Despite having lived in Seattle for 16 years, I have never eaten at Canlis, arguably the city’s most iconic and revered (not to mention expensive) restaurant. Canlis has always seemed like it was for other people—people who drive luxury cars, not people, like me, who drive Toyota Corollas with tape decks. But there’s no denying or escaping the restaurant’s reputation and status. Canlis, founded in 1950, still routinely appears on “essential Seattle” and “best of” dining lists.
But in March, when the restaurant announced it had hired a new executive chef, I was intrigued. Brady Williams, just 28 years old, was most recently sous chef at Roberta’s in Bushwick, Brooklyn, a wood-fired pizzeria made from cinder blocks and shipping containers that features an indoor garden and, oh, a 12-seat, two-Michelin-star restaurant called Blanca that serves a $195 tasting menu. Hiring Williams was a surprising move…
