TRACE

In a fast-paced world, you can't sit around on your laurels (i.e., Earth & Ocean), you have to refresh and renew. That's the view of W Hotels and Starwood Hotels & Resorts; the result is TRACE restaurant and bar, the third location of the brand (San Francisco and Austin), this one led by Chef de Cuisine Steven Ariel.

Chef de Cuisine Steven Ariel

Those involved have ensured that each TRACE is unique and reflective of their respective regions. Within the parameters they've set for a hotel restaurant (three meals a day, room service, etc.), Chef Ariel has had full design control of the menu. His plan is to showcase good food with a focus on execution and integrity of the products that are in season. "There are some contemporary items, but I feel the trend is moving toward genuine food—less manipulated and processed. A lot of food gets processed in many ways before it gets to the plate. This isn't always a bad thing, and I enjoy dining like that sometimes, but my personal philosophy is to showcase food for what it is and not refine it so much," explains Steven. "However, our service and presentation is very contemporary."

When approached with the TRACE opportunity, Steven was chef de cuisine at Luc in Madison Valley with no intention of leaving after just nine months. But the draw of a new restaurant, a new beginning, and following in the footsteps of the many great chefs who worked at Earth & Ocean was too seductive. "I've always been happy in a more supportive role, but as I've matured, I've changed," says Steven. "Being in charge of a kitchen was appealing. The TRACE concept is farm to table; many places are doing that and it wasn't the attraction for me. The idea of traceable cuisine, knowing its origins, being socially responsible—that was the attraction. My career has been in fine dining, so this appealed to me in terms of it being upscale, good food prepared well yet in a more relaxed, contemporary atmosphere. We do three meals a day, in-room dining, the restaurant, bar and sushi bar."

After seeing the architectural drawings of the space, Steven was intrigued with the sushi bar concept. "There are very few non-Japanese restaurants with sushi bars, and I feel this capitalizes on my strengths and experience. I love that we're inserting Asian pieces into the Pacific Northwest cuisine we offer. It gives me a lot of room to go in more than one direction."

Steven grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii and started washing dishes in hotels and resorts at 16. "I learned quickly that if I went into prep, I could make more money and not work as hard." He moved up the ladder, then took culinary classes at the University of Hawaii, getting his associate science degree in culinary arts. While working at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, he met Chef Alan Wong. When Wong left to open his first fine-dining restaurant, Steven joined him as a sous chef, eventually moving into an executive chef position. "At one time, Alan had four restaurants on the Big Island and a couple on other islands, Alan Wong's Tokyo and a catering division. I was stationed at one restaurant, but was involved in various functions. We traveled a lot to food events and I was exposed to different culinary styles and cultures. We went to Tokyo, Singapore, Thailand, New York City. I was with the company for 12 years. Hawaii is the melting pot of the Pacific and I feel well-versed in Asian cuisine." While visiting family in Thailand, he took a basic cooking course in Bangkok to learn more about the cuisine and culture.

Wanting to do something new, Steven moved his expanding family to Seattle. "We thought Seattle would be a great place for our kids to grow up and there was a lot happening here," recalls Steven. They moved in 2006 and he landed at Canlis as an executive sous chef, staying three years. "I learned a lot about wine at Canlis." He has also completed the introductory course from the Court of Master Sommeliers. He then switched to Northern Italian fare, working for a year and a half as a sous chef with Holly Smith at Café Juanita. His next stop was Luc, a French bistro.

Having just opened TRACE on March 9, Steven's focus is on quality and consistency. But he is already thinking ahead in terms of evolving the menu. "The sushi bar (pictured) is straightforward right now—good seafood, nice rolls. I'd like to add some unique rolls, Asian-inspired appetizers, and small plates." In addition, changing seasons will drive the dining room menu evolution. "I'm really looking forward to the next seasonal change. We'll latch onto what our best sellers are, what people enjoy, new ingredients. It's a constant process with me; I want to keep it fresh."

TRACE's cocktail list was created by Charlotte Voisey, a British mixologist, and the program includes drinks made with locally-distilled liquors. They also use Seattle's Dry Soda. Washington state wines are featured, and the wine list includes options from California, Oregon, France and Italy.

W's need to remain fresh and current fits right in with Steven's experience and outlook. "I've watched people like Alan Wong change on a dime. I've learned how to deal with and create change. It's part of what we do." Seattle will be watching and enjoying the evolution.

Connie Adams/April 2012