Celebrate Father’s Day with barbecue galore for a good cause

A group of Seattle’s top chefs will be cooking up their best barbecue in a grill-off competition this Father’s Day.

Notable Northwest chef Ethan Stowell is hosting the event at his restaurant Tavolata, and all the proceeds from the cook-off go to a cause near and dear to his family’s heart.

Proceeds from the event will go to The Fetal Hope Foundation. Stowell tells KIRO Radio’s Let’s Eat that while this is his first official Father’s Day celebration with son Adrian, it doesn’t feel entirely like his first, as the family lost twin boys in their first pregnancy.

“When you ask me if this is my first Father’s Day, part of me says yes and part of me says no,” says Stowell.

Stowell had no trouble drumming up contestants for the cook-off for a good cause. Competitors include Manny Arce of Poquitos, Rocky Yeh, Dan Braun of Oliver’s Twist, Tobie Robinson of Parsnips Catering, Thomas Marshall, Joseph Conrad of RN74, Darren Vengroff, Jim Romdall of Vessel, Joe Jeannot of the Jopra Show, Kirby Winfield, and Ethan Stowell. The winner will claim the title of Barbecue King.

Each competitor gets to choose which kind of barbecue they’ll prepare. Stowell says he’ll be making ribs, and has heard there will also be pulled pork sandwiches, barbecued chicken, and Korean barbecue.

Attendees will be given a taste of all the different barbecue offerings and a score card. The $50 ticket price also includes your barbecue sides, potato salad and coleslaw, as well as beer on tap.

Reservations are recommended for the event, Sunday June 16 at Tavolata at 6 p.m., as past cook-offs have sold out.

Let’s Eat airs on KIRO Radio Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at noon. Listen anytime ON DEMAND at KIRORadio.com.