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The Philosophies of Chefs Stein and Hinds We firmly believe that organic, chemical-free food is better for the soul, and we base our entire menu on this philosophy. We bring local fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat, and handcrafted wines, beers, and cheeses directly from our neighborhood farms and producers into our restaurant. Our menu changes daily based on the quality of organic, antibiotic and hormone-free meats and produce
available to us each day. We support farming techniques that are sustainable, organic, and regenerative. We believe in the Earth-2-Table concept, which celebrates indigenous ingredients and affirms the web of ethnic strands that define this region. Our goal is to bring the entire Earth-2-Table process closer to the diner.
Our culinary philosophy is developed around flavors — isolating them, maximizing them, and combining them. The goal is to find the best possible ingredients, local or otherwise, unlock their natural flavor potential, and create a harmonious balance. We have become a nation removed from involvement with the food we buy, cook, and consume. It is a fundamental fact that no cook, however creative and capable, can produce a dish better than the quality of the raw ingredients.
Organic, chemical-free farming is the first step of cooking. The raw ingredients are the stars of the show, and foods that are in season taste the best. They are bountiful — making them more available, more economical, better tasting, and more healthful. The basic premise of cooking is to always start with the freshest, highest-quality ingredients and to then coax and encourage the best out of them. In our cuisine, our guests find the familiar, the traditional, and some
things that are very new, but all of our meals are infused with our passion for creating wholesome, delicious foods.
Our wine philosophy stresses that food and wine are intended not only to complement each other, but also to inspire one another. A list should be able to offer something for everyone: from the first-time wine drinker to the most serious oenophile. California, Washington, and Oregon offer us great diversity in varietals and styles, allowing us to showcase the best the region has to offer and make the interplay of the wine and food an integral part of the dining experience.
Our list is weighted toward California and the Pacific Northwest, but we offer a limited inter- national selection from some world-class producers — some wines are just too good to pass up.
Our service philosophy is described as "invisible"... seamless, unobtrusive yet attentive. The goal is to anticipate and then address every guest’s needs, questions or problems. Our staff is educated in the "local knowledge" of cuisine and wines. The restaurant is about ambiance: cloth napkins, flattering lighting, soft music, nonjudgmental waiters, and a dining room that provides a haven from urban reality. The Peerless, through the use of an open
kitchen design, makes our guests feel as if they are in a European public square where people gather to eat and drink.
| The Sustainable
Kitchen
The chef-authors define sustainable eating as celebrating the joys of local, seasonal, and artisanal ingredients while maintaining economic and environmental stewardship. This includes understanding the source of the ingredients we buy—the way they have been grown, raised or caught. The authors encourage shoppers to support small farms, fisheries, and food producers who make conservation and humane practices a priority.
THE SUSTAINABLE KITCHEN: Passionate Cooking Inspired by Farms, Forests and Oceans
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