Haley Byer
A California native, Haley received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from CSU Channel Islands. Haley initially considered a path that would integrate therapy with her lifelong interest of baking, as she had grown up creating Dutch sweets along side her mom and Oma.
With a thirst for continued knowledge, Haley became fully immersed in a career of baking and pastry. Paving her way, Haley honed her technique at Oenotri, one of Napa Valley’s highly acclaimed institutions. Haley next went to Farm at the Caneros Inn (Michelin recommended) and after a brief time as pastry assistant, she assumed the full responsibility and scope of pastry chef.
Haley furthered her experience at Thomas Keller’s, Bouchon Bakery, where she found her true love in the discipline of bread! She became captivated with the sensory experience and magical process of transforming humble ingredients into exquisite food.
She continued to make her mark as head baker at the historic wood-fired, naturally leavened Della Fattoria (Sonoma County, Ca). With experience and confidence, Haley started an acclaimed sourdough cottage bakery, Deer Park Bread Project, along with her husband Brendan.
The two responded to an opportunity to move to Oregon’s wine country to open Okta and Tributary Hotel, which earned a James Beard nomination, and made the NY Times and Esquire’s 2023 Best New Restaurants list. There Haley developed a wood-fired bread and pastry program with the intention of galvanizing the relationship of baker to farmer. In the spirit of true craftsman, Haley still finds herself enamored by the humble process of baking.
Alea Bakery is a culmination of both Haley and Brendan’s over decade long tenure in an ever evolving industry, coupled with inspiration from travels and an unrelenting thirst to honor various cultures.
Brendan Byer
Brendan Byer was born and raised in Michigan where he immediately took to helping his mom in the kitchen. Food was a focal point of family gatherings, it became a love language. It wasn’t until Byer ventured West that he began to professionally pursue cooking. After attending the California Culinary Academy by Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco, he went on to learn and excel at Spruce, Madrona Manor and Bouchon Bistro.
Brendan immediately took to fine dining and continued to hone his craft becoming a sous chef at Del Dotto Vineyards collaborating to create and execute a tasting menu experience. From there, Byer joined the team at Single Thread, a 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Healdsburg, California. This experience allowed for growth and after two years and climbing up the ranks, Brendan left as a sous chef to open a cottage bakery with his wife. Focusing on local and organic ingredients producing sourdough bread and pastries for farmers markets and wholesale accounts in Sonoma County.
Having developed an accomplished business for two years, Brendan was hired to be opening Chef de Cuisine at Ōkta in Northern Oregon. At Ōkta, Brendan’s passion, management skills, work ethic and creativity helped the restaurant obtain accolades, including; Relais & Châteaux, James Beard Nominated, and noted in NY Times and Esquire.
Chef Byer blends his passion and curiosity to conceptualize every detail and calls to his experience and technique. He is a chef’s Chef and will always want to be on the line. Brendan is in constant pursuit of learning new skills and a multitude of different cultures through culinary traditions.
Alea bakery is a culmination of both Haley and Brendan’s over decade long tenure in an ever evolving industry, coupled with inspiration from travels and unrelenting thirst to honor various cultures.
Erik Van Kley is the Executive Chef of Arden restaurant, a seasonally-driven, wine-focused restaurant in the heart of Portland’s Pearl District. Taking its name from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It,” the forest of Arden was a female-led, idyllic place, for those who escaped to live off the land and to live a simpler life. Arden invites guests to step out of the city and celebrate nature’s bounty with a menu that shifts with the seasons, with dishes that always let the high quality of the ingredients shine through. Chef Van Kley draws on years of experience in some of Portland’s most acclaimed restaurants including Le Pigeon, Little Bird, Taylor Railworks, and Accanto. At Arden, Van Kley balances the incredible ingredients of the Pacific Northwest with global cooking inspiration.
Chef Janet O’Connor was raised in rural Eugene, Oregon on a 35-acre property of mostly woods, where her family made their own bread from scratch, foraged mushrooms and caught their own fish, cultivating an affection for eating from the earth (not a box) at a young age. After high school, she spent several years living in Europe, later returning to Oregon with a newfound love of European cookery. She went on to attend Le Cordon Bleu and has since spent the last 30+ years refining her skills in the Portland culinary scene, including runs in notable restaurants like Ringside, Atwaters, The Heathman, Meriwethers and The Savory Tart. From her barefoot farm-child beginnings, her experience in hospitality and her continued research and development in Europe, she is an expert on farm-to-table European-style dining. In 2009, in partnership with her husband, she opened Bethany’s Table, which just celebrated its 15-year anniversary this spring.
Chef Dustin is a Bay Area transplant spending his culinary career on both coasts, eventually landing in Oregon where he started restaurants in both McMinnville and Pendleton. After spending 26 years in the restaurant industry, he wanted to expand his culinary freedom, thus Biscuit and Pickles Catering was born. He works closely with numerous Willamette Valley wineries pairing Oregon’s beloved Pinot Noir with local ingredients for a true valley to plate experience.
Since 1987 our family farm has delighted those who yearn for simpler times and great tasting berries. Our third generation family farm, owned and operated by Ronald and Jamie Lewis, is proud to bring a full line of quality products to your table. What started with a dream of raising the finest quality blueberries for our family and local community has now turned into over 130 acres of blueberries, boysenberries, Marionberries, blackberries, tayberries, strawberries, apples, and peaches. Our hands-on approach and active role in the growing operation allows us to maintain the highest level of quality from the time our berries are harvested until they are processed and used for our delicious hand-crafted pies and other gourmet products in the Blue Raeven line. We believe a great pie starts with great local fruit. We represent time-honored values, a commitment to bring the taste and flavor reminiscent of the good ‘ol days.
OUR STORY
In 2012, we began our mission to create gourmet donuts with fresh herbs, spices, fruits, and liquors in unique combinations, unlike anything a donut had ever experienced. Our flavors reflect the adventurous spirit and quality collaborations that celebrate the creativity and diversity in our communities. We strive to create delicious and unforgettable mouth moments – for grownups and not-so-grownups alike!
OUR DONUTS
Our raised yeast donuts are made from our special homemade French brioche recipe. The dough takes 18 hours to make and is prepared by hand every day. We start with high-quality sustainable bread flour, eggs, milk, and then fold in European-style butter. Our donuts, glazes, and fillings are made fresh throughout the day with a true passion for quality, and we prioritize collaborations with our local community vendors. Our unique and creative flavors have earned us the nickname “Donuts for Grownups!” We’re always looking to push the boundaries of what a donut can be.
OUR PEOPLE
Our fans, friends, employees, and partners are champions for quality! They are the culinary risk-takers. At Blue Star, local collaborations are central to who we are. Portland is renowned for its incredible bounty and its supportive sense of community, and embracing that spirit is part of what makes Blue Star so special. Wherever we may be, we prioritize working with our local vendors because we believe strongly in investing in our neighbors. We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase and appreciate the culinary artisans that make our communities unique.
Boma Food Company was started by Chef Geoffrey Mbogo and his wife Ambyr Mbothe in 2023. Geoffrey has spent his entire career exploring and perfecting his own niche in the food industry. Born and raised in Kenya, Geoffrey cooked for his family and spent summers working on his grandparent’s farm. Farm fresh vegetables, that he had helped plant and tend, and farm fresh meat and dairy were a daily part of his young life. Upon graduating from high school Geoffrey attended Nairobi Aviation College, studying both their Food and Beverage program as well as Hotel and Hospitality Management. In 2009, Geoffrey applied his gathered knowledge and opened his very first business, a farm to table dairy distribution company in Nairobi, Kenya. After successfully becoming known in his community as “the milk guy,” his entrepreneurial spirit led him to look for the next big move in his career. Geoffrey took a job as a kitchen assistant in Chaghcharan, Afghanistan on the International Military Base. When his contract ended, he returned to Nairobi, Kenya, and worked for a variety of restaurants and hotels, building further on his quickly growing experience. His search for his own piece of the food industry then led him to Seattle, Washington, where he got a job at Tamu Foods, Inc, and quickly became Kitchen Manager. Fast forward ten years, and shortly before the birth of their third son, Geoffrey and Ambyr decided it was time to make good on the dream of opening their own place. They relocated to Portland, Oregon, where Ambyr was from, and opened Boma Food Company. In the less than one year since they opened their doors in NE Portland, they have steadily built their own niche.
Rodrigo Huerta and Mary Hatz own Comida KIN, a Mexican-inspired Farm to Fork food truck. Comida KIN was established in 2020, when they found themselves unemployed due to the pandemic and with an underutilized food truck. Over the last 3 years Rodrigo and Mary have used their cooking to celebrate and bring awareness to Hillsboro’s farming community through their use of local produce, eggs, and pasture raised meats. Mary and Rodrigo met in culinary school in 2005 and cooked together throughout Portland restaurants. They got married in 2011 and traveled Mexico extensively which continues to inspire their food today. In 2022 they co-founded Eat Drink Washington County with local food and beverage community members to cultivate educational Farm to Fork programs that support regenerative agriculture. They continue to provide free farm fresh meals once a week to anyone in their community.
Cow Bell is a wholesaler and retailer of traditionally-made and artisan cheeses from Europe and across the United States. Since beginning business in 2012, Cow Bell has taken great pride and pleasure in selecting, caring for, and distributing fine cheese and charcuterie to restaurants, wineries and independent grocery stores in the greater Portland metro area, Eugene, the Willamette Valley and beyond.
Since 2020, their warehouse in inner Southeast Portland has also housed a small retail cut-to-order cheese shop, open to the public 5 days a week. The shop’s internationally award-winning cheesemonger crew seeks to welcome their customers with hospitality, good humor, and professional expertise, while celebrating cheese in all its many forms, flavors and functions.
Whether in a wholesale or a retail capacity, Cow Bell offers a marvelous selection of traditional cheeses, cured meats, and other delicious foods, with a focus on education and on presenting those products within a broader framework of the traditions, foodways, and agricultural systems at their foundation.
We are passionate about making great cheese to the highest standards, and we’re committed to investing in the kind of changes necessary to make a positive impact on our community. The Cypress Grove creamery is nestled on an 18-acre parcel of land — one of the last open tracts within the Arcata city limits. The Cypress Grove dairy is designed and managed primarily with the health and happiness of our herd in mind. Our animals have access to both pasture and well-ventilated, naturally-lit indoor areas — not to mention enough space and time for loafing between milkings to make our cheesemakers jealous. We even jokingly refer to the dairy as the “country club.” But don’t take our word for it; we’ve received 100% scores from the American Humane Association and Certified Humane.
Willamette Valley Vineyards Chef DJ MacIntyre grew up in Montana with a family that enjoyed feasting together, often with wild game and fresh-caught fish. Those early experiences taught him to appreciate the creation of high-quality dishes set on a backdrop of special occasions and family memories. After finishing college at the University of Oregon, Chef DJ started his career in Eugene, then moved to Seattle, where he worked with chef and restaurateur John Howie. He was chef de cuisine at Chef Howie’s SPORT Restaurant & Bar and later at the highly-regarded Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar that he helped Chef Howie open in 2009. Bringing others joy through local, sustainable foods led Chef DJ to his current position at Willamette Valley Vineyards in 2015. One of his favorite local ingredients to work with is steelhead as he loves its versatility and how it pairs well with many of our wines, including Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. He is also passionate about developing wine and culinary experiences around Oregon’s blossoming truffle industry. Chef DJ enjoys donating his time and talent to the community, including efforts by his team to cook meals for COVID-19 frontline workers at Salem Hospital. He has been named Best Chef through the Statesman Journal’s Best of Mid-Valley program for multiple years.
Jonathan Jones is a proud black chef born and raised in Southeast Pennsylvania. Those Appalachian foothill roots, as well as the numerous regions he has left pieces of his heart and his education in the mountains of Vermont, influence everything he makes. He lives and works in Salem with his wife and partner Maura, and together they use their award winning food to build community and be the change.
With a career that began in the bustling kitchens of the Bay Area and a significant chapter in Portland’s vibrant culinary scene, Mike Stone brings 19 years of cooking expertise to Grand Amari. His journey through esteemed kitchens like Domaine Serene, Campana, and Takibi has honed his craft in creating simple yet profound dishes that speak volumes. Mike’s philosophy is clear – let the ingredients shine without unnecessary garnishes, focusing on the craft of cooking over the art, ensuring every dish is a testament to traditional Italian cuisine viewed through a modern lens.
“Traditional, yet modern – that’s the balance I strive for in every dish. From the rich, slow-cooked lamb neck to the innovative twists on classic pasta, it’s all about enhancing the flavors that bring people together,” said Chef Stone. His love for Italian food, coupled with his background as a touring drummer, infuses his culinary creations with rhythm and soul, promising an exciting new chapter for Grand Amari’s patrons.
Brett Uniss, culinary director at The Ground, combines his love of the Pacific Northwest with the expertise he garnered in some of America’s finest restaurants. Uniss attended Johnson & Wales University, and after graduating, ventured west to Yountville, California to further his hands-on experience at the highly acclaimed Étoile at Domaine Chandon, and later Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry. By 2008, Uniss landed in New York City as chef de partie at Per Se, and later the sous chef at Bouchon Bakery. He then moved to Las Vegas, where he honed his skills at É by Jose Andrés, working at both Italian standout B&B Ristorante at the Venetian Resort and Blau + Associates’ Honey Salt and Andiron Steak & Sea. Uniss spends time outside the kitchen with his wife and two young daughters, foraging in the Oregon wilderness and lending a hand in the market garden at Tabula Rasa Farms.
Bio coming soon.
Our family business took shape when my great-grandfather, Joseph Czarnecki, opened Joe’s Tavern in 1916 in Reading, Pennsylvania. His son, Joseph Jr., carried on the tradition, transforming the original tavern into Joe’s Restaurant and changing the focus to fine dining and wine with wild mushrooms (a family passion) as the centerpiece. My father, Jack Czarnecki, followed in his father’s footsteps, taking Joe’s Restaurant to a new level while maintaining the mushroom theme. My parents’ dream to combine fine cuisine, great mushroom hunting, and world-class wine was fully realized in 1996 when they purchased The Joel Palmer House and moved the restaurant West.
As a fourth generation restaurateur and chef, I am honored to be carrying on the family tradition and proud to share our family’s passion for fine dining. I’ve spent the majority of my life in and out of kitchens (Pennsylvania, Germany, France, Oregon, and Iraq). And upon returning home from my service in the US Army in 2006, my father asked me if I wanted to join the family business. In 2008 my folks retired and it has been my goal to build upon my family’s rich traditions and continue to deliver superb cuisine and outstanding experiences to our guests.
Oregon-born Chef Jack Strong comes to The Allison Inn & Spa with over 30 years of culinary experience under his belt and most recently held the position as Executive Chef at the 453-room JW Marriott Camelback Inn Resort & Spa. During his tenure, he was awarded the coveted Culinary Excellence of the Americas by Marriott. Chef Strong previously held positions at Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel and the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa where he was honored with a James Beard nomination for Best Chef Southwest and co-authored the cookbook, The New Native American Cuisine. He began his career in the Culinary Arts Program at Lane Community College in Eugene, OR.
Chef/owner Kabba Saidikhan prepares exceptional Senegalese and Gambian fare from her food cart located in north Portland.
Bonnie Morales is the James Beard award-nominated Chef and Co-Owner of Kachka in Portland, Oregon, and author of Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking. The first-generation American daughter of Jewish immigrants, Bonnie grew up in Chicago immersed in the culture, food, and drink of the former Soviet Union. She went on to be classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America, followed by top kitchens in New York and Chicago. In 2014 she returned to her roots and opened Kachka with her husband and business partner, Israel Morales. Kachka’s since garnered countless accolades, while Bonnie was named a Rising Star Chef by StarChefs, and nominated for Food & Wine’s The People’s Best New Chef. Kachka has been lauded in myriad publications, and was recently featured in the Netflix series “Somebody Feed Phil,” as well as the Emmy award-winning docuseries “The Migrant Kitchen.” Kachka’s Horseradish Vodka can now be found at liquor stores throughout Oregon.
Ken’s Artisan Bakery is a nationally recognized bakery opened in 2001 by baker and author Ken Forkish. Forkish, whose book, Flour, Water, Salt, Yeast, helped jumpstart a home baking revolution. Ken retired in late 2021, selling the bakery to two longtime colleagues. Theo Taylor joined the bakery shortly after opening in 2002 and has been managing bakery operations, bread production, and the cafe’s lunch menu. Randy Dorkin has run the pastry program at Ken’s Artisan Bakery for 15 years. The Alphabet District bakery serves artisan breads, croissants, tarts, cookies, canelés from 8 am to 4 pm (or until sold out) and a full scratch lunch menu starting at 10am daily. Ken’s Artisan Bakery has been named one of the best bakeries in the country by Food & Wine, Sunset Magazine, New York Post, Mental Floss, USA Today, Mashed, The Daily Meal, and others.
Chef Jacoby Zapata is an Oregon native born and raised in the Willamette Valley. He has spent the last 8 years honing his craft in La Rambla’s kitchens. His passion for Spanish and local Oregon cuisine can easily be seen and tasted when dining at La Rambla.
Nicco Muratore was born and raised in Boston, where he got his start cooking at the restaurants inside the historic Fenway Park. He was introduced to Middle Eastern cuisine by Chef Ana Sortun at Oleana Restaurant and Sofra. After three years at Sortun’s restaurants, Nicco joined The Montagu Kitchen in London’s Grand Hyatt Hotel. Next up was a stint at Danny Meyer’s historic Union Square Cafe in New York, before he returned to Boston to join Chef Steven Postal’s team at the newly opened Commonwealth, where he spent five years working his way from Sous Chef to Chef de Cuisine. Nicco joined mamnoon as Chef de Cuisine in the summer of 2019. Since then he has taken its menu to new heights and in 2022 took over the role of Mama Group Executive Chef, overseeing the culinary teams at mamnoon, mbar, mamnoon street, anar, hanoon, and manna. In 2022, Nicco appeared on an episode of Food Network’s Chopped and took home the victory in a pickle themed competition. Nicco lives in Seattle with his wife, Sam, and their two dogs.
It’s always been about the people. From our first booth at the Portland Farmer’s Market in 2001 to our storefronts at Bridgeport Village and in Newberg, we’ve always believed that cooking up the world’s best popcorn is simply our way of making people feel valued, honored, seen, and loved. That’s why we’re committed to creating high-quality, small-batch snacks and an experience that makes your day. Whether you’re sweet, salty, spicy, or savory, there’s something for everyone at Miss Hannah’s — and we can’t wait for you to find your favorite!
Maylin Chávez is a native of Tijuana, Baja California Norte and a Rancho la Puerta alum. Maylin brings her heritage and passion for the sea to each dish she prepares. Her personal and professional experiences cooking in Baja, and around the country while being surrounded by the rich diversity of ingredients has created a direct imprint on her cuisine. “My approach to oyster and seafood cookery is to surprise the senses, and bring a mélange of globally inspired flavors to each bite you enjoy.” Maylin moved to Portland, Oregon in 2014 to open her first restaurant where oysters took center stage and the bounty of the Pacific Northwest met the flavors of her hometown of Baja.
Her cuisine and restaurant have been featured in Bon Appetit magazine’s Best New Restaurants, Eater’s 38 “Hot List”, Sunset magazine, Food Network’s Best Oyster Bars in America, Northwest Travel & Life, Wine and Spirits magazine and many more. Maylin has also appeared on the Food Network, Guy’s Grocery Games, and Chopped.
Chef Sara Woods joined the Nostrana team in 2022 after a culinary career that spanned NYC and Michigan before settling in the PNW. A Michigan native and Culinary Institute of America graduate, Woods has worked at beloved restaurants like Oceana, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Commerce Restaurant, Zingerman’s Roadhouse, and Lincoln, as well as food styling work with Martha Stewart Living and the Food Network.
At Nostrana, Chef Sara Woods works with the restaurant’s dedicated sommelier team to craft dishes for special events and dinner series’ like the ongoing Regional Italian Dinners, which focus on pairing food and wine from specific regions, and the In Boca Dinners, which feature long-forgotten recipes from the rare vintage Italian ‘In Boca’ cookbooks. Woods’ menus are themselves like a compelling book, telling a story and leaving you eager for the next chapter.
Nostrana was named one of “The 20 Best Italian Restaurants In The US” by Tasting Table in 2023, is regularly recognized as offering one of the best pizzas in the country (and world) and has received accolades from La Cucina Italiana, Food & Wine, Saveur 100, The Wall Street Journal and more.
Chef Althea Grey Potter has been a food enthusiast since she was very young. It is no surprise that the child of an artist and a flavor chemist became a chef! Raised in rural New England by counter culture parents, as a toddler she harvested fresh vegetables from the family garden and developed a deep appreciation for seasonal produce. Althea has always loved to cook and has been working in the restaurant industry since she was a teenager. After graduating from the Oregon Culinary Institute, Althea spent many years cooking in some of Portland’s best restaurants and catering kitchens. Her work at Oui! Wine Bar received recognition as one of Portland Monthly’s Best New Restaurants 2018. After appearing on both Food Network’s Chopped and Guy’s Grocery Games, she was named Eater Portland’s 2019 Food Personality of the Year. Currently, Chef Althea is the chef/owner of a catering and events business, Nouveau Food & Wine and a condiment company, The Flavor Society. She lives in Portland with her husband, Matt and their dog, Crouton.
Tucked into one of Portland’s beautifully restored industrial buildings, Olympia Provisions Southeast has grown from establishing the city’s first salumeria to being a destination for refined European cuisine. Our menu is guided by the capable hands of chef Matthew Jarrell, and reflects a traditional approach to the culinary world of rustic Spanish and Mediterranean cooking. In combining these methods with the fresh local produce, seafood, and meat of the Pacific Northwest, Jarrell’s dishes highlight the local seasons on the menus while honoring timeless traditions that inspired our world of charcuterie.
Salumist Elias Cairo, grew up first generation Greek-American, with a father who made charcuterie at home. After five years in Switzerland under master chef Annegret Schlumpf, Cairo completed a chef apprenticeship. Utilizing the finest ingredients, he developed his skills and passion for making charcuterie, and the experience affirmed his beliefs – handmade is better. Back in Portland, Oregon, Elias set out to approach the craft of charcuterie with purity and patience, recreating a nearly extinct old world technique that’s seldom seen in America.
Joey is chef of Parallel Food & Drink, which he owns with his wife Stacey, a sommelier. The two have built their business around the joy of pairing food and wine. Joey grew up northwest of Atlanta and enrolled in culinary school directly after graduating high school. After working for a couple years in Georgia and South Carolina, he jumped at an opportunity to move to New York City. While in New York, he cooked under such noted chefs such as Brad McDonald & Peter Hoffman. After eight years of the grinding big city cook-life, he moved to Portland where he worked as a sous chef at Roman Candle Baking Co. and Olympia Provisions. He pivoted in 2016 with two major changes – the birth of his daughter and his pop-up, Parallel. Both have since grown immensely. His southern roots, New York training, and mentorship by farm-driven chefs have given him a cooking style that is a seasonally-driven combination of comfort and fine dining.
Executive Chef/Director of Culinary Operations Phillip Michael Price leads the culinary team. Phillip began his love for food in his youth when he and his family moved to Europe. Phillip started in the hospitality industry at 14 years old and didn’t stop cooking. During and after culinary school and college Phillip has been lucky to work in some incredible restaurants, from award-winning hotels to James Beard noted restaurants, an intimate private chef business and Michelin-starred kitchens. Phillip joined the Wyant Hospitality Group (Park & Main and soon to open Ikigai as the Executive Chef in late 2024). Phillip has brought his southern spirit and extensive knowledge of food to Carlton and Yamhill County. Phillip is excited about being in Carlton, planting roots here, and continuing to feed and connect with all of the wonderful locals and diners.
Paul Bachand retains a humble yet spirited approach to his 35 plus years in the culinary world. Growing up under the watchful eye of his mentor, Chef Michael Philippi from The Hobbit restaurant in Orange, California he learned the fundamentals of classical French cooking from the age of 7 through high school. Graduating from Western Culinary Institute in 1995, he worked throughout the state of Oregon defining his style of cooking while working as a winery chef for WillaKenzie Estate, Executive chef at Farm to Fork in Dundee as well as Bernard and Martine Morillon in Beaune, France. He achieved the goal of opening his own restaurant, Recipe Neighborhood Kitchen in 2011. He and his wife’s new venture in the neighboring town of McMinnville will replace the fine dining white tablecloth service for a hip upbeat and flirty restaurant and bar simply called “pinch”.
Pine State Biscuits began as a brainchild centered around…what else? The quest for the perfect, buttery, flaky, homemade biscuit. Kevin Atchley, Walt Alexander, and Brian Snyder knew biscuits all too well from growing up in North Carolina, but having relocated to Portland, Oregon, they craved the down-home cooking they knew from childhood, so they banded together to bring the Southeast to the Northwest.
Elijah was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. Early life at the Portland Waldorf School encouraged his creativity and eye for the artistic. Starting at the tender age of 17, he worked in the Portland fine dining scene under Chefs John Gorham and Matthew Sigler, before eventually leaving for Greenough, Montana in late 2020 to work with mentor Brandon Cunnigham at The Green O. As the opening Chef de Cuisine for Chef Cunningham, Elijah’s focus was on co-creating and executing an 11-course tasting menu, which, in March of 2022, Vogue Magazine called “Montana’s Noma”. His work at The Green O was featured in several lauded publications, including Art Culinaire and Travel and Leisure. Upon returning to his hometown, Elijah earned the title of Executive Chef at Quaintrelle in October of 2023. He creates our 10 course tasting menu with a nod toward the playful and nostalgic, and a focus on presentation and technique.
Sean Carey is the General Manager of Rawdacious Desserts, a Portland-based dessert company making handmade gluten-free and vegan treats using minimally processed ingredients. Sean is also the Chef of Tiny Moreso Café and Treat Shop in NE Portland, a café focused on local, whole foods and desserts made without refined sugar. Sean began cooking professionally at 16, with far-ranging experiences in restaurants, institutional foodservice, and catering from Oregon to Vermont. After a ten-year hiatus from foodservice with a career in healthcare, Sean returned last year to help accelerate the growth of Rawdacious Desserts. Sean earned his Associate’s Degree in Culinary Arts from Linn-Benton Community College and a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration from the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill.
Jose “Lalo” Camarena is the executive chef of República, a Mexico-forward restaurant recognized as one of Bon Appétit’s “Top 10 Restaurants of 2022” and a James Beard Award nominee for “Best New Restaurant” in 2022. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and spending a significant amount of his upbringing with his family in Mazatlán, Mexico, Camarena moved to Portland when he was 15 years old. After working in a variety of kitchens, he attended Oregon Culinary Institute and was drawn to República soon after graduation, interested in the restaurant’s commitment to honoring the rich culinary heritage of Mexico. At just 24 years old, this young chef is leading one of the top kitchens in the country, also the recipient of the 2023 StarChefs Award for Rising Star Chef in the Pacific Northwest. Now, Camarena creates new tasting menus daily, each night bringing with him a passion for his people, his culture, and their stories, using the abundance of the Pacific Northwest to redefine Mexican cuisine.
In 2013, Chef Paul Losch opened the highly seasonal New American restaurant Ruddick/Wood in downtown Newberg. The restaurant was a long time coming for Paul, who started his culinary career nearly two decades earlier at age 13 when he started working at a snack bar in rural Pennsylvania. Life and his career have taken Paul through the Culinary Institute of America, London, New York, and Colorado, before he landed in Portland in 2008. Thoughtful flavor combinations earned him loyalists, but he was restless for his own spot, which became Ruddick/Wood. R/W seeks out local farmers and purveyors and highlights their products with diverse techniques. Influence might be drawn from his Lebanese mother, or his late father’s love of pasta, and fiddlehead ferns might pop with fish sauce on a plate next to house-aged ribeye. The restaurant is a staple among locals and wine country visitors alike.
Tyler Malek is the Co-Founder and Head Ice Cream Maker for the Portland-based Salt & Straw Ice Cream. Since its founding in 2011, Malek and his cousin Kim Malek, Salt & Straw’s CEO, have built Salt & Straw from a humble ice cream cart into a fast-growing company with locations along the West Coast and Florida while retaining its bones as a family-run company known for its culture of hospitality.
While Tyler initially had plans to enroll in culinary school in Seattle, when he discovered Kim was planning to fulfill her lifelong dream of opening an ice cream company, Tyler changed course and convinced her to take him on. He loaded up his car, drove to Portland and set up his workspace in Kim’s kitchen. Using an ice cream maker he found at the Goodwill, Tyler began his new role as Salt & Straw’s head ice cream maker testing his endless ideas for recipes.
In May 2011, the Maleks started Salt & Straw Ice Cream, serving eight flavors from a push cart in Portland. Known for its taste provoking, imaginative ice cream creations, Salt & Straw is now the largest small batch ice cream company in the world with scoop shops in Portland, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, San Diego, Seattle, and in Downtown Disney® District in Anaheim, California.
Since opening, Tyler has created more than 1,200 flavors and spends most of his time working with his R&D department in Portland, which designs future flavors and hunts for new stories to express through ice cream. Due to his tireless pursuit to change the way people experience ice cream, Tyler was selected as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for “Changing the Way America Eats”, named Zagat 30 Under 30 for 2017, one of the Portland Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and one of the Eater Young Guns Semi-Finalists.
In April 2019, Tyler revealed the inspiration behind his flavors and the beloved company in the brand’s debut cookbook, The Salt & Straw Ice Cream Cookbook. Tyler currently lives in SW Portland with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs.
Bio coming soon.
Kasey Mills is co-owner and executive chef of Sesame Collective restaurant group in Portland, Oregon, whose restaurants include Mediterranean Exploration Company, Dolly Olive, Shalom Y’all, Yalla, Lil’ Shalom, and Bless Your Heart Burgers. Originally from South Dakota, Kasey landed his first job in the kitchen at the age of 20 after working as a ski lift operator, and never looked back. Kasey moved to Portland to attend culinary school in 2001 and began cooking his way up the ranks at Portland institutions including the Oba, Fratelli, and Fenouil. In 2007 he introduced himself to Portland restaurateur John Gorham and assumed the position of sous chef at Toro Bravo. Kasey became a partner in the group in 2014, opening Mediterranean Exploration Company known for its innovative cuisine from the eastern Mediterranean and beyond, Shalom Y’all in 2016, and classic Americana spot Bless Your Heart Burgers in 2017. In 2020, Kasey and partners Jamal Hassan and Laura Amans set out to create their own restaurant group, Sesame Collective. Over the years, Kasey and the culinary team have traveled all over the eastern Mediterranean and beyond for menu research. Mills finds inspiration in his world travels as much as his explorations in his own garden and through the pages of cookbooks. In his free time Kasey enjoys spending time with his wife and their two young sons, rock climbing, hiking and camping in the Pacific Northwest.
The product of a lifetime’s study and passion, St. Jack is an ode to the bouchons, or esteemed cafés found in Lyon, France, and to Chef Aaron Barnett’s take on the humble excellence of rustic French cuisine.
Matt is the chef/owner of Sybaris in historic downtown Albany, which opened in 2001. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Michigan State’s Hospitality Business School in 1993 and moved to Oregon in 1994. Matt has won several culinary gold, silver and bronze medals in Michigan, Portland and Seattle. He was the first chef to prepare a dinner at the James Beard House using Northwest Native American ingredients in 2011 and was honored to be nominated for best chef in the Northwest by the James Beard Foundation in 2011 and 2012. Matt was one of 12 chefs in North America chosen to compete at the Championnat du Monde de Pâté Croûte Compétition, held in New York City. Matt has been invited three times and placed third at the last competition he attended.
He was described in the publication of Best Places Northwest as a chef whose menus “reflect a fearless and playful approach to food”. Bennett focuses on using the highest quality local, and whenever possible organic, ingredients. Sybaris serves contemporary Northwest cuisine that changes every month.
Joseph Jackson might have been raised in Southern California but the Pacific Northwest was his destination. Growing up, Joe often spent his summers at his family’s orchard in Wenatchee, Washington. Fishing was one of his favorite pastimes and he fell in love with catching steelhead, Chinook, and Sockeye salmon out of the Columbia and Wenatchee Rivers. In high school, he had the opportunity to work at a small Italian restaurant making pizza and pasta. After graduating high school in 2006, the Willamette Valley beckoned and Joe attended George Fox University, studying Biology and History. During college, Joe found his way back into kitchens working at a number of restaurants over the years in the Willamette Valley, growing his knowledge of Pinot Noir and his new love for cooking with wood-fire. In March of 2019, he and his business partner opened Trellis, a Northwest wine and fare focused kitchen, in Dundee where he is the Executive Chef. Joe lives in Newberg with his wife Caydee, Trellis’s Executive Pastry Chef, and his son Merritt.
Megan Walhood and Jeremy Daniels are co-owners of Viking Soul Food. The two own a Portland food cart specializing in Nordic inspired cuisine. They have been in business since 2010, and have been fortunate enough to to be recognized both locally and nationally as one of the country’s best and most unique food carts.
Ricardo is a Northern California native, where he spent most of his adolescence cooking traditional Mexican food at his family-run taqueria. He went on to complete the program at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and soon after, traversed Central America where he cultivated an enthusiasm for marrying bold Latin flavors with his love for European technique. This passion led to the opening of his restaurant, Pura Vida Cocina, that sits in the heart of McMinnville on historic Third Street and brings a unique Latin taste to Oregon’s wine country. His most recent venture combines both his passion for food with beer by opening the Pacific’s Northwest’s first Latine brewery, Xicha Brewing in Salem. A new Xicha brewing facility and event space opened in Eugene this spring.
Kate Koo began her sushi training in 2000; her education has included both traditional apprenticeships under Japanese chefs and continuous independent study. Koo’s early apprenticeships inform her approach: one that honors sushi’s tradition of simplicity and precision while pursuing its unattainable perfection. She opened the sushi bar at Zilla in the summer of 2008 with a focus on showcasing high-quality ingredients in traditional preparations. 15 years later, she continues to craft sushi behind her bar using traditional techniques balanced with modern creativity.
Koo also curates Zilla’s expansive sake program and is a Sake Certified Professional through John Gauntner’s Sake Professional Course. In 2016, she passed the International Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s Sake Award Level 3 with distinction; WSET’s highest level of achievement. Learn more about Kate in Eater’s Omakase series and find her on Instagram: @kateyanagikoo
