Renowned chef Mike Easton, a four-time James Beard Award nominee, will join The Kitchen at Abeja as Executive Chef on July 1. Easton, celebrated for his handmade pasta and high-quality ingredients, has joined The Kitchen at Abeja, the acclaimed Abeja winery in Walla Walla, Washington. Known for his meticulous approach to cooking, Easton previously garnered cult followings at Il Corvo and Il Nido in Seattle, and more recently at Bar Bacetto in Waitsburg, WA.
Chef Easton will introduce a Tuscan-inspired influence to The Kitchen at Abeja’s prix fixe menu in the heart of Walla Walla wine country. An optional wine pairing menu will showcase how contrasting and complementary food and wine flavors can elevate the dining experience. “I am a chef who seeks inspiration from the ingredients around me,” says Easton. “Over the coming weeks, I will be tasting Abeja’s wines, forming a relationship with them, and writing menus that complement their unique flavors.” His new menu will debut on August 1.
The Kitchen at Abeja is located on a picturesque 38-acre historic farmstead that hosts the acclaimed Abeja winery. Also on the property is The Inn at Abeja, managed by Columbia Hospitality. The unique setting offers guests an immersive wine-country experience, blending exceptional cuisine, award-winning wines, and luxurious accommodations amidst the natural beauty of the Walla Walla Valley. “I fell in love with this property and the wines of Abeja on my first visit here ten years ago,” says Easton. “The chance to offer wine-centric, fine dining in a pastoral setting like this is an opportunity that comes along once in a lifetime.”
Easton says he has put Bar Bacetto on “an extended hiatus to seize the opportunity to collaborate with Abeja’s incredible team and create exceptional dining experiences.” “Chef Mike’s approach to cooking mirrors Abeja’s philosophy that every meal should be a celebration of the senses and every visit a memory in the making,” says Amy Alvarez-Wampfler, who shares winemaking and general manager duties with her husband, Dan Wampfler. “We are thrilled to welcome him.”
Easton will replace Chef Jake Crenshaw, who is leaving The Kitchen at Abeja after two years to accept a position as the culinary director at Walla Walla Community College. Dinner at The Kitchen at Abeja is by reservation only. Reservations may be made online via the Abeja website. The Kitchen at Abeja welcomes all: overnight guests of The Inn at Abeja, visitors to the Walla Walla Valley, and neighbors. Abeja is located at 2014 Mill Creek Road in Walla Walla, WA. The dining room is open Thursday through Sunday evenings, with seatings between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.
