Celebrated chef returns to Moses Lake golf club

Frag looks to impress customers even before they eat

MOSES LAKE - As Sameh Frag talks about returning to work at the Moses Lake Golf Club and its restaurant, members of the community come up to greet him warmly.

One shakes his hand, another smiles and says "I heard you were coming back," while another raves about his sea bass.

Frag and club General Manager Jon McDowell sit side by side through the kudos. Frag's return to the position of executive chef is a reunion for them.

"He knows my style, I know his style," Frag said. "It's very important."

"I take the approach of, what can't we do now?" McDowell agreed. "There really is no ceiling. Our limitations are what our imagination and creativity come up with. Our ability to do things has greatly increased with bringing Sameh here, bottom line. With his knowledge and experience, and my knowledge and experience and the staff we currently have, we have the opportunity to improve on what already is a very good reputation."

The restaurant employs about 30 people, McDowell said. He did not foresee a change in number with Frag coming in.

"The restaurant wants to be a part of the community," McDowell said. "For so many years, it was a private country club. The course is still private, but we want people to come out and enjoy themselves. Our number one goal is to take care of our customers."

The long-private facility went public with its restaurant, the Pillar Rock Grill, and its clubhouse in 2005.

Born in Cairo, Egypt, Frag spent 23 years in Moses Lake, but left to reside on Vashon Island for three years with his wife and four children. He returned to the club Saturday.

"If you're from Moses Lake, you're going to have to come back to Moses Lake no matter what," Frag said with a laugh. "As my wife and I call it, our working vacation is over."

The family missed their life in the Columbia Basin, purchasing a home in Odessa to serve as a vacation spot to get away from the "crazy" life of Seattle.

In his previous run, Frag worked as chef for the club for 11 years, and worked for eight years before that at the Best Western Hallmark Inn.

Frag originally went into aviation school, to please his father, he said.

"I always had passion for cooking," he said. "One thing about food, every day you learn something new, no matter how good you are. It's like being a doctor almost - they go to seminars and they learn a lot. Food's the same thing."

With his return, Frag wants to see the country club become the best in the Columbia Basin. The restaurant's job is to pamper its customers, he said. He plans to make changes to the menu, bringing in summer options and ensuring the best steak in town, he said.

"I'm never going to cut corners - quality's number one to me," he said. "The price, of course, I shop smart. I love competition. Whoever gives me the best quality for the best price, they're my friend."

Frag said he hopes to hear a "Wow" from customers before they even touch the food.

"We want the Pillar Rock Grill to be the first thing on people's mind when they think of going out to breakfast, lunch or dinner, bottom line," McDowell said.