Charles Koh
The culinary professionals will be honored and celebrated at Block 41on Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Seattle (January 2020) — StarChefs, the national restaurant industry magazine, announces the 2020 class of Seattle Rising Stars. The StarChefs editorial team met with nearly 100 Seattle chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, and artisans.
“Construction cranes in the Seattle skyline are commonplace, just like they were when we were last in town in 2015. The city is still booming, and the restaurant industry remains dynamic, if volatile. These Rising Stars have the vision and talent to make a lasting impact,” says Sean Kenniff, StarChefs Deputy Editor.
The Rising Stars will be celebrated at an awards ceremony and walk-around tasting gala next month at Block 41. The event is ticketed and open to the public.
“Winners Melissa Miranda, Chera Amlag and Geo Quibuyen, and Aaron Verzosa and Amber Manuguid demonstrate the exciting impact that the Filipino-American community is having on the industry and the city. Taylor Thornhill runs a program at Bateau that is a paragon of sustainability and upcycling. And at El Xolo and Raiz, Ricardo Valdes is cooking some of the most soulful Mexican food we’ve had anywhere,” Kenniff says.
StarChefs is partnering with FareStart. FareStart is a James Beard Award- winning nonprofit organization that transforms lives, disrupts poverty, and nourishes communities through food, life skills, and job training. FareStart provides hands on training to students through its social enterprise cafes, restaurants, catering operations, and community and school meals programs.
The Rising Stars Awards honor up-and-coming chefs and hospitality professionals who represent the vanguard of the contemporary American dining scene. Since 2003, StarChefs has held awards in 23 cities and regions across the country. This will be the 68th class of Rising Stars and the fourth from Seattle.
StarChefs Seattle Rising Stars Event Details
- When: Tuesday, February 18, 2020
- 5:45pm VIP Reception | 6:30pm Awards Ceremony
- 7:15pm – 9:30pm Tasting Gala at Block 41, 115 Bell Street
Tickets: General admission tickets are $80 and grant access to the Awards Ceremony and Tasting Gala. VIP tickets are $125 and grant access to the VIP Reception featuring sparkling wine and passed hors d’oeuvres, along with the Awards Ceremony and Tasting Gala. Tickets can be purchased via starchefs.com/risingstars and Eventbrite.
2020 StarChefs Seattle Rising Stars Award Winners
CHEFS
- Melissa Miranda | Musang
- Ricardo Valdes | El Xolo
- Aaron Verzosa & Manager/Co-owner Amber Manuguid | Archipelago
- Nicole Matson | How to Cook a Wolf
- Mutsuko Soma | Kamonegi
- Jaimon Westing | No Anchor
- Maximillian Petty | Eden Hill Restaurant
Community Chef Presented by Kikkoman USA
Shota Nakajima | Adana
Sustainability Chef Presented by St. Supéry
Taylor Thornhill | Bateau
PASTRY CHEF Presented by TCHO
Crystal Chiu | Canlis
BAKER Presented by Butter of Europe
Ben Campbell | Ben’s Bread and Sea Creatures
CONCEPT
Chera Amlag and Geo Quibuyen | Hood Famous Bakeshop and Hood Famous Cafe + Bar
CHARCUTIER / BUTCHER
Seamus Platt & Scott Johnson | The Shambles
RESTAURATEUR Presented by Singer M. Tucker
Brian Clevenger | General Harvest Restaurants
SOMMELIER Presented by Wines from Spain
Alexandra Stang | Hitchcock
BARTENDERS
Jennifer Akin | Rumba
Cera Grindstaff | Stampede Cocktail Club
BREWER
Steve Luke | Cloudburst Brewing
ROASTER
Jake Paulson and Mike Steiner | Anchorhead Coffee
_________________________________________________
VIP Host Chef
Jesse Souza | Six Seven at The Edgewater Hotel
StarChefs will announce additional awards at the event, including the following:
- Art of Presentation Award presented by Steelite International
- Mentor Award presented by Vitamix Commercial
RISING STARS SUPPORTERS
Symrise, Steelite International, Vitamix Commercial, Niman Ranch, S.Pellegrino, Wines from Spain, Butter of Europe, TCHO, St. Supéry, Kikkoman USA, Singer M. Tucker, True Aussie Lamb, Compass Group, Fresh Origins, Lone Mountain Wagyu, Savencia Cheese USA, Buffalo Trace, PacknWood
About StarChefs
StarChefs has supported the restaurant industry since 1995 and serves as an essential resource and platform for restaurant professionals, as well as a backstage pass for food-savvy consumers. StarChefs’ original content is driven by in-person tastings and interviews across the world, and its mission is to catalyze culinary professionals’ success and give them the tools to overcome specific challenges. Now in its 14th year, StarChefs hosts the annual International Chefs Congress, an industry-only symposium featuring the world’s preeminent culinary talent. Through its Rising Stars Awards and quarterly Rising Stars magazine, StarChefs has recognized up-and-coming industry professionals in four markets each year since 2003. StarChefs features top chefs, pastry chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, and artisans in more than 35,000 published pages of original, industry-focused content, generates over 4 million page views annually, and was nominated for “Best Web Site” by the James Beard Foundation. The site also connects hospitality professionals to careers in foodservice through its online platform, StarChefs JobFinder. Connect with StarChefs on Instagram, Twitter,and Facebook.
