Culinary School in Seattle: Dive Deep into Freshwater Cuisine

Manhattan and New Orleans are often considered the culinary hotspots, but Seattle is also a city of dynamic and satisfying eats. Situated on the Pacific Ocean and near the orchards east of the Cascade Mountains, Seattle is the melting pot for many different culinary influences and ingredients that can inspire a chef's creativity.

Culinary Treasures of the Northwest

Seattle is overflowing with culinary riches. Regional chefs are privileged to fill their shopping carts with a variety of foods year-round. The area's seasonal delights are as follows:

• Spring: halibut, rhubarb, asparagus
• Summer: berries, wild salmon, peaches, sweet onions
• Autumn: wild mushrooms, game, apples, pears, hazelnuts
• Winter: briny oysters, sweet Dungeness crab

Seattle chefs prepare these culinary resources simply; often grilling salmon, steaming asparagus, or just drizzling berries with some cream.

Chefs Love Pike Place Market

How can one talk about Seattle without mentioning the ever popular Pike Place Market which displays many of the area's culinary resources? Not only full of farm stalls, Pike Place Market exhibits an assortment of culinary delights including cheese, meats, spices, baguettes, seafood, and imported ethnic and gourmet foods.

The Culinary Melting Pot

International influences also make Seattle dining a special treat. Thanks to the Japanese farmers who settled near the area more than 100 years ago, Asian cuisine is influential in Seattle-style cuisine. The city's International District includes Thai, Vietnamese, and Philippine produce markets. Other global influences include North African tagine, Italian-style braised lamb, or Penn Cove mussels in Nuevo Latino sauce.

Seattle chefs possess the individualism and the freedom to create delicious culinary dishes with basic Northwest ingredients. However having outstanding ingredients on hand is only half the battle. Some Seattle chefs attend Washington culinary programs in order to learn how to make the most of their available resources. Seattle isn't only known for the Space Needle; with many natural food resources, international influence, and culinary training programs, Seattle chefs have made Seattle a world-class culinary city.

Sources:

• CNN
• Via Magazine

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