The Making of a Menu

Smoky sweetness. Bold spices. Delicate textures. While most people know a perfect dish when they taste it, creating a culinary masterpiece is a whole different story.

Polaris Restaurant and Cosmos Lounge at the Bellevue Club unveiled its new seasonal menu this past month with several mouth-watering new dishes. Surrounded by simmering sauces and fresh herbs, sous chef Jennifer Buethe recently took a moment to talk about the new menu and provide an insider’s look at the creative process. Jennifer worked closely with Executive Chef Paul Marks and sous chef Mai Phan-Redwine to create the exciting new menus.

Where do you start when creating a new dish?
I’m a visual person, so I see things that inspire me, whether it’s the food items or another dish. Sometimes they’re not even related, but it gets my mind thinking. I usually come up with the idea first and then I work backward into flavors.

How do you choose the ingredients?
It’s completely seasonal. Going into spring, Alaskan halibut is finally coming into season and we start getting those early vegetables.

What are some of your favorite dishes that you created for the new menu?
I made a pan-seared halibut dish with quinoa pilaf, citrus salsa with pink peppercorns and toasted almonds. It’s a nice refreshing dish, perfect for the sunnier weather. The light spiciness of the pink peppercorns contrasts perfectly with the citrus salsa.

I also created a sea scallop dish with fresh scallops wrapped in prosciutto, black lentils, cider brown butter and apple slaw. The smokiness of the scallops goes really well with the sweetness of the apple slaw and the rich, nutty flavor of the cider brown butter.

Also, we brûléed the goat cheese on the new beet salad and added cayenne-candied Spanish almonds, which are completely addicting.

What is your favorite type of food to cook?
Seafood from the Northwest—it’s a staple. I grew up in Seattle and used to go crabbing with my grandpa. At the time, I had no idea crab was so expensive. I thought you just threw out the pot and you had crab.

I also like bold flavors and interesting presentation. My culinary degree is in edible visual arts. I did a lot of competitions. For me, it’s just as much what the food looks like.