Chef’s Kitchen

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 Executive Chef Gabe Cabrera of Salty's at Redondo. Salty's is locally owned by Gerry and Kathy Kingen. There are three locations--Alki in West Seattle, Redondo and Portland on the Columbia River.

Gabriel Cabrera is the Executive Chef for Salty's at Redondo. Gabe came to Salty's with 26 years' experience as an executive chef in the food industry and holds an Associate degree from South Seattle Community College in Hospitality and Food Management. Before arriving at Salty's, he held an executive sous chef position at Palisade restaurant in Seattle under Executive Chef John Howie. It was there that Cabrera perfected his plank cooking and designed many original recipes. Cabrera was also an executive chef at C.I. Shenanigans and the Marriott Hotel at Sea Tac. He worked through all the ranks at the Marriott Hotel and then opened his own restaurant called Hungry Herbert. Chef Cabrera hails from Mexico City where he belongs to a large family of restaurateurs. He married his first and only sweetheart, whom he met as an exchange student while staying in her home in Redondo Beach. Known as “Chef Gabe," Cabrera has a following for his Market Sheet Specials at Redondo Beach. He does many fundraising events and has appeared on radio and TV demonstrating his dishes. His recipes are included in many of the KCTS viewer and chef cookbook series.

 Above: Executive Chef Gabe Cabrera, courtesy of Salty's Seafood Grills