. and in 1998 William was awarded the Dairy Farmers of Washington, Butter Print Campaign Award.

William has studied at the CIA in Napa, California; the National Baking Center in Minneapolis; the Barry Callebaut center in Montreal, Canada; and the Ecole Lenotre in Paris.