Issue link: https://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1544632
SPRING / SUMMER 2026 19 taste new chef / open-air dinners This summer: Open-air dinners Dine alfresco and soak up the essence of summer at this year's Outdoor Dinner Series. Chef Austin Navarre will tap into the vibrant flavors and beautiful bounty of the Pacific North- west's peak harvest to cra specialty seasonal menus unique to each dining experience. Each dinner takes place at a special outdoor setting, starting at Two Union in June. Other outdoor venues to be announced. Get ready for exceptional cuisine, creative pairings, and long relaxing evenings. Savor the season! ese dinners are capped at 40 attendees. 6 pm social; 6:30 pm dinner; see the WAC app for more details. Chef Austin Navarre comes to the WAC from the farmlands of Eastern Washing- ton, where he grew up surrounded by his family's livestock and large gardens. "at's where my passion for sustainabil- ity started," he says. A knack for flavor runs through the family. Austin's first job was at a small restaurant where his brother, also a chef, worked. He started his career in earnest aer moving to Seattle in 2006. "I fell in love with the idea that food was more than something we just ate," he says. "It's communal; it brings people together from all walks of life." Since then, Austin has cooked at Ba Bar, Monsoon, Frank's Oyster House, McMenamins Anderson School, and more. He has large-scale event experi- ence through Landmark Event Co., one of Seattle's leading full-service wedding and party production companies. Austin particularly enjoys browsing the bounty of local farmers markets and is interested in Japanese fermen- tation and French cooking techniques. His Pacific Northwest cuisine focuses on high-quality products and a sim- plicity-inspired approach that makes ingredients shine. "PNW offerings are constantly chang- ing," he says. "We have arguably the best seasonal ingredients in the world. at keeps me engaged." As the WAC's culinary leader, Aus- tin aims to partner with local farms to deliver a healthy and fresh approach to Club menus. "We have great dishes and menus planned for this next chapter of the WAC," he says. Rooted in sustainability Chef Austin Navarre's regional focus comes to the WAC Chef Austin Navarre grew up raising livestock in Eastern Washington. He brings a passion for sustainability to WAC restaurants. E M I L I O H U E R TA S June 11 Champagne & Rosé at Two Union July 23 Dossier Wine Collective; location TBA August 19 The Summer Tomato Feast; location TBA