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New Canlis Head Chef Comes From Within
James Huffman is already making a difference at the upscale restaurant
In a lot of ways, Wednesday’s dinner service at Canlis was vintage Canlis. The stunning views of the sunset reflecting off Lake Union on a 68-degree day were the backdrop from the upscale restaurant’s perch on the east cliff of Queen Anne Hill.
It was unique, however, in one distinct manner. After a search that stretched nationally to New York and internationally as far away as Sri Lanka, Canlis promoted from within to appoint their newest head chef.
James Huffman, until recently the restaurant’s executive sous chef (interim head chef during the search), was promoted to head chef last week, the storied restaurant announced on Wednesday. Huffman, who grew up in Lake Forest Park, says he intends to focus on local ingredients in leading the Canlis kitchen, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
The search drew more than 60 finalists who were narrowed to about a dozen by early spring, says Mark Canlis, the third-generation leader of the Queen Anne restaurant.
“James was surrounded by great candidates, far more than we’ve ever had before,” Canlis says. “It just came down to having a local guy who knows our guests and our team. James gets Canlis, he gets Seattle. Not only did he grow up in this region, he grew up in this restaurant.”
Huffman has hit the ground running, installing a seasonal menu while the restaurant was searching for its new culinary leader. Huffman created six of the nine dishes on the current $180-per-person, three-course menu.
Huffman was initially hired by then head chef Brady Williams — one of Seattle Magazine’s Most Influential people in 2023 — nine years ago, and steadily rose through the ranks through the tenure of Williams’ successor, Aisha Ibrahim. Prior to Canlis, Huffman worked at Cafe Juanita in Kirkland and Purple Cafe, also in Kirkland. His first restaurant job was at Kidd Valley when he was 16.
“He was trained by a few of the best chefs in the business,” Mark Canlis says. “(Cafe Juanita chef and owner) Holly (Smith) is a legend. Brady and Aisha were champions for us. He’s more than ready. It felt time to let him shine.”
Earlier this week, the Canlis team bid farewell to Brian Canlis, part of the third generation to run the restaurant. Mark is now joined by his wife, Anne Marie Canlis, on the executive team. The couple are raising three children in addition to running the restaurant.
“She’s been a secret weapon for me for years,” Mark says of Anne Marie. “Now Canlis gets to see why our kids turned out so well.”
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