Attend a unique pop-up dinner at Bell + Whete
Feast on four dinners featuring varying cuisine styles for $70 or less each
By Seattle Mag February 3, 2016
Belle + Whete’s Jenny Izaguirre is one to watch. She joined the team of the Belltown restaurant as executive chef in July 2015 by way of Los Angeles, where Izaguirre, a native of Honduras, had been chef at Culina Modern Italian restaurant at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills. Before that, she had cooked in Four Seasons Hotel kitchens in Costa Rica, West Palm Beach, Fla., and Boston and Jackson Hole, Wyo.
It’s safe to say she’s prepared food for an equal number of celebrities and snowbunny snobs. I’ve enjoyed some of Izaguirre’s dishes via chef competitions I’ve judged this past year, and let’s just say me and my palate were beyond intrigued with her way around lamb.
Last month, she totally revamped the menu at Bell +Whete to reflect their goal as a central Belltown gastropub, serving bone marrow-infused burgers, lamb shank on the bone, avocado toast with cured salmon, raw oysters with blood orange granita. You get the picture.
She’s on our radar for two other reasons. Her passion for Hispanic and Turkish cooking, the latter which was inspired by her late Turkish husband and their many trips to visit his homeland, where Izaguirre recalls picking olives and making oil in a grove overlooking the Aegean Sea. Cooking Turkish food is how she honors his memory. Yeah, it took our breath away, too.
Also, her desire to collaborate with and spotlight local chefs. Following in the footsteps of Bell + Whete predecessor, Stew Navarre, this month, Izaguirre is featuring local chef talent via multi-course pop up dinners. Dinners will be held at Bell + Whete each Monday night in February from 7 to 9 p.m. Prices vary per dinner, $40-$70. Reservations are required and tickets can only be purchased online in advance.
Chefs being featured are Dennis Johnston of Cantinetta, who will be doing a modern Italian dinner (Feb. 8), Amy Beaumier of Stumbletown’s soon-to-open Joli will be cooking an elegant vegan French meal (Feb. 15) and Sabrina Brzusek, sous chef of Dahlia Lounge, will be doing a Russian Polish feast (Feb. 22). On Leap Day, Feb. 29, Izaguirre herself will be cooking what she can’t do at Bell + Whete: Hispanic-Asian fusion.
To purchase tickets, visit the events link on Belle + Whete.