Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Sector of Ketchum finds new life

New restaurant is latest addition to southwest section of downtown core


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

At Sego, pastry chef Sarah Lipton toasts a marshmallow for a serving of hot chocolate. Photo by David N. Seelig

Big changes are taking place on the block between Main Street and Washington Avenue near Second Street in Ketchum. The long-anticipated reopening of Whiskey Jacques' saloon has restored the city's primary live-music venue, the Magic Lantern Cinema is opening two more movie theatres and Ketchum's dining scene is on the rise with the opening of Sego.

In addition, the Cornerstone Bar and Grill in February will resurrect the historic building at the corner of Main and Second streets. Owners Meg and Erik Vorm have been remodeling one of Ketchum's oldest buildings and plan to preserve historical elements of the structure while bringing it into the 21st century.

Meanwhile, plans to establish a luxury hotel on a city block along Main Street between First and River streets are being reviewed by the city.

The buzz this week was about Sego, located in a new wood-and-stone building on Washington Avenue, near its intersection with First Street. The restaurant boasts a spacious dining room with a bar and an upstairs patio bar, and its walls are filled with art on loan from the Gail Severn Gallery. Artists include sculpture and part-time resident Judith Kindler, photographer Laura McPhee, mixed-media glass by Therman Statom, glazed ceramics by Jun Kaneko and encaustic work by Rana Rochat.

Sego commissioned work from local artisans—clay bowls created at Boulder Mountain Clayworks by Lauren Street, as well as glass pieces, wood boards and racks from other area artisans.

"I have made a big personal investment," said owner Kevin Stuessi. "We have 28 employees and many of the staff are people who grew up in Idaho and have returned."

Stuessi has been working in the restaurant business since he was a teenager. After spending 15 years in Las Vegas in several capacities, including vice president for food planning for Mirage Restaurants, Stuessi said he ate his way around the world.

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Stuessi came to Sun Valley in 1997 and after many visits decided to move to the valley. He left corporate life and started a consulting business with clients such as Starwood Hotel Resorts.

Sego's modern style is reflected by the owner's philosophy in eating.

"We are using farmers who wanted to develop a relationship," said Taite Pearson, Sego's executive chef. "We want the whole connection of dining, including great products such as local farmers who only have 70 cows, and they all have names."

Sego is participating in an edible-garden educational program based on the one started by renowned chef Alice Waters. With the help of the Environmental Resource Center and valley school students, a garden will be planted on a lot owned by the city of Ketchum on Washington Avenue near First Street.

"We will be breaking ground in the coming months," Stuessi said.

He said a shed on the lot will be remodeled by the Wood River High School woodworking class and will provide a home for the ERC's telescope.

"I thought it would be a great opportunity to utilize the land and do a community garden," he said.

Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com

Ketchum's new patisserie

On the other side of Ketchum, another new business has opened. The Rolling in Dough bakery moved from the upstairs of Nancy Rutherford's home to a new location and retail space in Ketchum on Seventh Street near Warm Springs Road. Rutherford's commercial kitchen is also a patisserie with homemade pastries, baked goods, sandwiches and coffee to go or eat in. Rutherford 's company is a two-year-old European pastry company, which creates traditional brioches, gateau Basque, raspberry crème torte, assorted artisan breads and many more savory treats. Rolling in Dough serves several valley businesses, including Atkinsons', Zenergy, Penelope's Café and Iconoclast Books and Café, and items can be bought through Idaho's Bounty.

Rolling in Dough will host an open house today from 4:30-7:30 p.m.




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