Grill-Off Chefs
Saturday, July 17, 5p.m.
Angie Roberts, Executive Chef, BOKA KITCHEN + BAR
In September 2007, Angie Roberts was named executive chef of BOKA KITCHEN + BAR, a vibrant blend of lounge and restaurant located at Seattle’s premier luxury destination, Hotel 1000. Leading a highly collaborative, talented team, Roberts presents a kitchen with boundless creativity and an affinity for local, seasonal and organic ingredients. Currently, BOKA incorporates 85% organic ingredients in its menu items and is striving for even more.
As a committed advocate of sustainable agriculture and local farmers, Roberts sources a trusted network of local producers and suppliers, which she has established during her 15 years in Seattle. With her pure, organic cooking-style, Roberts is committed to keeping recipes simple so that her customers can learn to appreciate the flavor and lineage of each ingredient. Roberts is a true believer in knowing where one’s food comes from and how it was raised or cultivated.
Prior to joining BOKA, Roberts served as the chef de cuisine of Flying Fish under Chef Christine Keff, spearheading kitchen operations and overseeing more than 300 meals per day. While at Flying Fish, she and Christine collaborated on new menu items and oversaw Whistling Train Farm to enhance their produce program, as they strived to utilize all organic and/or wild-harvested ingredients.
Previously, Roberts held a six-year tenure at the W Hotel in Seattle, where she progressed through many culinary positions, including sous chef for Earth & Ocean restaurant. During her career at Earth & Ocean, Roberts had the opportunity to accompany Jean Michel Boulet to James Beard House in New York City and worked alongside James Beard Award-winning chefs Johnathan Sundstrom (now chef-owner of Lark and Licorous) and Maria Hines (now chef-owner of Tilth) both of whom also earned honors as a Food & Wine magazine Best New Chef.
Chef Roberts is a native to the Pacific Northwest and grew up in Northern Idaho on her family farm. At age 18, Roberts began her career studying both nutrition and culinary arts at Seattle Central Community College. Currently, Roberts resides in Seattle and is a member of Slow Food Seattle. Since joining the culinary team, BOKA has received acclaim in USA Today, Seattle Metropolitan, Edible SEATTLE, Seattle Sound, Sherman’s Travel, and Seattle Magazine. The restaurant has also been featured on KOMO’s “Go Eat!” and “Extreme Tourist: Off the Beaten Path.”
Danielle Custer, Director, TASTE Restaurant & Events
Danielle Custer graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and began her illustrious career as the chef de cuisine at the since-closed Fullers restaurant at the Sheraton Seattle. It was during her five-year tenure there that she discovered a respect for the Northwest’s bounty, developing a palate for pristine, seasonal ingredients. Her time in Seattle planted the roots of her commitment to sustainable agriculture.
In 1996, she became the executive chef at Laurels restaurant in Dallas, Texas, a move that would prove fruitful two years later when Food & Wine Magazine named her one of America’s Best New Chefs of 1998. Following that accolade was the “Rising Star Chef” award from the James Beard Foundation in 1999. Despite such glory, she missed the home where she cut her teeth as a professional chef. So, in 2001, she returned to Seattle to open 727 Pine at the Elliott Grand Hyatt Hotel.
Danielle currently is director at Bon Appétit Management Company, overseeing TASTE Restaurant/Café/Events at the Seattle Art Museum. She has spearheaded a comprehensive sustainability campaign that haspoured more than $1.3 million into the local agricultural economy. She is a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, Slow Food, and Women Chefs & Restaurateurs.
Sabrina Tinsley, Chef/Co-Owner, La Spiga
Sabrina is a self-trained chef whose passion for food grew from watching her mother prepare sumptuous party menus from home-grown produce and meats, as well as from wild fish and game from Alaska’s bounty. She graduated from Michigan State University in 1992 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a minor in French. She originally moved to Europe in the summer of 1992 to finish her college credits in Tours, France. For six years, she fostered her love of food and language by traveling through France, Austria and Italy.
Sabrina met future husband and business partner, Pietro Borghesi, during an English teaching stint in Salzburg, Austria. She soon moved to Italy to be with him, and the couple married in 1993.
In Italy, Sabrina gained an intimate knowledge of Emilia-Romagna and now adamantly follows this traditional cuisine. She creates new and exciting dishes that are inspired by traditional guidelines and vintage recipes, always incorporating the best Italian ingredients available, sourcing both locally and directly from Italy.
Pietro and Sabrina opened the original La Spiga just blocks away on Broadway Avenue in 1998 with sister Sachia Tinsley. In December 2006, the couple re- opened the restaurant in a new and larger location that can accommodate up to 180 guests. In January 2009, Sabrina appeared on Iron Chef America against Bobby Flay in battle “Fresh Beans.”
2010 Grilling Demonstration Chefs
Jeff Soper, Executive Sous Chef, Trellis Restaurant
Jeff Soper is the Executive Sous Chef for the award-winning Trellis Restaurant, located in the heart of downtown Kirkland. At Trellis Chef Soper, under the tutelage of Executive Chef Brian Scheehser, blends modern cooking techniques and flavor profiles with the rustic farm-fresh robust cooking style characteristic of wine country restaurants. Chef Soper also oversees all Private Dining Events held at The Heathman Hotel at which Trellis cuisine is served rather than the traditional hotel “banquet” menus.
Dishes are inspired by what Executive Chef Brian Scheehser grows on his ten-acre farm in Woodinville. From the fruit and vegetables gathered daily (or pulled from cold storage in the winter) to livestock and seafood from local artisan producers, your dining experience will truly celebrate the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Chef Soper often joins Executive Chef Scheehser in “walking the fields” selecting the best of the harvest as the foundation for Trellis menus which evolve with the seasons.
“Working with Chef Scheehser, who is not only a great Chef, but an amazing farmer, has grown my culinary skills in ways that I had not previously anticipated” says Soper. “Nothing beats having a farm of this caliber at your fingertips. There is a great deal of work, planning and constant learning required to determine how to bring this unbelievable produce from the farm, directly to the plate. At Trellis, that’s exactly what we do and the feedback from customers has been very positive”.
A graduate of the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, Le Cordon Blue, Scottsdale, Arizona, Chef Soper’s previous culinary experience has included the Wyndham Buttes Resort and Spa (Tempe, AZ), and the Sanctuary on Camelback Resort and Spa (Scottsdale, AZ).
Naomi Kakiuchi RD, CD, CCP, President/Founder, NuCulinary
Naomi Kakiuchi is President and founder of NuCulinary, a cooking school sharing food and culture to bring people together. An expert in Asian cuisine, Naomi conducts her own classes at the Uwajimaya stores in Renton and Bellevue, as well as being a favorite guest instructor for many other cooking schools in the Northwest. NuCulinary also provides interactive cooking classes for organizational teambuilding, private parties, and corporate wellness education. As a registered dietitian and Certified Culinary Professional, all of Naomi’s classes are a balanced blend of food, history, nutrition, and fun.
In addition to her teaching schedule, Naomi runs the Chef Program of the Neighborhood Farmers Marketing Alliance encompassing seven urban farmers markets in Greater Seattle. Her live chef demonstrations highlight the Northwest’s chefs and farmers, providing shoppers the how-to for cooking and eating with the area’s bounty of seasonal fresh produce.
Naomi is the Executive Producer of a series of educational sushi DVD’s, The Art of Sushi, which features her family’s traditional recipes and her mom, Matsue, demonstrating the techniques to make perfect rolls. It is available in several retail stores and on-line at theartofsushiDVD.com.
Naomi’s passion lies in the building of community. Her belief is that the dinner table is a staple of a balanced society and by sharing the table with all cultures, we expand our ability to create peace through a keen understanding of our global neighbors.
Russell Lowell, Executive Chef/Owner, Russell Dean Lowell Catering
Russell Dean Lowell is the Executive Chef and owner of Russell Dean Lowell Premier Catering and two of greater Seattle's most celebrated restaurants: The Garden Cafe at Molbak's in Woodinville and Russell's, a rustic, yet elegant restaurant nestled in the North Creek of Bothell. Russell's lifelong passion for food began when he was a small boy, exploring the mangrove swamps of Cuba, catching fish and hunting small game. He began his culinary career at the age of 15, cooking under the direction of a French chef in Southern California. Over the next 33 years, he traveled and worked extensively in numerous high-end establishments which lead him to become the executive chef for several well-known restaurants across the nation. In the mid-90s, he launched one of Seattle's most sought-after catering businesses, serving the most distinguished clients in business, politics, and entertainment. In 2007, Russell's was selected as Seattle's host venue for the prestigious James Beard Foundation's Taste America celebration.
Long before it was fashionable to "go green", Chef Lowell was and still remains a passionate advocate and long time supporter of Washington farms and wineries. He participates in local sorticulture events such as the Annual Snohomish County Focus on Farming, feeding 650 local farmers in support of their efforts to preserve Washington State's farmland.
In addition to running his businesses, Chef Lowell devotes a majority of his time to numerous community and charitable organizations, such as: the Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, the Fred Hutch Premier Chefs, Swedish Hospital, Virginia Mason, Northwest Medical Teams, Eastside Catholic High School, Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center, Tessera Autism Organization, the American Liver Foundation and many others. Most notably, he has served on the Chef's Advisory Board for the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center, and has donated his infamous Elk Camps for the foundation over the last 14 years.
Chef Lowell's reverence for life and cuisine, complemented by his drive to deliver an exceptional experience, makes him one of the Pacific Northwest's most respected chefs.
MOViN 92.5 Panel of Men
The Panel of Men on The Ladies Room is a feature airing on Tuesday and Thursday mornings on MOViN 92.5. Made up of three very different men – Gay Rick, Family Man Dan, and Crazy Kel. Every Tuesday and Thursday, the panel fields questions from listeners providing three very different perspectives. Catch the men in action on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:30-8:45 on MOViN 92.5!
MOViN 92.5’s Panel of Men will battle to see who is the “manliest” at the grill at Kirkland Uncorked’s Panel of Men Grilling Competition, judged by celebrity judges Brooke and Monti from The Ladies Room! Each participant will be provided with an identical bag of groceries provided by the Kirkland Farmer’s Market and will battle it out to see who has the best grilling skills! Listen on Tuesday and Thursday morning before Kirkland Uncorked to hear the panel battle it out on-air, and then come see them in action on Sunday, July 18th from 3:30-4:30!
Family Man Dan – Is going on 17 years of marriage. FMD and his wife have two beautiful children. A 12 year old son and a 9 year daughter. Family Man Dan is passionate about the radio business. His radio career kicked off over 15 years ago in the small market of Ellensburg Washington where he and his wife graduated from Central Washington University. When Family Man Dan and his wife started to have children, they decided it was time to move back to the west side of the mountains where they grew up.
"Krazy" Kel Anthony is a radio personality born and raised in Western Washington. He attended Ingraham High School in Seattle and Bellevue College. His precocious character on The Ladies Room Morning Show is known for his often vivid take on reality.
Gay Rick (Rick Taylor) has been in broadcasting for 22 years filling a myriad of on-air and behind the scenes roles at different stations and station groups in Portland and Seattle. As the only gay cast member of The Ladies Room, Rick helps bring a perspective to the discussion that is rare on the radio in Seattle and non-existent in other markets. Rick says: “Often times when listeners call the Panel of Men and I approach the question with logic that’s simply not what they want to hear. There’s a lot of denial in the world and The Panel of Men are trying to deal with it one caller at a time.” Rick and his partner of 13 years, Chris, live happily in Seattle’s Central District.
