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Introducing the Chef Advisory Board.
ChefJason Stratton
Seattle
About Jason Stratton
Jason Stratton began his career at the early age of 16 at Seattle’s classic Le Gourmand restaurant under Chef Bruce Naftaly. From 2002-2007, Jason worked for Chef/Owner Holly Smith of Cafe Juanita initially as line cook, followed by a lead role as sous chef. In June 2011, Stratton opened Artusi next door to Spinasse; a casual bar and restaurant focused on Italian-focused cocktails, spirits and food. He went on to open Aragona, a James Beard Foundation semifinalist nominee for Best New Restaurant in 2014. In 2015, Jason assumed the role of general manager and executive chef for mamnoon, a modern union of Middle Eastern cuisines in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood from owners Wassef and Racha Haroun. In 2016, Jason opened mbar for the Haroun’s; the upscale, 14th floor, rooftop restaurant and bar in Seattle’s burgeoning South Lake Union neighborhood.
My Venues
Accolades
- Nominee for Best Chef: NorthwestJames Beard Foundation
- Best New ChefFood & Wine
- Nominee for Best New Restaurant (Aragona)James Beard Foundation
- Best Restaurants (Spinasse)Seattle Metropolitan magazine
- Top 10 Places for Pasta (Spinasse)Bon Appétit
- ChefsFeed WinnerOne of the Best Things to Eat in Seattle
Featured Content
Watch
1:09
December 5, 2015
Chef Jason Stratton kicks us some wisdom on report cards and real life.
Watch
7:42
September 24, 2015
In the latest episode of Roots, Jason Stratton tells how he went from studying avant-garde poetry in Spain to becoming the award-winning chef of Seattle's Spinasse, Artusi, and Aragona. Roots takes a deep biographical look into the world's most influential chefs to reveal their inspirations. Ancestry.com style except not really. **UPDATE: Stratton recently announced his departure from his killer restaurants, citing a need for a sabbatical out in the great wide world. Dude is gonna read some books and nod thoughtfully at art like whoa.
Watch
0:29
September 9, 2015
You've seen where Jason Stratton - the fun-loving chef of Cascina Spinasse, Artusi, and Aragona eats in his spare time in our app. But now we're taking it a step further and bringing the Chefs Feed experience to life so you can dine like a chef, with a chef! We've teamed up with Uber, the app that connects you with a driver at the tap of a button, to create #UberOmakase, a night out for you and a friend on us, with chef Stratton as your culinary tour guide. Visit: http://blog.uber.com/SEACHEF to see how to enter, but hurry, the contest ends June 4!
Watch
1:57
What happens when chefs read the bad reviews written about them from around the web and beyond? We turned on the camera to find out. This episode: Chef Jason Stratton of Spinasse, Artusi, and Aragona in Seattle responds to an allegation that his milk-braised pork looks more institutional than delicious. **UPDATE: Stratton recently announced his departure from his killer restaurants, citing a need for a sabbatical out in the great wide world. Dude is gonna read some books and nod thoughtfully at art like whoa.
Where I Go Out
Veal sweetbreads
$$$$, Italian, South Juanita
"This dish is perfect. Exquisitely cooked sweetbreads have the slightest crust, and taste simply of themselves. A scattering of Pantellerian capers, fried until they open like little flowers, top the dish, with a generous amount of intensely green, fried parsley. A drizzle of gorgeous, buttery olive oil completes the plate. Each element is essential, and comes together as a minimalist’s delight. This is the dish that made me want to cook for Holly Smith at Cafe Juanita. It took a single bite."
Mad Hatcher farm bone-in chicken claypot
$$$, Happy Hour, Reservations, Full Bar, Vietnamese, Bar, Lounge, West Bellevue
"I adore Eric Banh’s food. His dishes are always elegant but amazingly flavorful. He’s confessed to me on several occasions that this is his favorite dish on his menu, and it’s not hard to taste why. Pieces of young chicken, succulent from being cooked on the bone, are glazed with just the right amount of sweetness and spice. The lemongrass is very present but not overwhelming. This dish begs you to use your hands to eat it, and you will think about it the next day."
Pappardelle
$$$$, Full Bar, Italian, Capitol Hill
"Chef Nathan Lockwood knows just how to coax just the perfect melting texture and deep flavors from tripe and oxtail for this pasta dish. A hint of chilies brightens the brooding ragú and shows the restraint evident in the kitchen's hand. This is my fall pasta crush."
Laap pet isaan
$$, Thai, Brooklyn
"Everyone (rightly) raves about the chicken wings here, but this chopped duck salad makes my heart race. It's spicy and multi-layered with lemongrass, mint, toasted rice powder, and just the right balance of acid. It comes with a plate of herbs you may not have had before, among them culantro and fish mint. So craveable!"
Oysters on the half shell
$$$$, Full Bar, Seafood, North End
"This is one of the most memorable oyster experiences ever. As a West Coast boy, this perfect, badass spot made me believe in the East Coast oyster; that's saying a lot. They have pristine food and a great staff that really cares. Bravo. Also, lobster roll. It's, erm, large. And wicked good. I recommend the clams on the half shell, too."
Whole Monterey calamari on the plancha
$$$, Happy Hour, Outdoor Seating, Full Bar, Spanish, Embarcadero
"Wow. How can a dish be so rich in flavor yet so light? They nail this preparation. It's tender enough to cut with a spoon, yet crisp around the edges. It's just beautifully caramelized squid with a sauce made from its ink. The dish is simple and perfect. Add a glass of Manzanilla sherry and you have an experience worth hopping on a plane for. Bravo!"
At My Venues
Black spaghetti with pea vines, mint, and caviar
$$, Outdoor Seating, American, South Lake Union
"New menu Friday @mbarsea : black spaghetti with @farmergeorgie Georgie's perfect tender pea vines, mint, and smoked steelhead caviar. #ftw #newmenuday #teambambi"