PORT TOWNSEND — Port Townsend Farmers Market swapped its usual musical performances for cooking demonstrations by area chefs using locally-grown food in celebration of the fourth annual Artisan Food Festival.
Arran Stark, the executive chef at Jefferson Healthcare hospital, cooked seared salmon topped with spicy cabbage at the Saturday farmers market in uptown Port Townsend.
“I like these events since they promote cooking for themselves and their families,” Stark said. “I think we took a wrong turn in Albuquerque with the whole TV dinners thing and it’s become a bit of a beast.”
Chefs Kelly Bell of Gray Wolf Ranch of Port Townsend and Gabriel Schuenemann of Alder Wood Bistro of Sequim also cooked up delicacies.
All three chefs stressed the importance of using local ingredients.
Local food was the theme of Saturday’s artisan food festival, which also boasted an extra large farmers market with more than 60 vendors offering food, ciders, beer and wine. Mt. Townsend Creamery also offered its expertise on wine and cheese pairings.
Stark has a background in fine dining. Originally from Georgia, Stark has worked in such places as the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston before coming to the Olympic Peninsula 11 years ago.
After moving to Port Townsend, Stark operated the Brassica restaurant at Sweet Laurette’s in uptown Port Townsend and managed his own catering business, Cultivated Palette.
Almost seven years ago, Stark joined the kitchen staff at Jefferson Healthcare and brought along his passion for local and seasonal food.
“That whole idea is that, if any place in a community should have good food it should be the hospital,” Stark said. “If you work off a seasonal menu it keeps the people eating excited but also keeps the people cooking excited.”
Aside from working at Jefferson Healthcare, Stark continues to teach cooking classes at the Cultivated Palette in Port Townsend and holds demonstrations at the farmers market.
“I think the more people spend time behind desks the more there’s a desire for things that are tangible,” Stark said. “Food is the ultimate for that.”
During his demonstration Saturday, Stark said that cooking is the ultimate art because it stimulates all five senses.
“If art is supposed to excite the senses, then food is the ultimate art,” Stark said.
However, Stark’s demonstration wasn’t all serious. He incorporated a number of accents, including Australian and French, and promotions for local vendors found at the Farmers Market.
The whole day wrapped up with an after party at Propolis Brewing, a local brewery that focuses on using local and natural ingredients in their beers.
“This is great platform for things like this,” Stark said. “Jefferson Healthcare wants to promote wellness and food is a pillar of that.”
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
Arran Stark, the executive chef at Jefferson Healthcare hospital, demonstrates how to prepare a salmon dish at Saturday’s farmers market as part of the Port Townsend Artisan Food Festival. (Cydney McFarland/Peninsula Daily News)
