The James Beard Foundation®, the organization behind the James Beard Awards®, the most prestigious culinary recognition in the country, announced that its Taste America culinary series returns to Seattle with a walk-around tasting on Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. at Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. Presented by Capital One, the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America® series celebrates culinary excellence and the local independent restaurants at the heart of our communities, bringing together chefs and food lovers for unique dining experiences across 20 U.S. cities.
The Seattle walk-around tasting will feature Erasto “Red” Jackson of Lil’ Red’s Takeout, Paper Cake Shop’s Gabby Park, and MariPili’s Grayson Corrales, among others. See the event website below for the list of other participating chef talent featured on Oct. 23.
"Red" Jackson owns, runs, and tends to Lil’ Reds Takeout and Catering in a way that not only has Seattle foodies stirring, but diners from all around the U.S. and the Caribbean have taken notice and rave about this comfort cuisine calling it a must-stop spot. His BBQ restaurant has offered mouth-watering Jamaican and soul food fare since September 2017. Red’s humble chef story is rooted in many years of selling plates out the back of a 1991 Volvo station wagon. “Our mission is to make smiles and bellies as big as we possibly can," he says. He’s been honored as a James Beard Award Semifinalist and his fans and amazing reviews grow by the day. Located on Rainer Ave. South in Seattle, the national media has taken notice and locally he’s appeared on “Seattle Refined” and NBC’s KING 5.
Chef Park has worked in the Seattle restaurant concocting pastries, bread, and desserts at some of the city’s most highly acclaimed establishments including Saint Bread, London Plane, Bakery Nouveau, and Cafe Presse over 10 years. Originally from Lynnwood, she graduated from Seattle Culinary Academy’s Specialty Desserts and Bread program in 2014, where she is an adjunct pastry instructor. In the fall of 2023, she and James Beard-nominated Seattle chef Rachel Yang opened Paper Cake Shop, which features intricately decorated buttercream sheet cakes fused with Asian-inspired flavors. Pairing Asian ingredients such as lychee and lemongrass with nostalgic, grocery store staples like Froot Loops or unexpected combinations like red bean paste, milk chocolate, and tahini make for some truly unique, flavor-packed creations.
Growing up on a farm in eastern Washington, Corrales learned very early on about the importance of family meals and sobremesa. Garnering much firsthand from Spanish grandparents as a youth, Chef Grayson worked as a pastry chef learning from incredible chefs like Ewald Notter and Jeremy Gadouas, ultimately working an internship at the two Michelin-starred restaurant Culler de Pau. She created the MariPili concept (named after her aunt) and worked to honor her family’s heritage through cooking and storytelling -- through food. The James Beard Award Semifinalist enjoys engaging in fitness pursuits, competitive bodybuilding, and Olympic-style weightlifting when not cooking.
Visit jamesbeard.org/tasteamerica for details and tickets to Taste America Seattle, which is selling fast.
Photo Credits: Gabby Park by Sam Fu; Grayson Corrales by Bonaki, and; Erasto “Red” Jackson by Bettina Carey