FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 2, 1998
Seattle Center, Alki Room

Kerry Sear, executive chef for the Seattle Four Seasons Olympic Hotel, is used to questions about food. Many questions he receives, though, concern his ability to combine his personal vegetarian diet with his gourmet culinary job responsibilities. "Don’t you have to taste everything?" is common (he doesn’t) and "How do you do your job?" (quite well, thank you). He also fields questions from trained European and American chefs similar to what the average person asks about vegetarian dining - "But what do I cook?" and "How do I make it taste good?"

Sear hopes to help answer those and many other gourmet cooking questions through his participation in Meatless in Seattle: Culinary Options for Food Professionals, a one-day event taking place on Friday, October 2, 1998, from 8:30 am to 2 pm, at the Seattle Center Alki Room. Designed for culinary students and food service professionals, the event features skilled local and national chefs demonstrating vegetarian recipes and techniques in a food court format. Culinary vendors will also be present and the Taste of Health bookstore, which offers a collection of vegetarian and nutrition cookbooks, will be open on-site.

Besides Sear, other Meatless presenters include Tim Kelly, The Painted Table, Joseph Jimenez de Jimenez, The Harvest Vine, Jeff O’Brian, Convention Center, Ericka Burke, Carmelita’s, Jim Swenson, The National Press Club, Wash. D.C., Jim Neighbors, SeaTac Marriott Hotel, Jerry Traunfeld, The Herbfarm, Ray Sewell, Chef to the Stars, Oregon, David Lee, Field Roast Grain Meat Company, and Albert Chase, Institute for Culinary Awakening. Graham Kerr will be honored for raising interest in healthful cooking that maximizes flavor, while minimizing health risks.

The Taste of Health festival continues celebrating healthy food all weekend, October 3 - 4, at the Seattle Center Northwest Rooms. Attendees may sample delicious delights from over 10 local restaurants, attend free cooking demonstrations (with some taught by Meatless chefs) or health seminars, try new organic or vegetarian foods in the "Try It and Buy It Market", visit the bookstore, or have fun with their children at one of the many entertainment and learning activites. Seminar speakers include Susan Powter, John McDougall, MD, Brenda Davis, a registered dietician, and Ruth Heidrich, PhD.

Taste of Health, sponsored by EarthSave, occurs in three North American cities, including Louisville, KY, Vancouver, BC, and Seattle, where it is expected to draw 10,000 attendees this year. Local sponsors include: Fred Meyer Nutrition Centers, PCC Natural Markets, Bastyr University, Global Village Markets, KPLU radio, Lisanatti Soy & Almond Cheeses, Natural Choice Directory, Odwalla, the Seattle Weekly, Seattle Homes & Lifestyles, Small Planet Tofu, Talking Rain, TPN Success Channel, and Vitasoy USA.