Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/132513
"At Canlis, Peter earned Level I sommelier certification and oversaw one of the best wine cellars in Seattle." § peter, ryan and eric evaluate a plate in torchy's for taste, texture and appearance. "i'm kind of a food and wine geek," he says. "Thirty-plus years into it, i still love the business. i love the challenge and the dynamics. You have to think healthy, you have to think fresh, you have to think trends." At Canlis, Peter earned Level i sommelier certification and oversaw one of the best wine cellars in seattle. At the Golf Club at newcastle, he managed one of the busiest wedding venues in King County. A passion for food the front and back of the house at a series While Peter has committed his professional of area restaurants. career to food, his personal life has cen- "i truly respect what goes on in the tered on fitness and family. he moved to kitchen," he says. "i've cooked, i've done Washington in 1976 to train with the Mission food prep and meat cutting, i've washed ridge ski Academy, one of the nation's best, dishes. i've got loads of empathy for how and he continues to ski regularly each winter. challenging that is and the conditions you're he and his wife, Lisa, live in Bellevue. son sometimes working under—and the pressure. Dane, 14, is a seventh-grader at Tyee Middle i also know what it's like as a waiter to have school, and daughter hannah, 18, is a fresh- a full dining room to keep happy." man at Carroll College in helena, Montana. Peter's passion for food and fitness, Back in Torchy's, Peter sets aside the continental breakfast and turns his attention his proven leadership and success, and his to a Thai Crunch salad with daikon radish extensive industry experience immediately greens sprinkled on top. The table talk turns drew the attention of WAC President & CEO to freshness, flavor and relevance—right Chuck nelson. down to the garnish. "he understands the business side, the "is it the right item for the right time?" managerial side, and the people side," Chuck Peter asks. "These are the kinds of questions says. "Also, as an athletic club, it's nice to have we need to be thinking about." people that understand the value of being fit and how that fits into an overall healthy life." Growing up in Bozeman, Montana, Peter City athletic clubs are special entities, Peter says. "Bringing food and people together is what i love to do. Getting a chance to get to worked in the kitchen at a steakhouse. know the WAC membership, and balancing Later, while earning his hospitality degree at that with a catering business we're going to Washington state University's extension pro- keep growing, that's something i'm really gram at seattle University, he moved between looking forward to." ⇒ JUNE / JULY 2013 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | 31