Wow, Aunt Minnie from Moline can spend a summer afternoon watching a real Seattle chef! Gray Line of Seattle figures plenty of visitors will want to tag along on a trip through the market and demo in the kitchen. Jason Wilson of Crush is the only "name" to sign up, but the Space Needle, El Gaucho and Palisade are also on the list for the 3-1/2 hour programs.
Don't take this wrong. Local celebrity chefs like Kerry Sear have been doing market tours for years (a bargain at $75, including lunch with wine). Gray Line's just making it possible for outsiders to pretend they're insiders, if only for an afternoon, buy springing for Product 1326.
Says Gray Line's Judy Sprute, "People are looking for personal, interactive experiences during their vacations." She expects the 20 tour dates to sell out quickly because "it's a unique way to experience Seattle."
The $100 tab doesn't include an actual lunch, however. Gray Line says it hopes customers "take the opportunity to return to your tour location for a full meal during your stay."