Winning restaurant family makes splash with Big Fish Grill in

Fresh, inviting, simply perfect!

Contact: Deba Wegner
Recipe for Success, Inc.
425-241-9023
deba@yourrecipeforsuccess.com
yourrecipeforsuccess.com
Contact: Susie Bauer
SLB Marketing Consultants
425-652-2709
Susie@slbmarketing.net
slbmarketing.net

Polished casual dining experience debuts June 24th in thriving business district

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Woodinville, WA June 15th, 2011
Seasoned restaurateurs Kevin and Carrie Orrico have successfully operated the popular Big Fish Grill in Kirkland Washington since 2009. Their second Big Fish Grill location in downtown Woodinville is a freestanding building, adjacent to the southern perimeter of the Top Foods parking plaza. The soon to open polished casual restaurant and lounge seats 174 guests in rooms bathed in natural light from many large windows that outline the front and side of the 5000 sq. ft building. Interior appointments are in rich wood tones, a beautifully illuminated back bar and granite surfaces give the restaurant a contemporary, residential feel. Big Fish Grill - Woodinville was designed by Food and Beverage specialist, Sue Genty Interior Design, Inc., of Kirkland, WA and built by Chuck Cross of BCCI, LTD.
“We are thrilled with the robust welcome we have received from the Woodinville community, says Big Fish Grill co-owner Carrie Orrico, we chose this location because we feel our brand of fresh, contemporary cuisine is a perfect fit for the population living here and we are also eager to welcome tourists who flock to the Woodinville wine country. The prospect of highlighting wines and spirits produced in Woodinville is really exciting, to us at Big Fish Grill.”
Big Fish Grill-Woodinville, key personnel:
Kevin & Carrie Orrico
Joseph & Brianna Orrico Owners/Operators
Management Veteran restaurant operators, franchisees and concept developers. In 2009 after years with Pacific Restaurant Group and other ventures Kevin and Carrie took the opportunity to develop their own polished casual concept opening, the Big Fish Grill in Kirkland, WA. Building on that strong success, the second The Big Fish Grill Woodinville, is slated to open June 24.
Kevin and Carrie's adult children work in management positions at the Big Fish Grills.
Jim Giuntoli General Manager Seasoned manager/consultant formerly of Pnk Ultra Lounge, Angel of the Wings, Clear Water Creek ,Tulalip Casinos
Josh Taylor Executive Chef Formerly of the Sun Mountain Lodge, opening Executive Chef Citrus Seattle, Schooner Restaurant, Astoria , OR

Opening June 24th-Woodinville

thebigfishgrill.com

13706 NE 175th Street

Woodinville, WA 98072

425-487-3474

across the street from Molbak’s
Big Fish Grill-Kirkland
Open since 1999

425-827-2722

10426 NE Northup Way

Kirkland, WA 98033

Hours of operation:

Lunch, Happy Hour,  Dinner

Open 7 days a week

11 am-3 pm

3pm-close

Happy Hour:

Happy Hour 3-6pm 9-close

Resolute Foodie becomes Grocery Outlet Evangelist

High Quality, Unbeatable Prices, grocery basics and quirky selection of extras is a winning retail mix

Part #1: What is it, where are they and why should you care?

            Sweet Mexican yellow pear tomatoes, organic blue cheese, Cabot butter, Black Forest ham, Scharffenberger chocolate, marcona almonds, Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, Aquastar Tilapia Filets, Harris Ranch Beef, Aidell’s Sausage, Foster Farm chicken, Riedel Glassware, wine and beer, organic health and beauty aids, vitamins: top of the line brands and products, this is a small sampling of the products that friends and I have bought at Seattle area Grocery Outlets since the chain entered our market six years ago.

            I am a fairly, recent convert, I first ambled into the Kenmore, WA location in summer of 2010. I had passed the original Kenmore location for years and was under the impression that only canned and packaged food were being sold there. The new location’s colorful orange and red logo caught my eye behind the free standing Starbucks on SR 522, east of the Kenmore Safeway. I entered and couldn’t believe my eyes, that first day I spent over an hour in the store going down every aisle looking at everything.
            Grocery Outlet is the nation’s largest grocery extreme-value retailer. Grocery Outlet offers brand name products at 40% to 60% below traditional retailers. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, Grocery Outlet currently encompasses 150+ independently operated stores in 6 Western States. Grocery Outlets are located in cities large and small and serve all kinds of neighborhoods. Most stores are independently operated by locally-based families. At this time there are 40 stores in Washington state.
           Grocery Outlet is like nothing I had seen before, there are products you will find at main stream grocery stores: dairy, fresh fruits, vegetable and meats, cheese, frozen foods, health and beauty and the list goes on. Additionally, there are also products and brands you won’t see anywhere else and that is what excites me every week when I go there. Expect the unexpected. I have always been an adventuresome consumer. I was an early adopter of sample shops, Overstock.com and Craig’s List. I go with a general list, but then depending on what is new or seasonal, I put together a menu or a meal plan once I am in the store.
            Don’t go trying to find mustard, especially Dijon, or unbleached flour, I have never seen it. I have also never seen fresh fish, wouldn’t expect to. However, I do, buy individually frozen Tilapia filets from Seattle based Aquastar. I find very high quality, beauty and hair care products, and when I do, I buy multiple jars or cans: tomorrow it might not be there. Early on, I saw a very well dressed women load 14-gallon jugs of 100% Ocean Spray Grapefruit juice into the back of her Lexus. Around Super Bowl this year, I saw a long haired chap with an overflowing cart of Pabst Blue Ribbon at the checkout. In addition, I admit that my pantry holds cases of artichoke spread, jarred red cabbage from a famous maker in Germany, a couple cases of my favorite Duck Pond Pinot Gris and tomato puree in heavy paper pouches from Italy that is truly amazing.
            I have calculated that my saving in the last year has been between 25% – 30 % on my entire grocery bill compared to the year before.  I augment certain items by going to mainstream grocers, but my trips to Costco and Trader Joe’s have also diminished, dramatically. For the record, we are a two person household with very high standards who, these days, cook or have meals stockpiled so that we can eat easily at home 5-6 nights a week. We are doing this for health reasons and economics. We also majorly  entertain friends and family at home at least 3 times a month.
Coming Next:
Part #2 Interview with Madrona (Seattle) Grocery Outlet owner Steve Mullen 
Part #3 Grocery Outlet Dinner-Step by step photos and recipe for a fast, affordable and stunning family meal for 6! 
Herb Brined Foster Farms Chicken w/summer Vegetables a la Grocery Outlet
       

River Valley Cheese (Update)-images from a cheese making class

June 4th 2011

The woman standing before me was model tall, with flowing ginger colored hair, so beautifully dressed. Offering me her hand, she said, “I’m Julie Steil from River Valley Ranch Cheese, great to meet you!”
I was at an event in Fall City where the farm is located and I stopped dead in my tracks. “This lady is a farmer?” I asked myself.
No doubt, a common refrain for many people who know the cheese, before the woman. Standing in front of Julie, you feel that she is a force of nature: If she can visualize it, it’s going to happen, just you wait and see. In fact, she went from Southern Belle to highly successful corporate executive and since 2005 she and her family are living out her greatest passion: life as cheese producers and farm ownership.
Soon afterwards, I made it a point to go visit Julie in her natural habitat, River Valley Ranch, where she lives with her husband Rob, their blended families and goats, cows, yaks and a temperamental water buffalo. What started as an extreme love of cooking and sourcing the very best ingredients for baking her killer cheesecake, for example: resulted in her and her family trading in their comfortable suburban existence for life on a farm 26 miles east of Seattle. Her intent was originally not to own livestock, but buying raw milk was cost prohibitive in the long run, so the menagerie became necessary.
Visiting River Valley Ranch is possible and encouraged, (so much fun!) River Valley gives tours to school kids, and other interested groups. They present monthly, weekend classes in the art of making cheese, the way Julie puts it: “We learned by trial and (lots of) error, our classes are a great way for us to impart our love of making cheese and our hard won understanding of the process.”

gouda aged 3-4 months

The classes always sell out. I am finally attending a class on June 4th, for which there is still availability, as of this writing. In this class, attendees will be making mozzarella & gouda at a cost of $125 a person. There are a number of future dates, which feature Camembert, one of my all time favorite cheeses. November 19th, for example focuses on holiday cheeses. You can also purchase the cheese at Whole Foods and PCC.
Wearing rubber boots and a jacket will be in order, no matter what the weather brings, the farm and its out buildings are muddy, wet and cool. In addition, with cheeses with names like Naughty Nellie, Valley Girl, Silly Billy, that reflect an acute sense of humor, students are in for a fun, educational and tasty four hours for these Saturdays on the River Valley Ranch .

Note: Julia is going to Itlay for 3 weeks, on July 9th she will be giving a class teaching the cheeses she has learned during her visit....River Valley Class schedule.

Hobby cheesemaker, Karen Bergevin getting ready to make mozzarella.

Agave Cocina & Cantina Contemporary Mexican Food comes to Bear Creek Shopping Center

Contemporary Mexican Food

Served by modern Mexican-American family

Agave Cocina & Cantina debuts in Bear Creek complex in Redmond, WA

Julian and Federico Ramos embody modern-day Northwest entrepreneurs – blackberry wielding, fast moving, always with a sense of urgency. As family business owners of two successful Eastside restaurants, last month they and their sister closed their busy and popular Las Margaritas Redmond location in the Bear Creek Town Center, soon to reopen as Agave Cocina and Cantina. “We did a good business at the location and had many loyal fans and a dedicated staff, but we think that this is a good time to upgrade the restaurant, which hadn’t seen any major changes since the 1970’s. Redmond is a dynamic town with residents whose dining habits and tastes have moved more and more in line with today’s trends towards healthier eating,” explains the older brother, Julian.
Julian, Federico and Faviola are hands on owners. They own and operate a sister restaurant -- Agave Cocina & Tequilas – in the Issaquah Highlands, which they opened in 2009. “Agave’s hand-crafted cuisine is preservative and lard free, organic whenever possible, and has met with great success. It is a natural fit for our Redmond location,” Julian further points out. “When we open Agave Cocina and Cantina in April, guests will see many familiar faces and a strikingly beautiful new space.”
Agave’s signature dishes include Chile Rellenos with three cheeses; Tamales freshly made in-house with pickled red onion and Mexican crème; Prawn, Scallop and Halibut Enchiladas; and Agave’s Sizzling meat, seafood or vegetarian Fajitas, accompanied by sautéed green and red peppers, sweet yellow onions, beer braised black beans, romaine lettuce, jack cheese, sour cream, guacamole and fresh warm tortillas made in-house. Entrée salads, appetizers and desserts round out the menu. Specialty cocktails feature Agave’s impressive selection of premium, hard to find, and limited production tequilas, and highlight scratch Margaritas in traditional lime and fruit combinations.
Agave Cocina & Cantina was designed by Food and Beverage specialist, Sue Genty Interior Design, Inc., of Kirkland, WA. The new restaurant seats 211 guests in a multi-level dining room and festive bar. Oversized garage doors open to a seasonal patio on the sunny side of the restaurant. There is private dining for up to 20 guests. Rich hues of mango and auburn offset creamy split face tiles and tumbled marble surfaces. Deep walnut colored wood forms the backdrop for the rich color and texture found throughout the restaurant, and a see-through fireplace at the entrance and antiques in the lobby complete the look.

Agave Cocina & Cantina (opening April 5, 2011)
17106 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 881-8252 Agave Cocina & Tequilas
1048 Northeast Park Drive
Issaquah, WA 98029
(425) 369-890

http://www.agaverest.com/

Agave Cocina on the Issaquah Highlands-Teguila Tasting 1-15 @ 3pm

There are a few seats left call 425-369-8900 to join in the fun!

Making Homemade No-Can Refrigerator Dill Pickles/Vegetables

1/2-cup (packed) fresh dill (from your garden, farmer's market or the grocery store's fresh vegetable dept)
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups white vinegar (5%)
1/2 teaspoon salt (canning or kosher is best, but not vital)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

Dried orange peal, bay leaves, pepper corns, whole hot peppers to taste

1 cup water

Mix and boil all liquid and spices......pack clean jars with cut cucumbers, roasted beets, slivered carrots. Pour hot mixure into packed jars. Let cool and put in refrigerater at least over night.
Enjoy as part of a compose salad, or when you need a bit of sliced carrots or pickle in a hurry. Great tip for fresh crunchy vegetables, in a jiffy or when you have a bounty of something and want to preserve it! Top off with reusable plastic lids.

Le Grand Bistro Américain launches in late December 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Le Grand Bistro Américain launches in late December 2010
Northwest Culinary Pioneer opening restaurant at Carillon Point
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Kirkland, WA Dec. 9, 2010
Chef and highly respected restaurant concept developer Ted Furst announced this week that renovations to the waterfront location he will open as Le Grand Bistro Américain are progressing and that the restaurant will open later this month. “This project brings me full circle,” Furst explains. “French food has always been my first love, and my career began in earnest when Peter Lewis and I opened Campagne as partners. Later, when I was corporate executive chef for Schwartz Brothers Restaurants we opened a Cucina! Cucina! in this location in the early 90’s. It feels right somehow that I am now opening this French inspired Bistro in the same location15 years later.”
Le Grand is an expression of Ted’s culinary roots and his appreciation of the French way of handling food and eating out. “Food that is locally sourced, classically prepared, executed to a turn, but still moderately priced, never goes out of style” says Le Grand’s owner/operator.
Le Grand Bistro Américain has a standing menu including a broad selection of appetizers, charcuterie, soups, and salads, a full raw bar menu featuring the best local shellfish on the half-shell, and a wide selection of entrees with pricing starting at $12. Steaks are done in both French and American styles, and an interesting and extensive list of side dishes is offered. Desserts will also feature prominently, including ice creams made in-house. Daily specials are listed on blackboard menus carried to each table by the wait staff, and primarily feature fresh fish. Specialty sausages are also made in-house. Bread for the restaurant is baked in the central hearth oven twice a day. The bar is a bustling hub of wine, beer, coffee, and scratch-made cocktails, with full dining service available during any hour of business. Several house wines are available by the pitcher, as they would be in a European tavern. A unique happy hour is featured from 3-6 pm M-F and weekend Brunch is served starting at 10am. Seating is for 140 guests, including a long counter in front of the hearth oven, coffee, raw, and cocktail bars.
Le Grand is situated in a stunning location; two seasonal patios overlook the Carillon Point waterfront in Kirkland, WA with western water views. The décor is classic and the service is professional but approachable: a friendly, urbane feeling prevails.
Ted, his management team, and the entire restaurant staff look forward to applying their considerable food, beverage and hospitality experience to the operation of Le Grand and relish the opportunity to bring it patiently to perfection, day by day.

Le Grand Bistro Américain, key personnel:

Scott Emerick Executive Chef Locally and nationally acclaimed culinary professional. Graduate of Ecole Supérieure Cuisine Française and Ferrandi Paris, France. Chef/owner Crémant, Rated "One of the top dozen small restaurants in the country" -Bon Appétit, The Restaurant Issue, September 2007
Jeff Slemaker Sous Chef Formerly of Spitfire, Metropolitan Grill, Daniel’s, Elliot’s Oyster House, Seattle and Bellevue, WA, and the Bellagio, Las Vegas
Tom McDermott General Manager Seasoned front of the house manager formerly of The Parlor Billiards & Spirits/The Parlor Collection, Bellevue, WA
Ted Furst Owner/Operator Practiced restaurant concept developer, executive chef, winemaker, long time consultant, and a key member of the small group of culinary pioneers who jump-started Seattle’s food and beverage renaissance 25 years ago. His advocacy of local, seasonal products, deep roots as a developer and trainer of influential chefs, and his concept and menu development work on scores of projects in 15 years of consulting have made him a profound influence on what and how people in the Puget Sound area eat and drink.
Le Grand Bistro Américain
an urban steakhouse and raw bar with a distinct French accent

2220 Carillon Point
Kirkland, WA 98033
425-828-7778
www.bistrolegrand.com
Hours of operation:
Lunch & Dinner:
Monday-Thursday 11:30am – 10pm
Friday & Saturday 11:30am-11pm
Saturday 10am- 11pm
Sunday-10am-10pm
Happy Hour:
3-6pm Monday-Friday
Brunch:
Saturday & Sunday 10am-3pm

Contact: Deba Wegner
Recipe for Success, Inc.
425-241-9023
deba@yourrecipeforsuccess.com
yourrecipeforsuccess.com

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