“I love Ray’s for all the things that the restaurant has come to be known for such as its standard of quality, position on sustainability, sense of community, and spirit of the staff,” says Peter. Born and raised in Missouri, Chef Peter attended The Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon and returned to Missouri to intern at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kansas City. The call of the Pacific Northwest was strong and in 2000, Ray’s Boathouse lured him to Seattle where he continues to cultivate his passion for fresh and local Northwest products. Birk was named Executive Chef in 2007.

Jake Crenshaw oversees ongoing menu development, kitchen operations and performs pure magic on every plate he touches.  His inventive way with food centers on fresh, local and sustainable ingredients prepared with imaginative style and exceptional presentation.  He has spent more than thirteen years crafting his unique approach at a variety of fine dining restaurants across the Western United States.  When Jake moved to Walla Walla in 2006, he spent three years at The Marc Restaurant and Vineyard Lounge, in the famed Marcus Whitman Hotel.  Prior to that, Crenshaw served as chef d’cuisine at Brasa, the four-star Mediterranean restaurant in Seattle’s Belltown district, as well as many other premier restaurants.

“Use the best quality ingredients and let the flavors speak for themselves,” that’s the motto of Chateau Ste. Michelle Executive Chef Janet Hedstrom. Janet joined Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1992 working with Culinary Director John Sarich. As executive chef for Chateau Ste. Michelle, Janet manages a culinary staff of fourteen and conducts wine dinners, cooking classes, wine and food tastings, corporate functions and special events, all designed to showcase the magical paring of fresh Northwest ingredients and award-winning Chateau Ste. Michelle wine. “For me, the best part of my job is working with winemakers who share the same passion for creating something artistic and celebrating flavors,” says Janet.

At Andaluca, Chef Wayne gathers fresh local products and uses the seductive flavorof Mediterranean spices such as cumin, saffron, paprika and cinnamon to producea palate of unique and flavorful dishes. Since his joining in 1999, Andalucahas won "Seattle's Best Mediterranean Restaurant" award three yearsrunning and Seattle Magazine's "Best Overall Restaurant" distinction.In 2006 Chef Wayne was selected as one of six "Top Black Chef's inAmerica" by Black Enterprise Magazine.  "One of the things I enjoy doing is turning my guests'taste buds into virtual playgrounds... with the layers of flavors I put in tomy Mediterranean cooking I have the opportunity to enhance or awaken differentareas of the mouth…"

John became CulinaryDirector, at Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1990, conducting cooking classes, wineand food tastings, wine dinners and special events, training seminars andclasses for wine and food professionals around the world.   John currently hosts thenationally and internationally syndicated TV show, Best of Taste: Flavors ofthe Pacific Coast.  His companioncookbook Best of Taste was released in 2001.  His fourth cookbook, Entertaining Simply – Celebrate theSeason was released in September 2001. For John, educating others about the joy of wine and food is not simplya job, it’s his driving passion.

Executive Chef BrianScheehser leads a celebration of small scale, farm to table dining at Trellis,the Heathman Hotel-Kirkland’s restaurant and bar.  An avid gardener, Trellis’ menus are inspired by what ChefScheehser selects from the region’s bounty, particularly the fresh produce hehand-tends on his three-acre garden. Trained at the Culinary Institute ofAmerica, Chef Scheehser has nearly 30 years of experience including stints atChicago’s L’Escargot, Chicago’s Hotel Nikko restaurant, the Chicago Sheratonand the Hunt Club at the Sorrento Hotel in Seattle. Chef Scheehser and Trellishave been critically-acclaimed on both a national and local front. ChefScheehser has been featured in Bon Appetit, Travel + Leisure, The SeattleTimes, and 425 Magazine. He is a member of Slow Food and involved with theWashington Wine Association.

Self-taught chef, Jason Stoneburner brings years of experience and immense creativity to his position as executive chef of Bastille Café & Bar. Since moving to Seattle in 1998, Stoneburner has spent time cooking with some of the city’s most established and celebrated chefs; such as, Jeremiah Tower, Jason Wilson and Daisley Gordon. After joining the Ethan Stowell Restaurants team, first at Union, then opening the highly-acclaimed How to Cook a Wolf, Stoneburner joined the opening crew for Bastille. In June of 2009, Bastille opened to critical acclaim with Stoneburner acting as chef de cuisine.

Jason Stratton began hiscareer at the age of 16 at Seattle’s classic Le Gourmand restaurant. He thenworked at Cafe Juanita and spent time traveling and exploring Europeancuisines. After six months in Spain, he was hired to serve as co-chef at Poppy.Jason assumed the lead role at Spinasse in July of 2009. Since his arrival,public and media accolades acknowledging his talent grow.  Jason’s creates simple, refined dishesgrounded in techniques from Piedmont, while celebrating the products ofartisans and small farmers from the Pacific Northwest.

Chef Perry Mascitti joinedTulalip Resort Casino as executive chef in August 2007, bringing with him morethan 15 years of diverse culinary experience.  Prior to joining Tulalip, Perry was the executive chef atFantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California, executive banquet chef atthe Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, Calif. and, just prior, was thechef/owner of the Sage Catering Co. in San Diego, Calif.  He is a graduate of the Culinary Instituteof America and has won several awards including the Master of Taste Award atthe Chefs in America Awards Foundation in Las Vegas. At Tulalip Resort Casino,Perry is responsible for all dining outlets, with the exception of Tulalip BayRestaurant, and oversees catering operations in the banquet facilities at theresort casino’s luxury hotel.

Dean Shinagawa joined Tulalip Resort Casino in 2004, as chef of its premier dining establishment Tulalip Bay Restaurant. With his commitment to excellence and dedication to ensure an exceptional dining experience, soon he was also named general manager of the restaurant. His experience includes Roy’s at the Westin Hotel, and Kahala Hilton in Hawaii where he was born and raised.

Chef Buchanan brings more than 20 years of diverse culinary experience to Tulalip Resort Casino. Most recently he was the Executive Chef at Boeing’s Everett Eurest Dining Service from 2004 to 2007.  He served as the Banquet Sous Chef at Semiahmoo Resort & Spa in Blaine. from 1995 to 1998 and returned as the property’s Executive Chef in 2003. He was the executive chef at Useless Bay Golf & Country Club on Whidbey Island from 1998 to 2003.

Brent Clarkson joined Tulalip Resort Casino as Sous Chef for Cedars Cafe in 2008, bringing with him more than 17 years of extensive experience in all levels of restaurant, kitchen and banquet management. In his position, he oversees food service for the 288-seat restaurant, which also provides food service for the in-room dining, the T Spa, MPulse Lounge and the resort’s other public areas.

 JP Ponticelli joined Tulalip Resort Casino as the garde manger chef in June 2008. Prior to joining Tulalip Resort Casino, Ponticelli was the Executive Chef at Hamley’s Steak House in Pendleton, Oregon. Under his direction the restaurant was awarded the 2008 Golden Fork Award in Portland, Oregon.

Gerry Schultz joined the resort and became Banquet Chef for the property in 2008. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry to this position. His responsibilities include developing and implementing the banquet menu, serving banquets for groups as large as 17,000 people.

Nikol Nakamura joined Tulalip Resort Casino as Pastry Chef in February 2008. She was head Pastry Chef at Michaels in Santa Monica, California for two years, and Assistant Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles, California for four years. Nakamura started her pastry career at the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel in downtown Seattle where she worked for two years.

Chef Tim Towner started everything in Walla Walla! After graduating from the Universityof Washington with dreams of being a ski bum, he relocated to Aspen. There he landed work with two James Beard awarded chefs. Chef Tim eventually found his way back to Seattle to become the head pastry chef at Yarrow Bay Grill and eventually at Ray's Boathouse. In 1990, TM Dessert Works was founded and has since supplied and designed the desserts for some of the best restaurants and catering programs throughout Seattle. Chef Tim usees simple techniques with a focus on quality. He uses the best ingredients and the finest chocolates from the best sources and puts them together with a meticulous attention to detail. 

Chef Gilbertson brings an extensive, culinary background to the Pasco Red Lion Hotel. An opportunity to cook at some of the finest restaurants in Colorado, including The Caribou Club in Aspen and The Left Bank in Vail, helped influence Chef Gilberston’s culinary style and skill. At the age of 25, he moved to Palm Springs to work at the Desert Horizon Country Club, which eventually led to an offer from Hilton Worldwide and a move to San Diego. Chef Gilbertson joined Red Lion Hotels in 2008 as Executive Chef at the Red Lion Vancouver at the Quay. Once presented with the opportunity to lead the culinary team at the Red Lion Hotel Pasco, he immediately jumped at the chance to work in the “Heart of Washington’s Wine Country.” His enthusiasm for use of local ingredients, mixed with his passion for layering flavors has already brought high accolades and rave reviews into our community.