Mitra Mahondessi

Born in Tehran -Iran in a household with diverse food cultures, Mitra’s interest and love for cooking started when she was a young girl. She grew up in a household where entertaining guests was frequent and food was abundant and delicious. With one parent from northern state of Azerbaijan near Russia and one from the southern state of Fars near the Persian Gulf, the family prepared and celebrated cuisine of many regions.  She learned by observing her mother and aunts and then cooking alongside of them.  Travelling throughout Iran, she learned firsthand knowledge of spices and herbs that were used in preparation of authentic foods of Persia and neighboring countries and techniques for making them.
Having traveled to other parts of the world, she has learned to cherish the experience of authentic cuisine of different countries and loves to share that with others. She holds private culinary parties and caters Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Her formal education is in Architecture but cooking has remained a passion and a hobby.

Bobby Moore

Barking Frog Restaurant

Executive Chef Bobby graduated from Seattle Central’s Culinary Program in 1997; shortly afterwards he became sous chef at Fullers in Seattle. He has been with the Barking Frog since 2001. In 2008, he was invited to cook at the historic James Beard House in New York City, where he led his culinary team to prepare a five-course meal. Chef Bobby loves what he does and it shows. People ask us why the restaurant is called the Barking Frog. The name comes from the Native American storytellers use of the Frog as a symbol of wealth or abundance. When the frogs are barking, it is a sign of peace and harmony in nature. At the entryway of the dining room, a Robert Davidson bronze Haida sculpture emphatically greets guests. However, Chef Bobby has his own interpretation. He says that when frogs are croaking, they’re happy, and that’s how he wants his customers to feel. We’re pretty sure he’s hit the mark.

John Bell

Wine Maker

John Bell is the winemaker and sole owner of WILLIS HALL, LLC. In the early 1980s, John developed an interest in wine appreciation. Pursuing all avenues to learn about wines for over 15 years, John determined that further learning could come about only by his actually making wine. Because he was an employee of The Boeing Company, John availed himself of the opportunity to join the Boeing Employees' Wine and Beermakers' Club, a.k.a. the Boeing Wine Club, giving him access to the accumulated experience of fellow members, some of whom had started commercial wineries, as well as access to some of the most highly regarded vineyards in Washington State.

John's palate, which had been developed from his earlier wine education, enabled him to fashion wines that were awarded Best-of-Class, Gold, and Best-of-Show awards. The next logical step for John was to start WILLIS HALL, so that his wines could be made available for general purchase, consumption, and enjoyment. Vintage 2003 was the inaugural vintage for WILLIS HALL. In 2004 John retired from Boeing and is now making wine full time at WILLIS HALL. And in April 2006 in their inaugural Washington Wine Awards, Seattle Magazine honored John by naming him Best New Winemaker in Washington.

Bertrand de Boutray

Cooking Instructor

With an aristocratic ancestry, Bertrand is a French-born American chef who has a passion to share his knowledge and love of his native country. Living in Seattle, Washington, he is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef who began his business, Bertrand Chez Vous, in 1995.

Along with offering his hands-on Cooking Together Parties for people who primarily live in the Pacific Northwest, he introduced his unique Gastronomic Tours to France with Bertrand in 2000. They were an instant success and continue to be one of the finest trips anyone could experience. He frequently returns to France to find new regional restaurants and interesting sites for his popular tours. His trips receive rave reviews from everyone who has the pleasure to participate in them. Bertrand takes care of every detail - from arranging hotel accommodations, restaurant reservations, travel in France along with fascinating and fun activities. He is always available to act as gracious host, fluent translator and ready to assist each of his guests with any need. Because of his first hand knowledge of France and the places and people only he knows, his guests' experiences are unmatched by any other tour.

With extraordinary energy and enthusiasm, Bertrand also offers Team Building Cooking Classes for staff members of corporations and small businesses, has given cooking classes in retail settings and contributes his talents to a number of charitable organizations. He belongs to a number of professional culinary associations that include The International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Washington State Chefs Association, the James Beard Foundation and is President of the Seattle Chapter of La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs.