A renowned and accomplished chef in the Pacific Northwest, Will Preisch grew up in the restaurant business, working at his family’s 24-hour diner in Cleveland from a tender and illegal age, busing tables, making from scratch desserts, and eventually working on the line. Priesch moved to Portland in 2005 and worked at restaurants throughout the city including Park Kitchen, Le Pigeon, The Bent Brick and co-founded Holdfast. He has traveled the world gaining experience at high end restaurants in Iceland, Denmark and France (and visiting a lot of B&Bs along the way). Priesch was named Chef & Innkeeper at Abbey Road Farm in 2020, excited to take all these experiences, and craft them into a clear, clean vision of food and hospitality. Preisch uses produce grown on Abbey Road Farm to craft flavorful and creative dishes for guests of Abbey Road Farm. Will, along with his wife Sara and twin boys Rex and Ziggy are enjoying life in wine country.
A Seattle area native, Chris joined Alloro Vineyard in October 2022. His love of partnering with the local community of growers and creating a sustainable culinary operation made him the ideal fit for Alloro’s culture and vision. Chris focuses on creating wine and food experiences from the ground up while harnessing Alloro’s commitment to excellence and thoughtful hospitality. Prior to joining Alloro, Chris spent six years at Barking Frog at Willows Lodge in Woodinville, Washington, where he was recognized as one of Zagat’s “30 under 30” and nominated by StarChefs for their “Rising Star Award.” From 2018-2022, he oversaw the culinary operation at The Allison Inn & Spa as executive chef.
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 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 at Blue Raeven a great pie starts with great local fruit. We represent time-honored values, and a commitment to bring the taste and flavor reminiscent of the good ol’ days. We hope you will agree. Let us take you back!
Stephanie Thornton is the Executive Pastry Chef and a Partner at Blue Star Donuts. Raised in a small farm town in Pennsylvania, Thornton’s first forays in baking were during her mother’s attempt to teach her fractions as they poured and measured together in the kitchen. Thornton received a Bachelor of Science in baking and pastry from Johnson & Wales University, and went on to cut her culinary teeth in the depths of New York kitchens, including the Four Seasons Hotel and Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. It was here that she perfected pastries like the black-belt boss that she is (literally). In 2012, Thornton joined forces with restaurateur Katie Poppe to develop a new gourmet donut concept based on a signature brioche dough. Chef Steph has created beloved classics and exciting seasonals such as the Orange Olive Oil, Caramel Pear and Brandy Fritter, and Grapefruit with Smoked Paprika. In 2020, she developed the newest addition to the Blue Star lineup: gourmet Donut Bites, which are now available in grocery stores across Oregon, Washington, and California. Her works of donut art have been featured in Vogue, Forbes, the Food Network, the Travel Channel, and made the cover of Bon Appétit.
Bomba Paella Catering has been making paella for over a decade and a half. At the request of a special friend to prepare family-style paella for a wedding of 150 friends and family, Bomba Paella was created. Our mission is to be the food component to the best celebrations which includes great people and great wine. Our style of paella ranges from authentic Valenciana to Paella Alicante to Vegan. We are excited to have the opportunity to match our paella with the great wines at this year’s IPNC event.
According to Sarah, “I’m following my passion in Dundee, Oregon. I have my own cheesemaking business crafting fresh and aged cheeses. The more I work with cheese, the more I know I’m living my dream.” The numerous awards she has earned are a testament to her passion to create great cheese. Food & Wine Magazine recently named Briar Rose Creamery one of the top 50 Cheesemakers in the United States. Sarah’s curd studies began in 2005 in San Francisco, California and culminated in setting up shop in Dundee, Oregon in 2008, with the launch of Briar Rose Creamery in 2010. Briar Rose Creamery is a tiny, regional cheesemaking operation in Dundee, Oregon, currently producing seven different cheeses with milk from two local cow dairies. There’s always another cheese in the works because Sarah cannot resist the urge to try something new.
BŪF is committed to making 100% grass fed, free-range, award-winning cheese.
Inspiration for our products came while riding a horse through our farms. As we watched the bufalas grazing on a fourth-generation farm, we thought why not make mozzarella di bufala? That horseback ride was the seed of inspiration that has taken us from Italy to Virginia, and all over the world bringing smiles and awesome flavors to BŪF fans. At BŪF, our attention to detail has allowed us to create the exquisite taste of our cheese. We are committed to crafting delicious, healthy and responsible cheeses from the milk of free ranging and grass-fed water buffalo. All our fresh water buffalo cheeses are made to order, fresh, never frozen, and 100% grass fed giving them a clean fresh taste that makes Būf mozzarellas and burratas stand apart from the rest.
Luna, a Mexican native, oversaw two highly praised Mexican restaurants in San Francisco; Mamacita and Padrecito. She achieved two three-star reviews from the San Francisco Chronicle and a Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants award from the San Francisco Chronicle, five years in row during her time at the helm. Restaurant critic Michael Bauer mentioned “Padrecito signals the rise of Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area”. For her continued dedication in staying seasonal, vegetable-driven and regionally-inspired, Michelin Guide awarded Mamacita with six consecutive Bib Gourmand awards.
After having visited Portland for years she made the move to the Pacific Northwest in 2015, in hopes of opening a restaurant and forming part of a community. She has received numerous reviews and pieces on identity in Eater, Portland Monthly, The Oregonian, Huffington Post and Travel Oregon. Luna continues to be an active member in the community through endless fundraising efforts from Taste for Equity, Roux Portland, as well as by continued positive awareness of transgender beings with partaking in filming Snack vs Chef on Netflix and in Feast Portland.
Luna has fought most of her life affirming and embracing her true identity. She finally embarked in starting hormone replacement therapy after a long battle with gender dysphoria. This continued journey brings a renewed passion to the approach of staying humble, honest, and real. A proud transgender woman, Luna, operates Chelo which is described as vegetable-laden multifaceted Mexican cuisine reliant on deliberate layers of flavor. She also has a small condiment line with products that can be found at Portland and Seattle retailers. She continues to serve on the board of directors of the Oregon non-profit Family Meal.
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.
Chef Thomas grew up in Davenport, Iowa and developed a passion for culinary arts while in high school working at the local country club under the direction of chef James Preszler who pushed him to go to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New york. This experience gave chef Ghinazzi a myriad of opportunities to hone his culinary skills, working for Chef Thomas Keller and famed Chicago chefs Anthony Martin, Dale Levitski, and Suzy Crofton. Chef Ghinazzi had his first opportunity working in Oregon with Ponzi vineyards pairing his food with their incredible wines. He opened Earth & Sea in Carlton, Oregon, with his longtime business partner Chef Jordan Neale in August 2019.
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.
Pitmaster TJ Fertterer specializes in Central Texas-style barbecue offering classic barbecue fare cooked low and slow on his double 500-gallon Moberg Smokers. Brisket, pulled pork, spareribs, burnt ends, chicken, and turkey, along with a variety of seasonal side dishes appear on the menu as Ferttie’s pops up at taprooms and wineries around Washington and Yamhill County. Watch for TJ’s bright orange food cart or simply follow your nose to Ferttie’s Barbeque all year round. Follow along on Instagram or Facebook, @ferttiesbbq, to find your barbecue fix at events up and down the Willamette Valley. Email TJ to inquire about catering for your next party or event, ferttiesbbq@gmail.com
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.
Chef Andrew Biggs is the Owner and Culinary Director of Hunt and Gather Catering in Portland, Oregon. Andrew is native to the Northwest, and has been a chef in the restaurant and catering industry for over 30 years. His passion lies in creating high quality meals that use locally grown seasonal ingredients, and forging relationships with local farms and purveyors. Chef Andrew has been honored to be the Kitchen Manager and Event Chef for IPNC for 15 years. As one of the founders of Art of Catering, he was a pioneer in building kitchens and bringing elevated culinary experiences to any destination. He figured out the recipe of bringing fine dining to catering. His work at Portland’s Heathman Hotel polished these skills and led him to start Hunt and Gather Catering in 2012. Hunt and Gather Catering offers a culinary experience rooted in the bounty the Pacific Northwest has to offer. With an event space in Portland’s Pearl District that is versatile and stylish, Hunt and Gather can accommodate a wide variety of events in-house while continuing to create unforgettable events anywhere off-site.
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.
Chef Philip Oswalt stays true to his Oregon roots. Raised in a family of chefs and restaurateurs. He took his first kitchen job at age 13 and quickly learned the importance of working with Willamette Valley farmers. Oswalt graduated from the New England Culinary Institute. His quest for piquant perfection has taken him to Washington State, Colorado, Hawaii, Florida and France. Returning to Portland. He initially made a home for himself at the Heathman Restaurant. Oswalt, as Executive Chef, now oversees the restaurants and catering for Multnomah Athletic Club.
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.
Sean Charles McKee is a French trained chef with a passion for all things culinary. From humble beginnings in the local coffee shop in Lander, Wyoming, Sean went on to learn his craft at Eugene’s Café Zenon. After moving to Portland and being voted Best New Chef in 2008 by the Portland Sentinel, he has gone on to study under four James Beard Award winners and has traveled the globe in pursuit of his passion. His impressive resume includes Daniel NYC, La Belle Vie Minneapolis, Pramil, Paris and two Michelin Star Chambard in Alsace. Leading the crews of Roux Restaurant, Brasserie Montmartre and Higgins in Portland paved the way to opening his own restaurant, The Newbergundian Bistro. When not in the kitchen, you might find Sean on his bike, playing music or in the garden. He currently resides in Newberg, OR with his wife Noelle McKee and their two children.
A James Beard winner, Nick’s Italian Café serves authentic Italian fare. The menu features family recipes passed down through three generations, created with fresh local ingredients. Founder Nick Peirano’s daughter, Carmen Peirano, now helms the storied restaurant, which has been feeding Oregon Wine Country since 1977.
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.
Chef 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. She lives in Portland with her husband, Matt and their dog, Crouton.
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.
Piccone’s Corner is a dynamic and passionate butchery and osteria that exudes a vibrant atmosphere. This Italian-inspired establishment prides itself on serving up simple yet hearty fair and a diverse selection of pastured meats, including their own house-made salumi. Led by Culinary Director Ryan Mead and his team of skilled Butchers & Chefs, the focus at Piccone’s Corner lies in showcasing the versatility and excellence of pork in all its forms. This obsession stems from the shared passion of Ryan and Owner/Farmer Austin Piccone, who meticulously raises over 300 heritage hybrid hogs on their sister farm, Wallow and Root.
Located in the picturesque hills of Sandy, just east of Portland, Wallow and Root spans 35 acres of land dedicated to sustainable farming practices. The farm serves as the primary source of pork for Piccone’s Corner, ensuring full pasture access and locally milled grains for the hogs’ nourishment. Since their inception in 2021, Piccone’s Corner has been on a mission to strengthen Oregon’s food system by prioritizing animal welfare, ecological health, product quality, and accessibility. With an unwavering commitment to these values, they strive to build a healthier and more resilient food community in the region.
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.
When Kyle Munroe landed his first kitchen job at the age of 16, he already had three years of catering experience under his belt. After completing his degree at the Oregon Culinary Institute, he earned a spot on the opening team at Oven and Shaker. Kyle hammered out his culinary craft at Clyde Common and Associated, but pizza kept calling him back. As a chef for Vera Pizza Napoletana certified Settebello, Kyle traveled the Western U.S., opening new locations and ensuring adherence to VPN standards. Each of the thousands of pizzas made under his tutelage spoke the truth of authentic ingredients, perfect char, and genuine regional recipes. He is, without question, a master at the oven and we doubt there’s a Pizzaiolo more dedicated to the art of wood-fired cooking in the state.
Jeremy Whyte is the definition of local. Born and raised in McMinnville, he grew up during the Willamette Valley’s food, wine, and beer surge. He cut his restaurant teeth at the historic (and James Beard Award winning) Nick’s Italian Café, working the wood oven while steeping in the flavors of Italy. After two years manning the flames at Portland’s Oven & Shaker, Jeremy earned a spot at Alice Water’s Rome Sustainable Food Project in Rome. He dove deep into techniques and recipes a la Romana, then climbed down the rabbit hole of Puglia, Parma, and Piedmont, and landed in a Sicilian olive orchard, picking and pressing olives into spicy, extra virgin gold. The Italian immersion confirmed and deepened the truth learned those first years at Nick’s: Everything tastes better out of a wood-fired oven. Now returned from his third stint in Italy, Jeremy is back home in Mac where his Italian love affair began.
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.
Jody Kropf grew up in the Willamette Valley with one foot on a tractor and one foot in the kitchen. By age 12 he was splitting his days working hard in his parent’s restaurant and growing a connection to the land by working on his uncle’s farms. After studying at Western Culinary Institute, he got his start at the Heathman Hotel in Portland. Soon after that he took an exciting job as a personal chef. His travels and culinary exploration included a stint as a chef on a private yacht, cruising from Nova Scotia to the Caribbean. He continued his culinary and wine education at the famed Culinary Institute of America, Greyson in Napa Valley. Jody and his family settled into the Dundee Hills and planted a small vineyard of Pinot Noir. Here in 2011, the ten year dream of creating a casual and inviting community market took shape. Serious wood-fired food is served up at red hills market in a casual environment where you can drink world class Pinot Noir with a little dirt on your boots. Grateful for the family, locals and friends who make red hills market a place where lives, laughter, and memories are shared.
I was born and raised in the Rhône valley in France, where I attended pastry school for 6 years. After working at several pastry shops, my urge of traveling led me to Pittsburgh, PA in 2015, where I stayed for 7 years as head chef of La Gourmandine Bakery. In 2021 my husband’s career in wine brought us to the Willamette Valley. I had the chance to work among local businesses like the Carlton Bakery and Mac Market. My newest venture is giving me the opportunity to work with Chef Dario and his wife Sheena (owners of Rosmarino) as they open their new shop Gusto Gastronomia, in Newberg. I’m excited to help them continue to bring a real taste of Italy to the valley.
Dustin Payne has over 27 years of experience in kitchens from tiny mom and pop places to Michelin- starred restaurants. Learning to cook by standing on a stool at the stove with his Greek grandfather and Italian grandmother, he developed a deep love affair with Mediterranean cuisine. Dustin cut his teeth professionally in and around the wine country of Santa Barbara, California,. in the kitchens of Bouchon, Alisal Ranch, and the Simpson House Inn. Working at Oberon Grill in Eureka he polished his craft and has carried that through to Eugene where most recently he has served as executive chef at rye food & drink for the last three years. Lately he has found a love of cuisines that remind him of childhood memories, and coupled with extensive travels in Europe, he is looking to create experiences that stir the soul rather than for a specific technique or flavor.
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.
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.
Becca, Culinary Director & Executive Chef, started cooking for fun as a kid, destroying her mother’s kitchen with an array of extravagant creations for her friends. By 19, she knew culinary arts was her destiny. Becca did everything she could in the restaurant industry to learn the business: hostess, busser, dishwasher, waiter, line cook, baker, sous chef, bartender, bar manager, and eventually, chef. After years of hard work and sweat, Becca gained the speed and confidence to move to New York City, where she worked at lauded restaurants like Recette, Flex Mussels, Lincoln, and Lion and graduated from the International Culinary Center (formerly the French Culinary Institute), with honors. In 2017, Becca moved to Oregon to be closer to her family and quickly found a home as culinary director and executive chef at Stoller Family Estate. In her role, Becca creates dishes that showcase the harmony between locally sourced ingredients and world-class wine.
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.
Rommel Valentine Resurreccion is the confectioner extraordinaire for Teeter Totter Sweets & Treats, giving house made sweets an out of this world artistic flair. A Navy veteran with a background in the fine arts, Rommel originally hails from the West Coast and has traveled the world gathering inspiration for his craft. As a multi-talented culinary professional, Rommel excels in all realms of the professional kitchen, specializing in garde manger at The Newbergundian Bistro under Chef Sean McKee. When he is not working Rommel enjoys painting, bonsai sculpture and comic books.
Chef John Conlin is the co-owner and Head Chef of Tercet, the sustainably-minded fine dining speakeasy tucked into the mezzanine of downtown Portland’s historic Morgan Building. Since its opening in the fall of 2021, Tercet has won hearts and minds (and spots on Portland Monthly’s 10 best restaurants of 2022, Eater Portland’s coveted 38 list, and more) with their DIY-yet-absolute-luxury tasting menu that’s deeply Oregon and crafted with climate resilience in mind. The restaurant’s city setting contrasts with Chef John’s abundant tasting menu, which takes its cues from the waters, fields, and forests of Oregon. These three elements are at play throughout Tercet, reminiscent of the triad of intertwined stanzas in poetry, from which the restaurant name is derived.
John’s background as a chef is in French fine dining from an American perspective, and his resume includes an integral role in the Michelin star at New York City’s Le Restaurant, as well as years at the farm-to-table legacy Savoy. His experience and passion intertwines climate resilience and farmer support with epicurean pleasure and reverence. Guests at Chef John’s table will find generous, old school hospitality alongside a menu that highlights the future of food—think rooster fat, rockfish, redcurrant leaf, and grower Champagne. And the beating heart of his menu? It’s all Oregon.
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.
Vindulge is a farm-based lifestyle brand that wants you to experience good food, good wine, and a great backyard cooking experience with your family and friends. We focus on BBQ and grilling recipes with wine pairings. Our goal is to empower you to create fantastic wood-fired food and wine pairing experiences, while giving you the confidence and tools necessary to succeed! We are a wife and husband team who create delicious ways for you to enjoy cooking and entertaining in your backyard with your family and friends. Combined, we have two decades of experience in recipe development, entertaining, writing, and professional cooking. We also own the award-winning wine country based catering company, Ember and Vine, that was created as a result of the popularity of the recipes on our blog. It was our way of bringing the recipes on the blog to you, the reader. We are also the authors of the cookbook, Fire + Wine, published in the spring of 2020.
Dominique started her cooking career a decade ago. She has cooked her way up the west coast, working in restaurants in Southern California and Portland. She moved to the Pacific Northwest because she was inspired by the abundance of plants & produce available. Dom developed a passion for health-focused cuisine, and learned the skill of making dishes delicious without gluten or dairy. At Wild Thing, she loves working with the bountiful seasonal produce from the Pacific Northwest, and prides herself on being able to make the nutritious delicious!
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
