WSCA September 2023 Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

Washington State Chef's Association

Leading the Northwest's Culinary Arts into the 21st Century through

Professionalism, Education & Community Service

President's Message from Gary Fuller

Hello Members and Friends,

Election time is now. Jeff Pratt our longtime treasurer is retiring from the position. We are looking for a member to step up and join the team. Jeff has a system in place that is on spreadsheets and easy to use. Jeff will train the new treasurer and will make sure all systems are a go. It will require about 2 hours a month to put the monthly report together and pay *very few” monthly bills and attend our monthly board meetings. Please contact Ulie Reyes Corral CSC, our election chairperson, at teiluya@hotmail.com if you are interested. The election will be held at our October meeting at the Red Wind Casino, Tuesday, October 10th at 5pm.

Dinner and Demonstration

We just finished up the Rational USA demonstration and dinner at Bargreen Ellingson in Tacoma hosted by Chef Nick Musser. The team from Rational USA Chef Brian Figler, Jon Bero, Jason Stevens Hudson Slater (MarkeTeam) did a fantastic job. The food was excellent from the charcuterie & cheese plate, braised beef, salmon, creamy polenta, roasted broccolini and the apple tartlet with smoked cheddar crumble and salted caramel sauce. WELL DONE!

Rational USA Team Members

All the attendees had a chance to win 2 Seattle Seahawks tickets to see the Carolina Panthers on September 24th.

Lucky Sterling Bushnell below was the winner. Sterling Is a brand-new apprentice at Red Wind Casino, Congratulation!

Go Hawks!

SAVE THE DATES

We have an exciting rest of the year planned... a fall dinner, and the Bite of the Apprentice.

OCTOBER - FALL DINNER

Date: October 10th, 2023

Location: Red Wind Casino in Yelm, WA

Looking forward to a FANTASTIC dinner.

On October 10th, 2023, Executive Chef Saul Ramirez and F & B Director Jaja Hogander will host our Fall Dinner at the Red Wind Casino in Yelm, WA. Please note: this is on TUESDAY NIGHT.

Cost: $20-Members, $25-Non-Members, Students/Apprentices – Free with RSVP

Here is the menu:

Appetizers: 5PM – 6PM

Blackened salmon bites with lemon dill aioli

Fried green beans - Chipotle ranch dip

Shrimp ceviche shooters

Fruit & Cheese Display

Dinner: 6PM

Salad

Mixed greens, grape tomato, hot house cucumber, orange segments, parmesan crisp Served with house raspberry vinaigrette & cheese straw

Main Course

Duet

Stuffed chicken breast & petit fillet mignon, served with souffle potato, fresh vegetables & topped with champagne cream sauce & pink peppercorn demi

Dessert

Panna Cotta with fresh berries and toasted coconut flakes

Visit the Meetings Page to make your reservation and to pay online.

NOVEMBER - BITE OF APPRENTICE

On November 13th, our annual event the BITE OF THE APPRENTICE at Bell Harbor, Seattle Waterfront Convention Center. Who has the best BITE?? From Apprentices, professionals, culinary schools and restaurants, you are ALL invited to this outstanding event. Just contact Chef Tony Parker at tparker@rtc.edu from Renton Technical College if you would like to compete.

DECEMBER

- No events

Visit the Coming Events page or the WSCA Meetings page for more info on future events.

THE CULINARY BOOK CORNER

Blood, Bones, & Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

By Gabrielle Hamilton

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty hard-living years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Blood, Bones & Butter follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through the years: the rural kitchen of her childhood, where her adored mother stood over the six-burner with an oily wooden spoon in hand; the kitchens of France, Greece, and Turkey, where she was often fed by complete strangers and learned the essence of hospitality; Hamilton’s own kitchen at Prune, with its many unexpected challenges; and the kitchen of her Italian mother-in-law, who serves as the link between Hamilton’s idyllic past and her own future family—the result of a prickly marriage that nonetheless yields lasting dividends. By turns epic and intimate, Gabrielle Hamilton’s story is told with uncommon honesty, grit, humor, and passion.”

WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS

Welcome to our new and renewed members! Thank you for joining the Washington State Chef's Association!

Fidel Rodrigues

Sterling Bushnell

Joel Mertens

Delaney Marshall

Carly Duke

Sarah Dorfler

Gabriel Williams

Eleanor Rowe

Isabella Tungsvik

Cecilia Osei

Mackenzie Henry

Tara Carney

Andrea Carias

Gavin Butler

Hannah Bornemeier

MY FAVORITE QUOTE

"Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom." -Theodore Isaac Rubin

Join us on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER and visit our website:

Washington State Chefs Association Website

Chef Gary L. Fuller, CEC, CCE, AAC

President, Washington State Chef's Association

Email: garylf3@gmail.com

Cell: (360) 509-2682

WashingtonStateChefs.com

Apprentice Fundraiser

HELP US SEND AN APPRENTICE TO THE

ACF NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN 2024

Sending an apprentice to the ACF Conference is an eye-opener for young upcoming Chefs. For an apprentice to be able to see the educational seminar, competitions and networking, is an amazing experience.

Donations are tax deductible.

DONATE

Member Spotlight - Saul Ramirez

Favorite Quote:

“Fail to Plan, Plan to fail.”

Bio:

Chef Ramirez is executive chef at the Nisqually Red Wind Casino. He is a certified executive chef and certified culinary administrator.

Saul did an apprenticeship program through the American Culinary Federation, in Lake Tahoe, California. During his 35-year career, he has worked for casinos all over the country as well as private country clubs in Palm Springs, California. During his journey he had a chance to cook for celebrities, such as Oscar de la Hoya, Bob Hope, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and other celebrities, while working for Edgewood Tahoe. Currently, Chef Saul is a part of the apprentice program for the Nisqually Tribe and oversees the development of new chef’s apprentices’ program. Saul is currently a board member for the Washington State Chef's Association chapter.

Favorite Recipe:

Soufflé Potato

Recipe on Member Spotlight Page

Visit the Member Spotlight page for more info or to see other Member Spotlights.

Certification Practical Exams

We have 1 more Practical Exams scheduled at Maynard's Silverdale for 2023.

Saturday, October 21, 2023

WANT TO BECOME ACF CERTIFIED FOR FREE?

The WSCA has decided to help all WSCA members including culinarians, chefs, cooks, bakers, and pastry chefs by reimbursing for payment of their certification. We will pay all fees associated with the process. We want to help your career path towards a more successful culinary experience. More and more employers are looking for qualified experienced and educated employees. ACF Certification proves your knowledge and practical skill level.

Once you pass the final written and practical test and receive your ACF certification send us the receipts and we will reimburse your personal cost.

Visit the Certification page for more info. You can register online or submit the Practical Exam Candidate Registration Form. If you have ANY questions about certification, please reach out to any of our board members or other chapter-certified chefs and we will walk you through the process.

Complimentary 90 Day ACF Memberships

ACF recently launched a promotion for complimentary 90-day memberships. Invite your friends and colleagues to check out this promotion. Have them get familiar with the acfchefs.org website and engage in some of the free educational courses that are offered or log on to Chef’s Table.