William Belickis, Chef/Owner
Born and raised in New York City, perhaps the most diverse dining city in the world, Chef Belickis spent his teen years working at Indian restaurants, Neapolitan pizzerias, a country club and a butcher shop. He developed an appreciation early on for the flavors and cooking methods unique to the world’s various cuisines (not surprisingly, both an Indian Tandoor and wood-burning pizza oven are in daily use at MistralKitchen).
At age 20, Chef Belickis turned down a spot at the Culinary Institute of America in favor of going straight to the top to learn from the best: world-renowned chef David Bouley in Manhattan. Bouley, a master of haute cuisine and a chef Belickis describes as “unequivocally like no other”, became a great mentor and friend.
But after two years of working every kitchen station at Bouley, Belickis had another transformative experience when he worked a benefit dinner at Rex Hill Winery outside Portland, OR. His first glimpse of the Great Northwest left him awestruck; he found its clean, cool beauty inspiring and soon returned to explore San Francisco, British Columbia, and everywhere in between. He decided to make the cross-country move, and after so many years in frenetic New York, a brief stint in Cannon Beach, Oregon was restorative; memories of his abrupt transition from Michelin-starred, Manhattan-based Bouley to the elegantly sleepy Stephanie Inn still make him smile.
In 1996 he landed in Seattle (which on earlier visits had won his heart) becoming Chef de Cuisine at Fuller’s, the critically acclaimed dining room at the Sheraton Seattle (no longer operating), then moved on to helm culinary operations at the Salish Lodge, where he implemented seasonal Chef’s Tasting Menus, a concept he would return to again and again in his career. In early 2000, his long time dream of opening a restaurant of his own was realized, and Mistral opened its doors in Belltown.
During its eight years in operation, Mistral was called a “gastronomic temple” by some, as Chef Belickis was afforded the freedom to combine the haute cuisine sensibilites he learned at Bouley with the exploratory, fresh and seasonal approach he developed in the Northwest. Ranking in some publications among the top ten restaurants in the country, Mistral closed its doors in 2008 so Chef Belickis could work on plans for a new, more accessible and experimental restaurant that would have something for everyone…MistralKitchen was born.
Pastry Chef Neil Robertson
After graduating from the French Pastry School in Chicago, Neil Robertson moved to Las Vegas where he worked in the Bellagio pastry kitchens, Joel Robuchon in the MGM Grand, and Restaurant Guy Savoy in Caesars Palace. Later he returned home to the Pacific Northwest to take on the pastry chef position at Canlis Restaurant before moving on to become pastry chef at MistralKitchen.
Andrew Bohrer, Bar Manager
The advice of Andrew’s father was to become a Playboy photographer by day and a jazz musician by night. Instead, Andrew became a bartender, although he didn’t completely buck the paternal suggestion; he is to this day an acceptable photographer, a devout fan of J.J. Johnson and a champion of the smoking jacket.
A student of world history through the lens of mixology and bartending, Andrew blogs at caskstrength.wordpress.com, studies dusty tomes to learn the forgotten secrets of his trade, and is a founding member of the Washington State Bartender’s Guild. His long-term goal: to elevate the word “bartender” to a gestalt of thoughtful craftsmanship, encyclopedic knowledge of spirits, listening, and not being too serious.
Before the opening of MistralKitchen, Andrew worked at Seattle’s Vessel bar and helped open the Naga Cocktail Lounge for Chantanee in Bellevue.
Patrick Hymer, General Manager
Inspired by his travels in Europe and Asia, Patrick naturally gravitated to the restaurant industry. “I wanted exposure to a diverse group of people every day and to show them a good time. It was a natural fit.”
A native of Edmonds, WA, he took his first restaurant job in 1998. After returning from Spain in the spring of 2003, Patrick accepted a position at William Belickis’s former restaurant, Mistral. He was soon promoted from captain to manager. “The food and wine were in constant evolution, and we were given a lot of freedom to tailor experiences to fit the needs of the guests.”
MistralKitchen is the fourth restaurant he has helped to open in three cities: Bangkok, Chicago and Seattle. He operates as MistralKitchen’s General Manager and Sommelier.
Amber Johannson, Manager & Guest Relations
It’s no surprise to Amber’s family that she has made her livelihood in the restaurant industry; she once horrified her mother, at the age of nine, by proudly announcing “When I grow up I want to be a bartender!” in front of a small Sunday school class.
She grew up in rural Hawaii, spending most of her time outdoors, and she developed a deep appreciation for homegrown food, land stewardship and the humane treatment of animals. Cooking and gardening are both passions of hers. In addition to her small home garden, she tends the experimental MistralKitchen garden.
Recent projects include several batches of green tomato pickles, farmers’ market peach and citrus marmalade, and a surprisingly smooth limoncello. Amber loves to spend time with family and some of her fondest memories involve the simple joys of long dinners and conversation. This love of dining carries over into her work in the restaurant where it is her goal to help everyone create joyful memories of their own.
