When it comes to grilling and barbecue, local chef Will Russell believes the best quality of rubs and seasonings is the versatility allowed for creative cooking. Something not too specific to a certain flavor, where one can add as much, or as little, as they please.
With his catering company’s line of spice rubs and seasonings, Russell is hoping to provide just that.
Willard’s Kitchen, Russell’s catering business based out of lower Queen Anne, offers three seasoning blends: an all purpose seasoning, a BBQ rub and a seafood rub and seasoning. His products are all-natural, gluten-free and MSG-free, with only the BBQ rub containing sugar.
“Grilling and barbecuing during the summer, I wanted something really versatile I could use on everything and something so versatile, you could add something to it,” he said. “If you add cumin to it, it becomes a Mexican seasoning. If you add oregano, it becomes Mediterranean. You can use it in every situation for breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
Russell has been operating Willard’s Kitchen for four years and says that a majority of his catering events are on Mercer Island. He’s been selling his spice rubs and seasonings for almost two years, beginning at fish markets and smaller stores. After partnering with distributor Crown Pacific Fine Foods last year, the Willard’s Kitchen line of spices now appear in nearly 100 stores in the King County area and is working its way into grocery stores.
“It hasn’t been easy,” he said, noting that his line seasonings compete with those of Tom Douglas. “A lot goes into it. There’s the fun side of cooking and trying things out, and then there’s the book side with a lot of trial and error and all that goes into running a small business.”
Growing up on Mercer Island, Russell said cooking was a family thing in which he was immersed. At four years old, he was making scrambled eggs. At six, he was boiling water and making pasta. From there, he began cooking pork, chicken and beef, going from one area of cooking to another, until he was making himself breakfast, lunch and dinner and falling in love with cooking in the process.
Russell cites his mother as a cooking inspiration, mentioning her lobster thermidor, creamy cooked lobster stuffed in a lobster shell and browned with gruyere, as a favorite. “It wasn’t what she made, it was the way she made it. You’d look in the pantry and find what you have and you’d think you have nothing, and then she would come up with this extravagant meal.”
“That’s how I got started. A recipe wasn’t what you’d follow. You’d do trial and error and kind of mix flavors. That was what she taught me.”
After graduating from Mercer Island High School, Russell went on to study communications at the University of Washington, where on the fraternity lawns of Phi Gamma Delta, he would unleash his love of food as the go-to grillmaster at parties and events. Russell always mixed it up beyond burgers, with marinated chicken or short ribs or whatever he felt like at the time. “I never wanted to do the same thing twice,” he said.
Out of college, Russell was steered to Las Vegas, where he worked for four years as a project manager on a nuclear repository for the department of energy. But realizing it wasn’t a job he wanted to do for the rest of his life, he moved back to Mercer Island, working stints in residential real estate and construction before going back to school at the Art Institute of Seattle. After graduating with honors, Russell decided it was time to start his own catering business, creating his own rubs and seasonings throughout.
Russell hopes that with his line of rubs and seasonings, people are able to create a variety of dishes with one rub and one seasoning blend, giving power to the individual to do as they will, to tone down or tone up whatever they want.
“I just want to say, ‘hey, here’s another option where you’ll still have a life.’ Time is of the essence, you can still cook creatively without having too much to plan. I’m immersed in my food, immersed in my life, trying to get people to jump on board making healthy, quality gourmet food. That’s what I’m trying to provide.”
Willard’s spices and blends are available at Freshy’s Seafood Market on Mercer Island. They can also be purchased online at www.willardskitchen.com.
Beer and Shrimp Saute w/ Willard’s Kitchen All Purpose Seasoning
4 Servings
Ingredient List
1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, larger the better as an appetizer or smaller for the main course
1 bottle of dark beer
1 Tablespoon Willard’s Kitchen All Purpose Seasoning
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
½ of a small onion, diced fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
Directions (Step by Step):
- Sauté onion and garlic over medium high heat for a minute or so, making sure not to burn the garlic (otherwise it will be bitter).
- Lower heat to medium. Add beer and the All Purpose Seasoning and reduce by half or more for a thicker sauce.
- Add shrimp; cook about 2-3 minutes until the color is pink all the way through.
- Add butter and swirl/melt in the sauce to give it a shiny color and creamy texture.
- Serve in bowl with crostini on the side for dipping, or over noodles.
