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Four Seasons Hotel Seattle’s 2nd annual culinary experience celebrates up-and-coming female chefs
“The Best Chefs You’ve Never Heard Of 2018: Female Powerhouse Edition” will be held in the hotel’s Ballroom and feature chefs: BJ Bresnik, Walrus and Carpenter; Rosie Cisneros, Lark; Martha De Leon, Café Juanita; Rebekah Dickson, Goldfinch Tavern; Cecily Kimura, Joule; Nicole Matson, How to Cook a Wolf; Sarah Nowak, Reckless Noodles; and Kaylah Thomas, JuneBaby. Two female mixologists will join the group: Alex Berry, Monsoon and Tania Ross, Tavolata Capitol Hill; as well as pastry chef Dionne Himmelfarb, Ethan Stowell Restaurants.
“We’re committed to featuring young talent and this year’s line-up is a testament to that goal. Not to mention, it’s going to be fun and people will get to taste amazing food!” continued Ritchie.
Emceed by Seattle Met food editor Allecia Vermillion and joined by Ethan Stowell, chef and restaurateur of Ethan Stowell Restaurants and Joe Ritchie, this culinary event includes an appetizer and main bite from each guest chef and two drink tickets. As guests visit each station and sample food, they have a chance to vote for their favorite chef for the evening.
Follow along on social media for more chef details and announcements of dishes each chef will be preparing.
- When: Friday, November 16, 2018
- Where: Four Seasons Hotel Seattle
- Time: 6:00pm – 9:00 pm
- Price: $75, which includes an appetizer and main bite from 8 chefs and two drink tickets. Cash bar available.
- Beneficiary: Proceeds benefit Northwest Harvest
- Refunds: No refunds, but tickets are transferrable
- Allergy Notice: Due to the nature of the event, all allergies and dietary restrictions can’t be accommodated.
- Tickets: $75 and available via Eventbrite.
Meet the Chefs and Mixologists:
BJ Bresnik, Walrus and Carpenter
From her humble beginning as a host for a local family restaurant to cooking for Maria Hines, BJ Bresnik set her sights as a career chef at the age of 23. She now happily works with James Beard Award winner Renee Erickson where she is the Chef de Cuisine at The Walrus and the Carpenter in Ballard.
Rosie Cisneros, Lark
Rosie Cisneros is sous chef of Lark under James Beard Award-winning chef John Sundstrom. A graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu program, Rosie spent time cooking at Piperade in San Francisco before returning to Seattle. She spent time at Restaurant Zoë before joining the team at Lark in 2015.
Martha De Leon, Café Juanita
Martha De Leon grew up in Southeast Texas helping her family in the kitchen long before she knew she wanted to cook professionally. In 2017, De Leon became Executive Chef of Pax Americana, where she made the 2018 James Beard Award Rising Star Chef of the year semifinals. She moved to Seattle earlier this year with her husband for a change of pace and scenery, and now works as the Sous Chef at Café Juanita.
Rebekah Dickson, Goldfinch Tavern
As a young child Rebekah Dickson would spend the summers on the farm with her grandparents, where she learned where food comes from; how to cook a proper meal; and her favorite part of all, how to can the crops for the winter to come. All that early passion has led her to be the Sous Chef at Goldfinch Tavern. Dickson’s culinary talent shines through her Pacific Northwest dishes and her creativity through the “Trust the Chef” tasting menu.
Cecily Kimura, Joule
Originally from the Big Island of Hawaii, Cecily Kimura takes pride in highlighting her favorite dishes from her upbringing in Hawaii and sharing that experience with family and friends. At Joule, Kimura is a Sous Chef, where she looks forward to evenings of smooth and flawless service – usually because she’s at the helm.
Sarah Nowak, Reckless Noodles
Sarah Nowak grew up in Denver, CO, but has called Seattle home for the last five years where she’s earned the nickname “Sassy.” When she’s not busy as a Sous Chef at Reckless Noodles, you can find her enjoying sports, catching the sunset, and going to music events. She hopes to add Best Chefs You’ve Never Heard Of to her list of awards, most notably the limbo contest at the roller-skating rink.
Nicole Matson, How to Cook a Wolf
A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Nicole Matson cut her teeth in a French bistro in Tucson for five years. She then followed her chef/mentor, Addam Buzzalini to Seattle, where they worked together at Tavolata. She also cooked at Mkt. and Staple and Fancy, before making the move as executive chef at How to Cook a Wolf where she focuses on hyper-seasonal Pacific Northwest cuisine.
Kaylah Thomas, JuneBaby
For Kaylah Thomas, who was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, becoming a chef was her ultimate dream. Of the many different experiences that guided her into the culinary field, Thomas’ “Grandma Helen” and mother, chefs in their own right, were at the base of her personal drive to be a chef. She is currently a Line Cook at the James Beard Award-winning Best New Restaurant of the Year, JuneBaby.
Dionne Himmelfarb, Ethan Stowell Restaurants
Before taking over as pastry chef for all of the Ethan Stowell Restaurants, Dionne worked at both Canlis and Poppy.
Alex Berry, Monsoon
Alex Berry has been a mixologist with Monsoon for the last two and a half years. She started bartending five years ago, and prior to that was at Phinney Market Pub and Eatery. Her favorite cocktail is a boulevardier.
Tania Ross, Tavolata Capitol Hill
Tania Ross grew up working in her parent’s restaurant in New London, NH and has never looked back. After bartending at Viale in Cambridge, MA, she moved to Seattle and started working as lead bartender at Bramling Cross before moving to Super Bueno as bar manager. She is now the General Manager and Beverage Director for Tavolata Capitol Hill.