Diners attend debut of student chef showcase in Port Angeles

Published 12:01 am Thursday, November 24, 2011

PORT ANGELES — Jay Washburn, chef for Kokopelli Grill in Port Angeles, led and instructed several dozen North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center culinary arts students in presenting a five-course meal to about 40 diners last week at the skills center.

Culinary arts instructor Denise Dahll and her students cooked up this opportunity to cook and learn from chefs in the area, allowing the chefs to showcase their work while teaching students their craft.

“Last night was the first of many dinners to come,” Dahll said Friday.

“The next one is scheduled for Jan. 26.”

The “chef in charge” will be announced soon.

Chef Washburn, assisted by Aaron Harding, also a chef at Kokopelli, introduced a Southwest cuisine using Northwest ingredients to students and diners.

The meal consisted of homemade bread with dipping sauce, smoked tomato bisque soup, coconut prawns with apple chutney and melted chili-glazed salmon, with molten “lava” cake served for dessert.

Tickets were $35 each. All proceeds benefit the culinary arts students’ education experience.

The North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center culinary arts class is made up of local students from the surrounding high schools and Peninsula College.

For more information on the program, send an email to chefsdinner@yahoo.com or phone Dahll at 360-565-1964 or 360-670-5745.