Featured Chamber Member of the Month

Laurie Paul and Tim Barrette of The Market Chef – Contributed photo

Laurie Paul discovered San Juan Island in 1990, spending a summer break from college working in island restaurants and falling in love with Pacific Northwest beauty and the small town community a world apart from her hometown of Miami.

Meanwhile, Tim Barrette was finishing up his sociology degree at the University of New Hampshire, followed by some vagabonding around the country, cooking as he went, checking out the West Coast, on his way to Alaska for more adventure.

Their paths eventually crossed in Friday Harbor in 1994, while Laurie was working under Chef Greg Atkinson opening the Friday Harbor House restaurant, now known as ‘The Bluff”. Tim never did make it to Alaska, and instead a partnership in life, and work, was born.

They shared the Executive Chef role at FHH for over six years before moving on to their next adventure together. In 2002, Laurie and Tim moved on to open The Market Chef, a concept they developed at the Friday Harbor Farmer’s Market, running a small stand preparing seasonal specialties using locally produced ingredients, educating customers about the bounty of foods being grown right in their own backyard.

The goal was, and continues to be, creating a place where everyone can feel comfortable, while providing fresh, delicious and inventive meals using island grown ingredients at a more accessible price point than a typical fine dining experience allows.

They have followed this mission into a fourteenth successful year of business, raising two children (Sam, 18 and Talulah, 9) along the way, and have additionally grown a popular catering service valued by locals and visitors alike.

“The farmers, fishers and ranchers that supply The Market Chef are the backbone of our mission and define the work we do and the way we choose to run our business. As much as we love to cook delicious food, our real passion lies in doing what we can to promote local agriculture, sustainability and food culture in the San Juan’s. And we plan to continue to be involved and active participants in the shaping of this exciting island food culture for years to come.”

The Market Chef – Tim Barrette and Laurie Paul
225 A Street
Friday Harbor, WA 98250
(360) 378-4546

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