Steven Ariel To Helm Trace As Chef De Cuisine: Widely Traveled Culinarian Brings A Global Perspective To New Restaurant And Bar

Opening in March 2012 in the newly RE-WONDERED W Seattle, TRACE restaurant and bar will continue the tradition of culinary excellence started by its predecessor Earth & Ocean with a dynamic kitchen staff lead by Chef de Cuisine Steven Ariel. TRACE is located at 1112 Fourth Avenue, between Seneca and Spring Streets in the heart of downtown. The web address at www.traceseattle.com and the telephone number is (206) 264-6060 (live in March 2012).

Chef Ariel has traveled widely and has worked within a broad array of cuisines, from Asian and Pacific Rim fusion, to Northern Italian and Pacific Northwestern and brings this global perspective to TRACE.

Born in Honolulu, Chef Ariel was raised on the Big Island (Hawaii) on a macadamia nut and coffee farm. His extensive knowledge of the kitchen along with a passion for food and wine pairings comes courtesy of intensive study at the University of Hawaii, the Thai Cooking School in Bangkok, Thailand and completion of the introductory course from the Court of Master Sommeliers.

In March of 1995 Chef Ariel helped open Alan Wong's Honolulu and in September 1999, he served as the Chef de Cuisine at The Pineapple Room by Alan Wong in Honolulu, where he worked for 10 years, garnering restaurant kudos from Food & Wine, Wine Spectator, Gourmet magazine, Zagat and more.

A move to Seattle in 2006 found Chef Ariel working as Executive Sous Chef at the
renowned Canlis restaurant, where he was responsible for all aspects of kitchen operations. From 2009 to 2011, he worked as Sous Chef alongside Chef Holly Smith at Cafe Juanita, Kirkland, Washington's highly regarded, James Beard Award winning restaurant with a focus on the foods of Northern Italy's Piedmont region. Most recently Chef Ariel held the position of Chef de Cuisine at Chef Thierry Rautureau's French restaurant, LUC, in Seattle's Madison Valley neighborhood.

Diners at TRACE will be privy to Chef Ariel's bounty of knowledge and thrilled by his
cultivated and deftly sophisticated touch highlighting the abundance of seasonal and
organic products from the Pacific Northwest. TRACE will serve breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and brunch Saturday and Sunday.

About W Hotels Worldwide
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