Here in the Yakima Valley, we live in the birthplace of food. The earth is torn open every year, filled with seed, and voile! A gorgeous assortment of sustenance. Cattle graze, sheep munch, pigs root, and chickens scratch. We have it all, and that’s a wonderful thing, but something special is finding a person who finds pleasure in taking these raw materials and turning them into amazing and delicious dishes—like Chef Brad Masset, owner of Yakima’s Birchfield Manor and 5 North Metropolitan Restaurant.
Tuesday night I sat down at 5 North to a perfectly grilled steak and homemade mashed potatoes that would make a grandmother weep with joy at every smooth, flavor filled bite. For many people, this delectable meat and potato scenario is a pleasure at any time. But at 5 North, knowing that both the meat and the potatoes are from places close enough to hit by swinging a stick, makes every savory bite that much sweeter.
For Brad, utilizing the fresh food resources he has at his fingertips is second nature. While being a locavore is a recent popular term that people are fond of using when seeking and eating only local foods, Brad has been doing that since before the word was hip, because when living in a place with so much to offer, to him it seems like a no brainer. “Being in the Valley…when they’re available here, they’re perfect.” A commitment to local options is not always the easy choice for a restaurant owner. Having all the needs of a commercial kitchen delivered in one truckload (from who knows where) can be, and often is, a tempting way to go. But when a chef like Brad gets used to a certain level of quality that can only be attained by using ultra fresh ingredients to make everything on the menu from scratch whenever possible, nothing else will do. Lucky for us!
We were fortunate to accompany Brad recently on a couple of his catering events. One was a 100-mile harvest dinner that actually turned into a 15-mile harvest dinner. To clarify, that means he was given the instruction to source everything he needed from within a 100-mile radius, but because his center point was within the Yakima Valley, he was able to accomplish that in a 15-mile radius. Impressive! He actually picked the corn himself right out of Inaba’s field for the corn chowder, and roasted a whole pig born and raised in Wapato.
The other event we saw him prepare for was a nonprofit dinner for his son’s school with over 400 people eating, that featured lamb from the Martinez family—the Spanish sheep herding familia from Moxee—salmon caught on the Columbia, and a roasted pumpkin salad featuring a giant pumpkin his son picked out at Thompson’s Farm on Halloween Day. Terrifically local, and an absolute pleasure to eat.
There has been quite a bit of hullabaloo in recent years around the term “farm to table.” Both fervor filled Foodies or those who eat from a place of practicality rather than passion alike have heard or seen the phrase many, many a time. While the spirit of what farm to table means is rooted in an idea that truly has some integrity, the phrase itself has lost some of its impact. As Anthony Bourdain once said, “all food on your table comes from a farm somewhere.” Which is why Shelley, Aileen and I are so impressed with Brad Masset. He’s the real deal. In his own words: “We’re incredibly lucky to be here, it’s just a cool spot to be able to do what we do.”
Visit Brad at: Birchfield Manor or 5 North Restaurant
Brad’s absolute commitment to local products has always separated him from other talented chefs. But he’s also an under-appreciated artist, playing with flavor and texture combos in ways that are both innovative and fun. Give him a pumpkin and a pig and let him get to work! Love this guy and all that he brings to the local food scene.
Yes! Food is always fresh & top notch. The delectable quality can’t be duplicated.
Love this article ladies!! And Chef Brad Masset is a class act to work with. Food was amazing!
The dinner prepared for 400 St. Joe’s fund raiser was of remarkable taste and quality…..best buffet dinner ever…no small feat indeed.
What a fabulous write up!! You nailed it on many levels! It is an absolute treat to eat and stay at Birchfield and have had the pleasure of dining and drinking at 5 Notth! The intregity of the service and food prep is unsurpassed! Thank you for taking the time to write such a great article..he deserves it!!