Seattle's "Gluten-Free Girl" promotes gluten-free Italian pastas; Snohomish teen to compete in Las Vegas for national teen chef contest

"Gluten-Free Girl" author/blogger Shauna James Ahern of Seattle (glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com) has teamed up with Ritrovo Italian Regional Foods to promote Ritrovo's gluten-free artisanal products, which include rice and corn pastas.

Ahern is among millions of Americans with celiac disease, an allergy to glutinous grains such as wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut and triticale. Since her diagnosis at age 38, she has shared recipes and life experiences on her blog and in her memoir "Gluten-Free Girl," published last year.

Ritrovo's co-founders and Ahern will answer questions about gluten-free cooking and give out samples at Seattle-area Metropolitan Market locations throughout April as follows:

• 4-6 p.m. April 18 at 1908 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle (Queen Anne)

• 12-2 p.m. April 19 at 2320 42nd Ave. S.W., Seattle (Admiral)

• 4-6 p.m. April 19 at 520 40th Ave. N.E., Seattle (Sandpoint)

• 4-6 p.m. April 25 at 100 Mercer St. (Uptown)

• 12-2 p.m. April 26 at 2420 N. Proctor St. (Tacoma)

• 4-6 p.m. April 26 at 1618 S.W. Dash Point Road (Federal Way)

Contact Metropolitan Market at 206-923-0740 for more information.

Best teen chef announced

Snohomish High School senior Andy Gibbs bested 10 other teen chefs from around the Northwest April 12 to win the Art Institute of Seattle's Best Teen Chef local cook-off competition.

Next month he'll travel to Las Vegas to compete against 30 other cook-off winners from around the nation for the national crown. The top scorers can win a full-tuition scholarship toward an associate's degree, certificate or diploma program to study culinary arts at one of the more than 30 participating Art Institutes locations. The first-place winner also gets a trip to visit Food Network's studios in New York.

Gibbs has worked at his father's Snohomish restaurant, Chuck's Seafood Grotto, since he was 8 and began cooking about five years ago. Ian Mackay, academic director for culinary arts, praised Gibbs' organizational skills and technique.

"Everything was hot and everything was seasoned. He did a great job, the kid has a lot of potential," Mackay said. "Clearly we can teach at a culinary school methodology and technique but you really can't teach talent. Some people have a better palate than others and this guy's got a really developed palate."

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Nearly 40 teens applied for the local contest. Finalists prepared a meal of shrimp cocktail and sautéed chicken breast with broccoli, rice pilaf and a creative garnish of choice, said spokeswoman Catherine Guyot.

Karen Gaudette: 206-515-5618 or kgaudette@seattletimes.com