Copperleaf Chef Mark Bodinet Kicked Some Tail At Lamb Jam

Chef Mark Bodinet and his Lamb Jam trophies.

Mark Bodinet opened the new Copperleaf Restaurant at Cedarbrook Lodge near SeaTac this summer, bringing his commitment to using local ingredients as much as possible. He showed off his considerable skills -- this chef cut his teeth at the tres fancy French Laundry -- during last month's Lamb Jam and took home top honors among some stiff competition. Read part one to learn of this week's Grillaxin for more.

SW: Who would you rather eat dinner with, Alice Waters or Michael Pollan?

Mark: Both would be great, sharing their experiences and ideas about food.

SW: Let's go back to California for a minute. What was it like to work at one of the most famous restaurants in the world?

Mark: My experience at the French Laundry was amazing. Great people, excellent products and Chef Keller has been a great mentor of mine over the years.

SW: If you were going to sit in your dining room and have a meal, what would you order and why?

Mark: I think I would depend on my mood and the season. I love the vibrant aromatic food of the spring and summer and the hearty flavorful "slow foods" of the fall and winter. It's interesting the effect that the seasons have on our palates.

SW: What are your favorite kitchen tools? Not just knives, but some esoteric gadget, too.

Mark: I love my Y-shaped peeler, my Criovac machine and my ice cream machine.

SW: What would you do if you didn't cook?

Mark: Most likely something involving sports media.

SW: What do you cook at home?

Mark: I like to cook the same type of food at home as we do in Copperleaf. Great products simply prepared.

Check back for part three of this week's Grillaxin Q&A for chef Mark's winning recipe from Lamb Jam.