Each month we bring a guest chef into our Chef’s Kitchen column to give us a tip that elevates their cooking (and hopefully ours). They also provide a recipe that showcases their tip. Our guest chef this month is Chef de Cuisine Renatto Medranda of Coldwater bar and grill (Westin Hotel).

Medranda oversees all kitchen operations for the restaurant, including menu creation, staff training and development, food orders and scheduling. He returns to Seattle from Boston, where he most recently served as banquet chef for The Westin Copley Place. From 1996 to 2003, he worked with The Westin Seattle in various culinary positions, including chef de partie at Roy’s Restaurant and sous chef. A native of Lima, Peru, Medranda was educated at University Pontificia Católica of Peru and earned his culinary degree from Seattle Central Community College. He is currently a member of the American Culinary Federation.