Tonight, I had the pleasure of attending the Rising Stars Review, a gala event that honors Seattle’s top emerging talent. First, I want to give a very sincere congratulations to all of the award winners. Each chef on stage makes me proud to be a Seattleite and live in a city so dedicated to creative, responsible, progressive food. The evening was a delightful way to experience a taste (literally) of what each of these chefs has to offer. But it was more than just the impeccable dishes (and top-notch wine) that made this event so memorable – it was the coming together of chefs, journalists, foodies, aspiring foodies and aficionados, all united by a common admiration for the passion and integrity with which chefs pursue the advancement of cuisine in our humble little town.
I hope to see this event grace Seattle again in the very near future. Congratulations to all of the winning chefs. Now, time to get out my calendar and start making reservations!
- Chef Mark Fuller of Spring Hill,
- Chef Stuart Lane of Cafe Juanita
- Chef Vuong Loc of Portage
- Chefs Brian McCracken and Dana Tough of Spur
- Chef Colin Patterson of Sutra
- Chef Jason Wilson of Crush
- Hotel Chef Adam Stevenson of Earth & Ocean at W Seattle
- Pastry Chef Dana Cree of Poppy
- Pastry Chef Matt Kelley of Rover’s
- Mixologist Jim Romdall of Vessel
- Sommelier Nelson Daquip of Canlis
- Restaurateur Ethan Stowell of Union, Tavolata, How to Cook a Wolf
- Concept Award Chefs Joshua Henderson and Danny Sizemore of Skillet Street Food
- Sustainability Award Chef Maria Hines of Tilth