Iconic Flying Fish Restaurant Moving to South Lake Union in Spring 2010
Nationally renowned chef and sustainable seafood expert Christine Keff keeps Flying Fish on cutting edge of Seattle’s dining scene with move to South Lake Union
Flying Fish’s South Lake Union location to also include adjoining “On the Fly” retail shop featuring tasty meals on the go and selection of wine and gift items
SEATTLE, Wash. – January 13, 2010 – Seattle has been hooked on Flying Fish since chef-owner Christine Keff first opened her award-winning contemporary seafood restaurant in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood in 1995. Fifteen years, many more awards and hundreds of thousands of happy diners later, this seasoned chef knows how to keep things fresh.
Flying Fish and Vulcan Real Estate today announced that the restaurant will move to downtown Seattle’s thriving South Lake Union neighborhood and is expected to welcome customers in May 2010. Flying Fish will be located in Vulcan’s environmentally friendly, LEED Gold-certified Westlake/Terry Building on the corner of Westlake Ave. N and Thomas Street. Flying Fish will continue to welcome customers at its current location until the restaurant opens in South Lake Union.
“I’m incredibly energized by starting a new chapter for Flying Fish. This is a great opportunity to take a well-established restaurant and give it a fresh face. We recognize our responsibility to our loyal clientele and we won’t disappoint,” said Flying Fish chef-owner Christine Keff. “South Lake Union makes sense as the new address for Flying Fish on many levels. It’s a fast-growing, dynamic location close to the downtown core that allows us to grow and expand our Flying Fish community in new ways. The area’s commitment to sustainability also aligns perfectly with our own sustainable seafood values.”
In South Lake Union, Flying Fish will continue to stay true to its inspiration and offer the freshest possible fish to create signature dishes featuring local organic ingredients, global spices and inventive styles of preparation that have garnered local and national acclaim. The menu changes daily to offer customers what’s in season and what’s fresh – whether it’s Monkfish from Maine, Opaka Paka from Hawaii, or Steelhead from the Olympic Peninsula.
The new Flying Fish location at the Westlake/Terry Building will be able to accommodate as many customers as its current location. It will also include space for an adjoining retail shop called “On the Fly” that will feature fresh, innovative selections of tasty lunches for take-out or eating on the spot as well as dinners to go that can be easily finished at home. Special wine tastings and Flying Fish cooking classes will also take place in the new “On the Fly” shop.
“We couldn’t be more delighted to welcome such an acclaimed and beloved restaurant to South Lake Union,” said Ada M. Healey, vice president of real estate at Vulcan Inc. “Christine Keff is one of the most accomplished restaurateurs in Seattle and a highly respected chef. Flying Fish will contribute greatly to the vitality of the neighborhood, and will be in good company surrounded by the new Amazon.com headquarters as well as many other exciting retail and residential properties.”
In addition to mouth-watering culinary dishes for happy hour, dinner and late-night, Flying Fish will also be serving lunch at the new South Lake Union location. With the menu featuring small plates, large plates and platters for sharing, diners are encouraged to sample a wide variety of the kitchen’s creations that offer something new for customers to discover every day. A full bar and notable wine list will also be available that match just about any taste and budget.
With a longstanding commitment to sourcing the freshest, most sustainable fish possible for her daily changing menu and using local organic ingredients, Keff has become a tireless advocate for sustainable seafood, speaking with groups across the country and winning induction into the Pacific Northwest Wild Salmon Hall of Fame in 2008.
Chef-owner Keff conceived the idea for Flying Fish on a trip to Thailand, where she was impressed by the simplicity and quality of the seafood dishes grilled up in beachside restaurants. From the beginning, “The Fish” dazzled diners and reviewers from across the nation, garnering Keff numerous awards and accolades, including the 1999 James Beard Best Chef: Pacific Northwest for her talents in the kitchen. Bon Appetit put Flying Fish on its list of the country’s 14 best restaurants and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer awarded it an extremely rare four-star review. For more information about Flying Fish, go to www.flyingfishrestaurant.com.
Flying Fish joins a growing number of lively and eclectic retail shops, restaurants and lifestyle services located in South Lake Union. Vulcan has attracted a mix of local/regional retailers as well as national retail tenants providing sought-after services and amenities in one of Seattle’s fastest-growing neighborhoods.
About Chef-Owner Christine Keff
Christine Keff launched her culinary career with a two-year apprenticeship in New York’s renowned Four Seasons in 1978. Following her Four Seasons training, Keff worked in New York City for 10 years. She opened three restaurants, developing their concepts, menus and assisting in the full design and development of these unique operations. She was cited by New York Magazine for her innovative approach to regional cuisine and was featured in Bryan Miller’s New York Times column and in the New York Daily News.
From 1987 to 1988, Keff traveled extensively throughout the United States and Asia, spending time in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia before relocating to Seattle where she had a vision to combine her culinary travels with a passion for the fantastic products of Pacific Northwest.
After making her mark as executive chef at several Seattle restaurants, Keff achieved a lifelong ambition when she opened Flying Fish in July of 1995. With its innovative and imaginative take on seafood, Flying Fish reinvigorated the local dining scene and instantly became a landmark Seattle restaurant.
Keff's seafood bistro has appeared in major publications across the country including the New York Times, Bon Appetit, Gourmet, Wine Spectator, Decanter and Food & Wine. In March of 1999, Flying Fish received a 4-Star rating by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, sharing this award with only one other restaurant in the city. Two months later, the James Beard Foundation recognized Keff as the Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest/Hawaii.
Her powerful relationships with regional fishermen, as well as her use of local and sustainable ingredients, continue to bring her national attention as Seattle's seafood expert. In 2008, she was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Salmon Center’s Wild Salmon Hall of Fame. Keff is the first chef to win this award, which honors those who demonstrate a passion for the preservation of sustainable wild salmon populations.
When she is not attending meetings, speaking on organics and seafood sustainability or representing the Pacific Northwest at national conferences, Keff is teaching cooking classes at Flying Fish. In addition, she regularly offers her time and talent to numerous organizations that include Lambda Legal, the Women's Funding Alliance, Long Live the Kings and Save Our Wild Salmon. Keff's professional memberships include the Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, The James Beard Foundation and Chef's Collaborative.
2010 promises to be another big year, with Keff slated to present the “Wild Salmon 101” workshop at the International Association of Culinary Professionals National Conference in April. In addition, she will speak at the Smithsonian Oceans Conference in June as well as the Culinary Institute of America Sustainability Conference.
About Vulcan Real Estate
Vulcan Real Estate directs all real estate activities for Vulcan Inc., a Paul G. Allen company. The company’s experienced, talented team of real estate professionals offers a full range of development services from site selection to build-to-suit construction. Its real estate model is based on quality, sustainable development that builds new value across the entire community. To date, Vulcan has delivered over 2.7 million square feet in 14 new office, biotech, residential and mixed-use projects in South Lake Union. The company has nearly 1.5 million square feet currently under construction. For more information, visit www.vulcanrealestate.com.
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