Heathman Appoints Executive Chef
KIRKLAND, WA, December 15, 2006. The Heathman Hotel, Restaurant and Spa-Kirkland, (The Heathman Hotel), the only luxury hotel located in the heart of the city's vibrant downtown waterfront, announces the appointment of Brian Scheehser as executive chef of Trellis, the hotel's restaurant and bar. The independent, full-service hotel, restaurant and spa are slated to open in late spring 2007. The Heathman Hotel and Trellis restaurant will be located at 220 Kirkland Avenue in the downtown cultural center, close to central Marina Park on Lake Washington and less than one block from the Kirkland Performance Center.
Scheehser, executive chef at Seattle's Sorrento Hotel and Hunt Club for more than a decade, brings to the table nearly 30 years of professional culinary experience and a passion for using the freshest regional ingredients available. An avid gardener, Scheehser tends to his three-acre plot at the South 47th Farm in Woodinville, and aims to utilize much of the organic produce he yields in the Trellis' daily menus. What he doesn't grow himself will be sourced from the other 44 acres of the farm and the Pacific Northwest's ample reserve of talented artisan producers and winemakers.
"Immersing myself in the earth has given me a unique understanding of a food's inherent flavor and texture," said Scheesher. "The growing process amazes me, and I enjoy the art of coaxing out foods' earthy, natural attributes, using the simplest, most rustic techniques and allowing the food to shine."
Trellis' menu will evolve depending on the garden, reflecting its seasonality. To date, Scheehser has harvested 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, 10 varieties of winter squash, artisan beets, lettuces, cabbages, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, celery roots, leeks, corn, pumpkins, potatoes, sweet peas and beans. His garden also houses four honey-yielding beehives.
"I became acquainted with Brian and the tremendous caliber of his work through the 'Chefs of the Northwest' event at the Heathman Hotel in Portland," said Jeff Jobe, general manager of the Heathman Hotel in Kirkland. "His dedication and enthusiasm for his craft are unsurpassed; we are thrilled to add him to our team."
Scheehser, who attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in the late seventies went on to work in Chicago at L'Escargot for 11 years, the restaurant at Hotel Nikko for over three years, and the Sheraton's garde manger department for nearly two years. He regularly participates in educational programs and supports multiple charitable organizations, including Share Our Strength/Taste of the Nation and Star Chefs March of Dimes.
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