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Robert Rogers named Northern Quest executive chef

Robert Rogers has been promoted to executive chef for Northern Quest Resort & Casino.

He will oversee all 14 of the property’s food and beverage venues and supervise the culinary team at Masselow’s, where he’s served as chef since the restaurant opened in 2009. He’s also served as executive sous chef for the property.

Under Rogers’ leadership, Masselow’s has been awarded several prestigious distinctions, including the AAA Four Diamond rating. Masselow’s was also named Best Fine Dining Restaurant for 2013 by the Washington Restaurant Association and Inland Northwest Tourism Awards.

Rogers grew up in Spokane, graduating from Shadle Park High School. He began his culinary career at the Davenport Hotel as a table-side cook. Throughout the years, he’s worked as line cook, food and beverage director, wine steward, corporate director of dining services and other positions.

He volunteers as a mentor at his alma mater’s ProStart, the high school program affiliated with the National Restaurant Association.

The resort, owned and operated by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians, is located 10 minutes west of downtown Spokane.

Friendship Kitchen cook-off winners

The results are in.

Here are the winners from The Friendship Kitchen’s Chili Cook-Off, held at the end of October.

• Best Overall – The Falls Club’s Chillin’ Chili

• Most Innovative – Syringa Japanese Cafe & Sushi Bar’s Spicy Duck Confit

• People’s Choice – First place: Capone’s Pub & Grill’s Packed Pancetta & White Bean Chili; second place: The Falls Club’s Chillin’ Chili; and third place: Olympia Greek Restaurant’s Two Meat Classic Greek Chili.

They weren’t the only winners.

The Friendship Kitchen not only raised enough money for its much-needed new refrigerator, it had enough for a commercial freezer, too. Both were installed in early November.

Founded in 1989 and staffed entirely by volunteers, the Friendship Kitchen at St. George’s Catholic Church in Post Falls serves community meals on Thursday afternoons. It needed a new cooler to keep up with demand.

The Friendship Kitchen feeds 125 to 170 people between 4 and 5:30 p.m. weekly. For more information, contact Vicky Winkler at (208) 755-9788 or victoriab208@yahoo.com.