Advance registration or reservations are recommended for most events. Prices exclude tax and gratuity unless otherwise noted.
ON THE PLATE
While it lasts
In case you missed it: Copper River salmon time is nigh. The season opened on Monday, May 16, and as of Tuesday, May 17, we’re sure you’ll see it almost everywhere—in fact, we bet you won’t be able to open a menu without spotting four or five preparations of it.
May 22
Seattle is not just a great place for great chefs, it’s a great place for cancer research and treatment, and the Premier Chefs Dinner allows you to celebrate both. Benefiting Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, this event features some of our area’s most renowned chefs (Daisley Gordon, Vicky McCaffree, Mauro Golmarvi, and a handful of others) working in tandem to create a fantastic six-course meal. Several regional wineries will also be contributing, and a live auction and raffle round out the evening. $250. 5 p.m. 1400 Sixth Ave., 206-667-2980. DOWNTOWN
May 24
As much fun as it might be to prepare a fabulous five-course dinner for your 10th anniversary, it would surely be more fun to share the cooking with three great chefs. Joining Chris Keff behind the flames at Flying Fish’s birthday party will be John Howie of Seastar, Charles Ramseyer of Ray’s Boathouse, and Rick Yoder of Wild Ginger. $100. 6:30 p.m. 2234 First Ave., 206-728-8595. BELLTOWN
May 25
While this Metropolitan Grill wine dinner features the reds of Silver Oak Cellars, Copper River salmon and, of course, New York steak will also get top billing. Silver Oak’s 2001 Alexander Valley Cabernet will be previewed during a five-course meal prepared by chef Mark Hipkiss and paired by wine captain Dave Coyle. $185. 6 p.m. 820 Second Ave., 206-624-3287. DOWNTOWN
June 2
Shrimp satay, egg noodle salad with chicken and asparagus, beef in Phanang curry, and more—all barbecued by a Thai food expert and an ace cooking school chef, and all for a good cause? Sign us up! Chef Pranee Khruasanit of I Love Thai Cooking and chef Laura Dewell will prepare a dinner buffet tonight at the Dish it Up! cooking school in Magnolia Village; 100 percent of the proceeds will go to Mercy Corps, to benefit tsunami victims. $70. 6:30–8:30 p.m. 2425 33rd Ave. W. Suite B, 206-281-7800. MAGNOLIA
June 9
Summer means salmon in so many Northwest homes, so make the most out of this coming season and enjoy a great meal as well. This five-course Elliott’s Oyster House wine dinner will not just delight your senses, you’ll receive an education about wine and wild salmon pairings as well. $75. 6:30 p.m. 1201 Alaskan Way, Pier 56, 206-623-4340. DOWNTOWN
THE GRAPEVINE
May 21
While the North Island vs. South Island debate regarding New Zealand wines is not one of the more contentious ones in the overall food/wine scene, it still makes a fine theme for wine sipping, which you will do at this Fremont Red Apple tasting. Free. 3–6 p.m. 3601 Fremont Ave. N., 206-633-FOOD. FREMONT
May 28–30
Celebrate Memorial Day and the fourth anniversary of the Maryhill Winery, recently named “Washington Winery to Watch” by Wine Press Northwest. Along with Maryhill’s festivities, five other Klikitat Wine Alliance wineries will be hosting open houses this weekend. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. 9774 Highway 14, 509-773-1976. GOLDENDALE, WASH.
June 4
Calling all Rhône Rangers: Sommelier Arnie Millan will be pouring five wines from the Southern Rhône Valley, and instructing on the region and its history, while you enjoy a regionally appropriate five-course meal prepared by Warwick Hotel chef Chris Zarkades. $99. 7 p.m. 401 Lenora St., 206-443-4300. DOWNTOWN
June 9
The modest entry price at this Morton’s Steakhouse wine tasting won’t get you a big, juicy steak, but it will get you a few tastings of big, juicy Columbia Crest wines, an introduction to winemaker Ray Einberger, and some light hor d’oeuvres. $10. 5–6:30 p.m. 1511 Sixth Ave., 206-223-2751. DOWNTOWN
June 9
We’ll give you one guess as to the featured wine at Lombardi’s salute to Sideways wine dinner. Yep, they’ll be pouring four pinots (and not one single merlot). Only dessert gets a nonpinot, nonregional wine; Madagascar vanilla bean–infused panna cotta will be served with a sparkling red, Brachetto d’Aqui from Villa Banfi, Italy. $49. 6 p.m. 2200 N.W. Market St., 206-783-0055. BALLARD
June 9
Interested in those chewy tannins left in your mouth after big reds? Join the crew at the Tasting Room, and their special guests from the Perennial Tea Room, as they compare a flight of wine to a flight of tea and the tannins in each. Sure to be instructive, this seminar includes a selection of cheeses. $20. 6–8 p.m. 1924 Post Alley, 206-770-WINE. PIKE PLACE MARKET
BACK TO SCHOOL
June 1
In order to prepare roasted pork with rosemary, braised cabbage and kielbasa, roasted root vegetables, and baked salmon in salt crust, you’d have to be pretty darn good with the oven, and this Seattle Culinary Academy class on roasting, baking, and braising aims to get you there. $45. 6–9 p.m. 1701 Broadway, Demonstration Kitchen/Room BE2119, 206-587-5424. CAPITOL HILL
June 1
Here’s something different for the grill: Pizza. RainCity Cooking School’s primer on a very different kind of pizza party will have you grilling a bruschetta-style ‘zza, a Greek one with feta, and more. $60. 6:30 p.m. 1883 145th Place S.E., 425-644-4285. BELLEVUE
June 2
For some, a vegetarian diet ends up meaning lots of tofu and veggie corndogs. This certainly doesn’t have to be the case; at this Highline Community College cooking course, you can learn to cook with greens. Find out how calcium-rich collard greens, kale, mustard greens, and bok choy can be used to create beautiful, delicious dishes. $35. 6–9 p.m. 2400 S. 240th St., 206-870-3785. DES MOINES
June 6
Got a fancy-schmancy event to attend this summer? Well, we hope you know which fork to use and why there are four wine glasses spread out in front of each place setting. If you’re feeling clueless, there’s hope for you at this fine-dining etiquette seminar at Geneva Restaurant where wine and hospitality guru Dieter Schafer will be playing Mr. Manners. $70. 6:30 p.m. 1006 Eighth Ave., 206-624-2222. DOWNTOWN
June 20
They look great in the garden, they taste great on the plate: Edible herbs. This NuCulinary class at the West Seattle Thriftway will not only have you planting your very own take-home herb garden, you’ll have recipes for summer dishes like rosemary orange and lemon shortbread and herb grilled chicken, too. $60. 6 p.m. 6523 California Ave. S.W., 206-932-3855. WEST SEATTLE
June 27 thru August 12
Put those youngsters to work! Blue Ribbon’s summer day camps for up-and-coming chefs will have your kid safely wielding a knife, preparing fresh pasta, setting an elegant table, decorating a cake, and more. The kids will even participate in an Iron Chef-style cook-off and work side-by-side with a local chef. Different sessions are held throughout the summer, if the mini-cook in your life is between the ages of 4 and 18, they’ve got a week tailor-made for him or her. Tuition and times vary, for more information call 206-328-2442 or visit www.blueribboncooking.com EASTLAKE
