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 Chris Garr of Ivar's Acres of Clams and Fish Bar. A Seattle icon, Acres of Clams opened in 1938 and is set to re-open in July 2015 after its most significant remodel in its 77-year history. It's a $20 million transformation that adds more space, an outdoor patio, expanded state-of-the-art kitchen and a refreshed interior with a central bar and exposed fir beams. Fireplaces have been built using reclaimed wood from the original restaurant, there's a new Kalakala-themed banquet room and unobstructed waterfront views. The restaurant offers unique seasonal preparations, as well as showcasing Ivar Haglund's original recipes. Make this your Ivar's summer!

Chris Garr has been the Executive Chef of Ivar's Acres of Clams since 2007. Raised in Eastern Washington, he started his cooking career as a prep cook in Winthrop, Washington, at Sun Mountain Lodge. At that point, he knew that he had found his life's career and decided to pursue it full time. He promptly moved to Spokane to enroll in the culinary department at Spokane Community College -- graduating with top honors. While attending school, he worked at the opening of Spencer's Steakhouse, a new restaurant concept by Doubletree. After graduation, Chris expanded his culinary skills and worked at a boutique-style French restaurant, The Winged Lion, as well as a fine dining Italian restaurant, The Italian Kitchen. For a brief time, he worked as a pastry chef. In 2001, Chris moved to Seattle to work at Salty's on Alki as the assistant banquet chef where he was quickly promoted to sous chef. After three years, he left to work at Wolfgang Puck Catering at Benaroya Hall before ultimately coming to Ivar's Acres of Clams.

Use leftover risotto to make risotto cakes, by Executive Chef Chris Garr

This is a great way to use up day old risotto as well as adding a great, crisp texture to the risotto itself. Pretty much everyone loves fresh-made risotto, but you will spend a good hour and a half in the kitchen making it, that is if you make it with the attention it deserves. Risotto cakes are a perfect accompaniment to main dishes, yet also leave you plenty of time to spend with your dinner guests. At Ivar's Acres of Clams, we only prepare risotto cakes (no fresh risotto) in the restaurant to ensure that everyone gets a perfectly cooked side dish. Fresh risotto alone can be tricky and needs to be served very close to doneness. By opting for risotto cakes, you could save a potential disaster -- an overcooked batch of fresh risotto.

Click here to see Executive Chef Garr's recipe

Ivar's Acres of Clams
1001 Alaskan Way, Pier 54
Seattle, WA 98104
206-624-6852
http://www.ivars.com/locations/acres-of-clams

June 2015