Varin Keokitvon
Participating Chef - United States - Mexico
Restaurant: Heartwood Provisions, Seattle, USA
Born in Laos, Chef Varin Keokitvon has developed his passion for cooking since he was a child. He decided to pursue university culinary studies in Seattle and completed his training with internships in local restaurants and restaurants abroad. This passion, developed over the years, results in his menus being a taste of not only flavors, but also memories, travels, techniques, sensations, and ingredients from around the world, all united with the roots of his home country. His professional career began at Elliott's Oyster House in Seattle. He progressed professionally with a social venture working as Head of Operations for the non-profit organization Farestart. In this project, his work involved training homeless and low-income people in cooking and restaurant management. During this work, he received a scholarship from the Spanish government and moved to Spain for nine months to work at Celler de Can Roca (3* Michelin) and Espai Sucre. After his apprenticeship in Spain, he returned to Seattle to manage the kitchen of the Heartwood restaurant, a task he combined with his work as an external professor at the University.
