It’s hard to put into words just exactly how much we love food. Who doesn’t love food? As an organization built around the cultivation, harvesting, and sharing of fruit, we get to think about how much we love food basically all day long. City Fruit Celebrates, our annual fundraising event, gives us a chance to share some of that love with y’all — and these iconic Seattle chefs and confectioners will be helping us do that.
Chef Edouardo
Salare & Junebaby
Edouardo Jordan was introduced to the culinary arts at the age of eight when his mother, Velda, and grandmother, Maggie, forced him into the kitchen. His mother had always told him that cooking would make him a better man and a more artistic person. During his involuntary presence in the kitchen, he learned many lessons and family recipes, and soon developed a love for cooking. In high school he wanted to write his own cookbook. Though he was unable to start this project as a youth, he began collecting recipes instead.
Jordan graduated from the University of Florida in 2003, with degrees in Business Administration and Sports Management, and a minor in Nutrition. However, his love affair with cooking was far from over. Two years later, Jordan enrolled in culinary school at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando, Florida. He went on to pursue opportunities at places like The French Laundry in California, The Herbfarm in Seattle, Per Se and Lincoln Ristorante in New York (where he worked under Chef Johnathan Benno). Jordan also made a voyage to study traditional salami and meat curing with a sixth generation salumist in Parma, Italy.
In March of 2015, after two years working as the chef de cuisine at Bar Sajor, Jordan announced that he would be opening his own restaurant in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood. In June of 2015, Jordan opened the doors to Salare, a term that he heard frequently during his time in Italy. He wanted Salare to be a modern day mom-and-pop shop without any pretention, but with food in the caliber of a high-end restaurant. Salare takes influences from France, Italy, the American south, and the Caribbean. and has become one of Seattle’s hottest restaurants. With the titles of Food & Wine Best New Chef 2016, Eater Best New Restaurant 2016, James Beard Semi-Finalist 2015, and James Beard Finalist 2017, he opened his second restaurant, JuneBaby, in April of 2017.
Jordan now hopes to find the time to finally start that cookbook he aspired to write back in high school. Follow these links to learn more about Salare and Junebaby — or better yet, stop by for a meal!
Chef Tarik
A DJ & A Cook
Tarik Abdullah creates brunch and dinner pop-ups in Seattle’s Central District. Abdullah comments: “Pop-ups, pop-ups, pop-ups! It’s been about five years since I started, and it’s been a really interesting and fulfilling ride. From different locations, various crew members, new concepts, varying shifts, the smiles on guests’ faces, incredible support from the community and media, and the evolving food and menus — it’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve never regretted any of it.
“Sometimes I feel like a veteran with the pop-ups because this type of thing typically only runs for so long before you open a restaurant space or move on to other projects. So to the guests, both old and new, the supporters, foodies, and the Seattle community… I want to thank you for being part of this beautiful culinary and musical experience we’ve created together. Thank you. May your mind and belly be blessed.”
Abdullah’s cuisine is inspired by the tastes and flavors of his childhood, growing up in a Muslim family and broader community where ethnic foods were the norm. His culinary creations honor traditions from North Africa and the Mediterranean.
Tarik Abdullah also pioneered a program called In The Kitchen with Chef T — a junior culinary program for kids ranging in age from 6 to 14 years old. Located in South Seattle at the Hillman City Collaboratory, In The Kitchen offers a platform to educate youth about healthy eating, working in a kitchen, writing recipes, and creating their own dishes in a fun and supportive environment.
To learn more about Chef Tarik and his work, check out his website. Be sure to join the guest list, and stay tuned into Chef T’s popups, exclusive dinners, recipes, and more!
Tom Douglas Restaurants 
Hot Stove Society
City Fruit has long been partnering with Tom Douglas Restaurants, in a few different capacities (including providing fresh Seattle fruit for local culinary creations)! The Hot Stove Society, a year-round cooking school, is one arm of Tom Douglas. Classes offered at Hot Stove rance from lightearted — something fun and boozy after work — to challenging, pushing students to build up their pro cooking skills. Per their website: “Hot Stove Society is our personal quest to educate everyone who has the desire to become a better cook – whether they want to learn how to brew a perfect cup of coffee or butcher a whole pig.”
As a chef and restaurateur, Tom Douglas is self-taught, not classically trained. Tom has always considered his “taste memory,” combined with years of tirelessly dining out in great restaurants, as his education. On the other hand, since his high school days as the only boy in Home Ec, Tom’s passion has been learning and teaching all things culinary.
Tom Douglas has now been a high profile Seattle restaurateur for over thirty years, and he and his crew have forged strong relationships as longtime boosters of Washington wineries, craft breweries, local farmers, cheese makers, food artisans, and others (like City Fruit!) in the local food community.
Learn more about Hot Stove Society and peruse upcoming class offerings here!
Dahlia Bakery
Dahlia Bakery is another arm of Tom Douglas Restaurants — and a long trusted partner of City Fruit.
Stacy Fortner, Dahlia’s Executive Pastry Chef, met our founder, Gail Savina, when she was first starting the organization. “It was so new that he initial fruit she presented to us she brought in a cute little straw basket! So exciting to see how it has grown now to hundreds of pounds of fruit,” Stacy says.
“The reason I was most excited to work with City Fruit is that I am myself an urban forager. I had been collecting fruit around the city for years and telling people that yes, crab apples are in fact safe to eat! I hate to waste any food, especially fruit, so for me, this was a match made in heaven.” In addition to being an urban forager, Stacy is a graduate of Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky, with a Bakery and Pastry Arts Degree. She has been cooking for her family ever since she was 11 years old.
At Dahlia Bakery, you’ll find artisan breads, handmade pastries, and cakes — all baked daily in small batches. Dahlia also supplies desserts for all of Tom Douglas’s restaurant locations, and is home to the famous Triple Coconut Cream Pie.
Read on to discover more about the bakery’s menu, awesome pastry chefs, and when you can stop by for a taste!
Full Tilt Ice Cream
A Seattle Institution, Full Tilt offers “outrageously original ice cream” (with flavors like Huckleberry, Mudhoney, and Mango Chili) as well as an atmosphere of fun. According to their website: “After extensive research and testing, we have scientifically created a fun environment for people of all ages.”
“We were founded in 2008 by Ann Magyar and Justin Cline in the lovely neighborhood of White Center. Ann and Justin started with the idea to open a shop where families could hang out, artists could display their art, and everyone could eat great ice cream. After we mentioned the idea to a few friends, one of them told us they wished there was a place in the neighborhood to play pinball. Ann had once lived above a pinball parlor, and the idea stuck.”
Full Tilt now has locations in Ballard, U-District, and Columbia City, as well as White Center. Spend an evening playing pinball and other arcade games, listening to some tunes, and enjoying a local beer or funky soda alongside your ice cream. Plenty of great vegan varieties can be found at Full Tilt, and all their flavors are crafted with care, creativity, and as many local ingredients as possible. They have partnered with City Fruit to create a Seattle fig ice cream (“Pints with a Purpose” — hunt it down at the grocery store!) as well as limited edition cherry popcicles.
Visit their website for more about Full Tilt’s funky fabulousness. Or go and see for yourself!
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Food people are good people. We at City Fruit are honored to have the support and partnership of these Seattle food superheroes. Imagine having so much culinary talent and flare in a single space — if the world doesn’t implode, it’s bound to be one spectacular evening! Tickets are still available for City Fruit Celebrates on November 9th — get ready to have your tastebuds sing and dance.