Our guest chefs team up with Northwest farmers to transform locally sourced, sustainable ingredients into edible art every year.
These chefs travel from Seattle, Portland, Eugene and the coasts to share in the celebration of good food and wine. Throughout the weekend, they create unforgettable meals with a treasure trove of Oregon ingredients.
Chef Nathan Harding is the Executive Chef of Andina in Portland, Oregon. Originally from Northern California, Nathan grew up among the mountains, lakes, Redwoods and coast. Nathan began cooking at a young age with his grandmother, picking berries and preparing homemade jams. Those memories inspired him to begin working kitchens at the age of 17 and later pursue culinary school. Prior to assuming the role at Andina, Nathan opened five hotels across the United States, building their culinary programs from the ground up. Andina is the 19-year-old Peruvian dining institution owned by the Platt-Rodriguez family. A pioneer in bringing Peruvian cuisine to the United States when it opened in 2003, it continues to serve and grow as a cultural hub, a place for exchange of ideas, culture, art and food and a bridge between Oregon and Peru. Andina’s marriage of cultures showcases the best Pacific Northwest ingredients, fused with Peruvian flavors, techniques and style. Nathan is excited to work alongside the Platt-Rodriguez family and matriarch Mama Doris, learning and growing as a chef and serving as a responsible steward of the beautiful products of the Pacific Northwest.
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. Her works of donut art have been featured in Vogue, Forbes, the Food Network, the Travel Channel, and made the cover of Bon Appétit.
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.
We are 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 in the Colombian eastern plains, we thought why not make mozzarella di bufala? That horseback ride was the seed of inspiration that has taken us from Italy to Virginia, & all over the world bringing smiles and awesome flavors to BUF fans.
At BUF, 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 all from the milk of free ranging & grass fed water buffalo.
Frank Carrieri is the Chocolate Academy™ Chef, West Coast for Barry-Callebaut. Now based in Los Angeles, Frank sharpened his pastry skills at some of the country’s most renowned kitchens, including the iconic Beverly Wilshire-A Four Seasons Hotel, and Ladurée. Frank has developed creations for numerous prominent figures; such as Michelle Obama, Kim Kardashian, and John Legend. Drawing from his experience in fine-dining restaurants, bakeries, luxury hotels and private consulting, Frank enjoys sharing his passion, knowledge and expertise.
Frank is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University, where he earned a B.S. in Baking & Pastry Arts & Food Service Management. He later earned his M.L.A. in Gastronomy from Boston University, where he researched the social significance of French desserts and food insecurity issues within the United States. Frank has been featured in Desserts Professional, Logo’s Serving It and New Day, New Chef, on Amazon Prime.
Mary Hatz and Rodrigo Huerta are Chef/Owners of Comida KIN Food Truck. They met in culinary school at Linn-Benton Community College back in 2005 and spent many years cooking at some of Portland’s best establishments, places like The Heathman, Aviary, Little Bird, Toro Bravo, Taylor Railworks, and Taqueria Nueve. In 2020 they found themselves without jobs but with a food truck and decided to put the truck to use.
Comida KIN was established as a farm forward restaurant-on-wheels, we focus on utilizing high quality vegetables and providing you with top quality local ingredients. We connect to our community through local farmers, ranchers, businesses and producers.
We are inspired by our Mexican and American heritages and the Pacific Northwest. We strive to integrate traditional Latin American cuisine with the abundance of local agriculture for which the Pacific Northwest has become famous.
We strive to feed our community local, healthy, nutritious food. Part of our mission is to help feed people in need. We volunteer weekly making ready to eat meals for those who are in need. All humans are worthy of good food.
The food at Dame was born from Italian family roots, seasonality and technique. Chef Patrick McKee is a 10-year veteran of landmark Portland restaurant, Paley’s Place, where he worked alongside his mentor, James Beard winning Chef Vitaly Paley. Named for his mother, Estes is rooted in straightforward personal cooking. Growing up, Sundays meant gathering together for family-style dinners of lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, polenta and beef tongue, with Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin on the stereo. McKee uses these memories, his mother’s recipes and his Italian heritage as the foundation for the restaurant. Recently, Estes has come into partnership with DAME Restaurant, where it started as a 4-day a week pop up in 2019. Now operating under the DAME name, the name Estes has been moved to an online pasta shop.
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 CIA hyde Park in 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 with his longtime business partner Chef Jordan Neale in August 2019.
A locally and family-owned company since 1979, Elephants Delicatessen pioneered the gourmet food industry in the Pacific Northwest and now has six Portland-metro area retail locations and a busy catering company, all serving great local foods prepared from scratch. A certified B Corporation, Elephants Delicatessen prides itself on sustainable practices and voluntarily meets a higher standard of transparency and accountability, using the power of business as a force for good.
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.
Around a Weber grill since childhood, TJ Fertterer joined the “Great Resignation” to pursue his love for craft barbeque. Ferttie’s BBQ specializes in Central Texas-style BBQ, smoking briskets and ribs low and slow on custom-made 500-gallon offset Moberg smokers. Other classics appear on the menu from time to time including chicken, sausage, pulled pork, and pork belly burnt ends. Scratch-made BBQ sauce (that you really don’t need,) delicious sides, and homemade desserts keep Ferttie’s fans coming back for more. The smokers, “Blanche” and “Rose,” are named after everybody’s favorite 80s sitcom, The Golden Girls. “Dorothy,” a 1,000-gallon smoker will arrive in 2023, and “Sophia,” a Santa Maria-style grill is in the works to bring open fire cooking to the Ferttie’s BBQ repertoire.Follow along on Instagram or Facebook, @FerttiesBBQ, to find your BBQ fix at events and breweries/wineries up and down the Willamette Valley.
Katherine Benvenuti is owner of FILLS in Lake Oswego, a seasonal donut shop serving breakfast sandwiches and burgers. Katherine’s fine dining, farm to table background as a Los Angeles pastry chef led to her enthusiasm for creating a high quality donut shop that anyone could enjoy. With simple classics like a Boston Cream pie with house made chocolate ganache and vanilla pastry cream, Fills manages to deliver a product that is refined and unique. When Benvenuti isn’t coming up with new donut flavors, she is taking care of her two young children in SE Portland.
Lindsay Gott is the chef / founder of Gâteaux. She is a long-time resident of Hood River, settling there by way of San Francisco, where she cut her teeth as a cook and entrepreneur. She left her advertising career there behind to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
Lindsay worked at Alice Water’s Chez Panisse Restaurant, gaining a deep appreciation for quality ingredients and techniques that create flavors that stand the test of time. Upon arriving in Hood River in 2001, she worked at the famed Polly’s Cakes and then opened the locally-beloved South Bank Kitchen in 2006.
The idea for Gâteaux began as a busy working mom. She saw the need for foodies to have better options in the freezer aisle—treats they would actually be proud to serve but did not take a whole afternoon to make. Gâteaux: frozen, ready-to-bake cakes, is launching in Portland specialty markets in the early fall.
Inspired by the local ingredients of the Pacific Northwest, Hattaway’s on Alder brings the cooking traditions of the Southeast and rural America to downtown Walla Walla, Washington. Honest food with the charm of Southern hospitality. Comfortable and refined yet casual, Hattaway’s on Alder embodies the vibe of the city with an emphasis on house cured and braised meats, charcuterie and local seafood prepared in the techniques of the new south. Hattaway’s on Alder brings southern cooking traditions and incorporates them with the unequaled local ingredients of the Pacific Northwest to create a unique and truly unforgettable experience.
Hattaway’s on Alder’s executive chef and owner, Chef Richard Hattaway, has spent two decades in the top kitchens in the Southeast honing his craft and creating simple, fresh food. Richard is a southern native that has a passion and love for food and beverage, the restaurant industry, and the Pacific NW.
Chef Andrew Biggs is owner and Culinary Director of Hunt and Gather Catering in Portland, Oregon. A PNW Native Oregonian, his interest in preparing good food from local sources cultivated organically. Growing up, what was on the plate had been hunted, fished, foraged, and gardened by Andrew and his family. As his interest in bringing that experience to others grew, he sought work in restaurants pioneering the concept of farm-to-table food, both in San Francisco as well as Portland. He trained in kitchens with chefs who were putting out some of the best food in the PNW, inspiring him to start Art of Catering. At Portland’s Heathman Hotel, he worked alongside his mentor, a French Master Chef Philippe Boulot, developing technique and honing skills.
Preparing restaurant-style food in the world of catering eventually became the realized dream of Hunt and Gather Catering. With his wife and partner Laura Harlow-Biggs, Hunt and Gather Catering offers a culinary experience rooted in the bounty the PNW has to offer. With an event space in Portland’s Pearl District that is versatile, stylish, and unique, Hunt and Gather can accommodate a wide variety of events in-house while continuing to create culinary magic almost 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 4th 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.
Seattle native Chef Smith’s passion for the culinary world began at a young age, cooking for his family and determining at the age of 14 to pursue a career in the culinary arts. Two years later, he enrolled in the culinary program at Lake Washington Institute. With 15 years of industry experience under his belt, including mastering his craft under chef Bobby Moore at the Barking Frog at Willows Lodge for six years, Chef Smith was named one of Zagat’s “30 under 30” Seattle Chefs that are redefining the industry. Chef Smith brings an inventive and artistic vision to The Allison with new, transformative tasting menus and elevated dining experiences.
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 and Kachka Lavka in Portland, Oregon. The first-generation American daughter of Belarusian immigrants, chef Bonnie Morales grew up in Chicago immersed in the culture, food, and drink of the former Soviet Union. Morales went on to be classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America, and 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 garnered countless accolades, and Bonnie Morales was named a Rising Star Chef by StarChefs, and nominated for Food & Wine’s The People’s Best New Chef. The Morales’ have since opened Kachka Lavka, an Eastern European grocery and deli, and launched Kachka Horseradish Vodka, available throughout the West Coast. Morales’ first cookbook, Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking, was published in 2017 to critical acclaim.
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, retired in late 2021, selling the bakery to three longtime colleagues. Theo Taylor joined the bakery shortly after opening in 2002 and has been managing bakery operations, Randy Gorkin has run the baking program at Ken’s Artisan Bakery for 15 years, and Melissa Joubert has run the bustling café since 2011. The Alphabet District bakery serves breakfast and lunch daily from 8 am to 3 pm (or until sold out), offering artisan bread, croissants, tarts, cookies, canelés, sandwiches, and salads. 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.
Briana comes to La Rambla Restaurant with over 20 years experience in NW fine dining. She has worked her way through some of Oregon’s top restaurants. She loves a challenge and aims for seasonal perfection in creating all menus.
Your Neighborhood Restaurant Group is a Portland-based restaurant group dedicated to creating casual and welcoming neighborhood restaurants and bars. Our mission is simple: to create well-loved neighborhood spots centered around great food and lively community. Our current restaurants include Laurelhurst Market, Ate-Oh-Ate, Reverend’s BBQ, Big’s Chicken, and La Luna Cafe.
I was born in Seattle, WA. We promptly moved to the Gulf Coast of Texas and then we moved to the big island of Hawaii during my freshman year of high school. After that we spent some time in Alaska before I settled in Portland in 2000. I started working at a sushi bar in downtown Portland 16 years ago while I was playing in a band. The flexible schedule worked well for me but it turns out I am not a rock star. I started working with Sesame Collective at Shalom Y’all where I spent a few years before moving over to manage the kitchen at Lil’ Shalom. My favorite meal on Earth is Crawfish Etouffee and before finding my way into kitchens I almost went to school for video game design!
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 our 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.
Shelby Page Wilson is the pastry chef at Multnomah Athletic Club. She has worked in pastry for the past 25 years, with many amazing opportunities to learn and grow throughout her career. She competed on two different cake decorating shows, including The Sugar Show Down, Cake Edition season 1 episode 4, which she won! She looks forward to what the future brings.
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.
Chef/Owner Maylin Chavez is a native to Tijuana, Baja California Norte. She brings her heritage and passion for the sea to each dish she prepares. Her personal and professional experiences cooking in Baja, abroad, and 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.”
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 Montmarte 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.
Midway through his junior year as a business major at the University of Texas at Austin, Eric realized he just wasn’t a suit and tie kind of guy. He did love cooking for his roommates though, and being a pragmatist, Eric figured if he became a cook, he’d at least always be able to eat. He picked up a job as a griddle cook at a country club pool cabana, and was instantly hooked, so he dropped out of college to cook and prepare for culinary school (his parents were thrilled). After graduating from California Culinary Academy in 2001, Eric did his externship at the Savoy Hotel in London, then spent a summer working at Portland’s venerable Café Castagna with future OP partners Elias Cairo and Nate Tilden, before moving to the Bay Area, where he worked with chef Bradley Ogden at The Lark Creek Inn in Larkspur. After returning to Portland a decade later, Eric spent five years behind the stove at acclaimed wine bar Bar Avignon, before “rejoining the band” at OP. On his off time, he relentlessly hounds small local farmers for their most interesting produce, and hangs out with his wonderful wife Murphy and their small home zoo of two dogs and two cats.
Chef Katie Roe, originally from Arizona, started her hospitality journey while still in high school. After graduation she attended culinary school and received her bachelor’s degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from Northern Arizona University. After she worked in the best restaurants Flagstaff had to offer, she moved to Portland in 2016. There, she found inspiration in the bounty and beauty of the PNW. Her cooking showcases old world traditions, simplicity and bright, clean flavors.
Born and raised in Nebraska, Sigler began his culinary career at a young age alongside his grandmother, the wife of a dairy and beef farmer, who instilled the values of supporting small family-run farms. After high school, Sigler attended Middle Tennessee State University as an Economics major, but his daydreams were infused with fanciful thoughts about being a chef and he quickly realized that school, in a traditional sense, was not his calling. He eventually left university and procured work washing dishes at a local campus restaurant. He soon transitioned to working the line in various restaurants near the university, where he commenced his culinary training.
In 2003, he decided to forge ahead with his culinary career and made his way to San Francisco, where he was accepted into Le Cordon Bleu College of College of Culinary Arts. During his time at the CCA he was awarded a coveted Externship at Quince in San Francisco, where his passion for the art of pasta and butchery unfolded as well as the seasonal bounty of Northern California. From Quince, Matt progressed to Foreign Cinema in San Francisco, where he worked under Gayle Pirie and gained a deep understanding for inventive locally sourced California Mediterranean cuisine. In 2009, Sigler helped to open critically acclaimed Flour + Water in San Francisco, crafting their infamous pastas and eventually elevating to the position of Chef de Cuisine of Flour + Water and Salumeria (their sister shop), where he continued to cultivate and develop his pasta and salumi skills.
In 2013 Sigler left Flour + Water for a consulting stint in Chicago and spent the majority of 2014 cooking and traveling in Colombia and Italy before landing in Portland to open the 2015 oregonian best new restaurant Renata, here Matthew cut his teeth in Portland. Establishing relationships with local farmers to source some of the best products this amazing terroir has to offer. After Renata, Sigler moved across the river to open up the Italian American concept IL Solito. Once the pandemic hit Sigler decided to move to Oswego Lake Country Club where he enjoys “revolutionizing” the way members see “club food”
In his limited free time, Sigler enjoys dining out at local restaurants, working on his self-proclaimed goal of “aspiring outdoorsman” and researching Portland’s exceptional mixology scene.
Joey grew up northwest of Atlanta, Georgia. Searching for something creative and active, he 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. He used the opportunity to learn as much as possible, cooking under noted chefs such as Brad McDonald & Peter Hoffman. After eight years of the grinding big city cook-life, he moved to Portland, Oregon to be in a thriving food city that was also conducive to family life. Joey was a sous chef at Roman Candle Baking Co. and Olympia Provisions before committing full time to raising his daughter. He also took this time to launch his dream of starting his own project, Parallel Food & Drink. 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 vibrant, Italian-obsessed butchery and osteria, serving up southern Italian red sauce dinners, hearty breakfasts, and a brimming case of pastured meats, processed in-house by Chef Michael Sablan and his team of butchers. Pork, in all its forms, is the passion point for Chef Michael and Owner/Farmer Austin Piccone, and the decadent house porkchop is not to be missed, farmed with regenerative care by Austin on Piccone’s sister farm Wallow and Root, then aged and cooked to perfection.
At Wallow and Root, the 35 acre parcel nestled just east of Portland in the hills of Sandy, over 300 heritage hybrid hogs are raised with full pasture access and locally milled grains to supply the entirety of Piccone’s Corner pork offerings. Since their opening in 2021, Piccone’s Corner has worked to build a healthier and more resilient food system in Oregon by producing food with an uncompromising dedication to animal welfare, ecological health, product quality and accessibility—all encased in southern Italian foodways and a fresh bun.
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 and decided to bring the Southeast to the Northwest.
After several months of trials, tests, and “biscuit tasting parties”, they settled on a single recipe. The only void left to fill was to share their creation with the public. The Portland Farmer’s Market proved to be the perfect setting, and in May of 2006, Pine State Biscuits began serving their unique version of regionally inspired southern cuisine to throngs of Portlanders.
Their creation caught fire, and by the end of the first market season, Pine State Biscuits had a loyal following of eager customers waiting in lines 30 deep to get their hands on steaming biscuits, mouth-watering sausage gravy, and tender buttermilk breaded chicken.
During the success of the second season at the farmer’s market, the boys of Pine State could read the writing on the wall: It was time to bump their concept to the next level.
In February of 2008, the location on S.E. Belmont Street held it’s grand opening, with lines wrapping around the block; a sight that would become synonymous with dining at Pine State in the coming years.
Following two years of astonishing success at the Belmont shop, in July of 2010, Pine State opened its doors on N.E. Alberta Street, doubling the space of the flagship store and bringing biscuits and southern cuisine to an entirely new neighborhood. With both locations serving up biscuits to Portlanders, Pine State continues to grow, with requests for store locations coming in from across the globe.
And to think: This worldwide sensation was spawned by three Southern boys who were simply homesick for biscuits.
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.
Portland Creamery was started back in 2011 with the idea to focus on making the best quality chévre from a single herd of prized goats and make it on the farm using traditional practices. Today, we are still focused on small batch chèvre and have expanded to other products like a whey infused caramel syrup, feta and cheese curds.
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. In his most recent venture, Ricardo has combined both his passion for food with beer by opening the Pacific’s Northwest’s only LatinX brewery, Xicha Brewing in Salem.
Ryley Eckersley has always had a fondness for art, culture, music, travel, new ideas, academia, shared moments and experiences, so naturally he gravitated towards food and its possibilities for creative expression. Born in London, he was influenced by travels and work in countless restaurants in North Carolina, Barcelona, Manhattan, and Central America. Eckersley’s culinary style reflects his lifelong wanderlust and curiosity, and strives to invoke nostalgia, conversation and smiles, while offering something truly fun. After arriving in Oregon in 2011, Eckersley led the kitchen at Jen’s Garden in Sisters and later opened DRAKE in Bend in 2013. After moving his family to Portland and a stint at Olympia Provisions, he took over the kitchen at DOC where he further honed his style of food, subsequently filling a niche in Portland that brings together global influences with Pacific Northwest ingredients. Landing at Quaintrelle signifies all the puzzle pieces all coming together, where he can create beautiful, unpretentious dishes with as much direct connection to farm, oceans and ranches possible.
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.
Recipe encompasses the finest of ingredients thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented while always adapting to the seasons enthusiastically.
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 21 locations along the West Coast while retaining its bones as a family-run company known for its culture of hospitality. A pioneer in localization, every ice cream flavor conceptualized by Tyler is handmade in small batches using the best organic and sustainable ingredients from local farmers and artisans.
The Maleks started Salt & Straw Ice Cream serving eight flavors from a push cart in Portland and the brand 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 1,000 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. He sits on the Board of Urban Gleaners, a Portland-based non-profit dedicated to collecting fresh foods to avoid waste and delivering to those in need. Tyler currently lives in SW Portland with his wife, daughter, two dogs, and a blind cat.
Smith is the “what if” teamaker, made for “what if” people. To elevate your every moment above the mere so what, we blend craft and creativity with uncompromising good taste. What if wakes us up in the morning and keeps us dreaming all day. Handcrafting tiny batches of exquisite full-leaf teas and botanicals. Nurturing deep-rooted friendships with the tea world’s finest suppliers. Working happily in concert with artists who will not settle for less. The timeless gift of what if created Smith in the first place, and it still guides us today. Great answers flow from this one little question. Raise your cup, raise your sights, and enjoy.
Noah Bekofsky has always known he wanted to be a chef. Raised in the Pacific Northwest on macrobiotic principles in an organically-minded household, he sees his decision as a natural one. “I was always around food, and Mom was always in the kitchen cooking. The garden was out back, so I was hands-on with that and in the kitchen.” Realizing his comfort behind the stove, Bekofsky embarked on a 30+ year adventure that led him to his position as Executive Chef for Sodexo at Linfield University which he has held for the last 13 years.
Knowing the path he wished to pursue, he got to work as soon as he could, making salads and washing dishes at a four-star restaurant when he was 14. It was a lucky thing, he believes, having an “in”with a top-rated kitchen, and it helped him develop his career quickly. From there he traveled to Europe to open his mind to other cultures while eating on a backpacker budget. He stayed in Germany to work at a hotel restaurant in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a town at the base of Zugspitze Mountain in southern Bavaria.
Cooking has taken him across the United States, from his home in Eugene, Oregon, to Hyde Park, New York for culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America. From there, he held chef positions in Austin, Miami, Maui, Chicago, and Scottsdale, working in a variety of settings from stand-alone restaurants to five-diamond resorts.
Today his cooking focus has become much more personal. “My wife and I have two children. My son Noah Jr. is 18 years old, and my daughter Mackenzie is 16 years old. Both children are involved with their own garden in the backyard and help to cook. I believe it is important for everyone to know where their food comes from and to understand the importance of local products, sustainability, organics, and our carbon footprint. “We can all make a difference and have great food at the same time.”
Alina Muratova is the chef and owner of Sweet! bakery in Seattle, Washington. The Sweet! team makes unique breakfast pastries, and moonlights at farmers markets and pop-ups on the weekends. We also make desserts for numerous hotels and restaurants in the area. Alina started her own company after working for five years at the Washington State Convention Center. She is very proud to say that she used to feed up to 7,000 people three times a day for a few days in a row and all of the pastries and desserts were made in-house, from scratch. After a job like that, the only thing that seemed bigger and badder was starting her own business. Sweet! bakery has been open for three years now, and they’ve had to try a lot of different concepts to survive the pandemic, and things are still ever-changing and ever-growing! Alina is over-the-moon-excited to be back in McMinnville again this summer!
Sybaris is dedicated to bringing the best of Oregon to your table. Located in a historic industrial building at the corner of First and Washington Avenues in downtown Albany, you can expect some of the best food in Oregon, served with equal parts eclecticism, classical preparation, and innovation. Sybaris offers a fresh menu every month, a spacious, upscale atmosphere, and extensive Northwest-centered wine list, and a full bar.
Everything we serve is made from scratch here at the restaurant unless I can find a commercial product that is better than what I feel I can make (Beaufort mustards, Nueskes bacon, etc). Yes, I make my own ketchup. We make the bread fresh every day. My pastry chef background ensures that all desserts are not only made in-house (including ice cream), but with the same attention to ingredients that the dinners receive. I was fortunate enough to be invited to the James Beard House in New York City to cook a meal representative of our style to show off the Northwest. We took great pains to make sure that the guests in New York actually received the food of the Willamette Valley; we brought coolers of food on the plane and mailed our clothes to the hotel! We were ecstatic to go back to the Beard House to present “Willamette Valley Native Tribute”. We worked with The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. This was the first time the Beard House had featured Native American foods and it was a huge success.
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. 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 River. 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 worked 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.
A native of Switzerland, Chef Charles Ramseyer’s knowledge of all things seafood is unmatched and his passion for the sea is evident in his culinary creations. He worked at the exclusive Hotel Vorderen in Zurich before spending 15 years at Ray’s Boathouse in Puget Sound, where he also co-authored a cookbook. Chef Ramseyer is proud to bring his seafood and industry expertise to the lineup of Food Fanatics Chefs.
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 travelled the world gaining experience at high end restaurants in Iceland, Denmark and France (and visiting a lot of B&B’s 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 breakfasts for guests of the Silo Suites B&B and for his Verdant lunch tasting menu. Will, along with his wife Sara and cat Jojo are excited to be out of the city, experiencing all that farm life has to offer.
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 to the craft: one that honors sushi’s tradition of simplicity and precision while pursuing its unobtainable perfection. She opened the sushi bar at Zilla in the summer of 2008 with a focus on showcasing high-quality ingredients in traditional preparations.
While in charge of the sushi program at Zilla Sake, Koo has mentored many young sushi chefs, including Kenji Pakiser, who went on to become the executive chef of Kobe restaurant and sushi bar in Ashland, Oregon. She has taught numerous private sushi classes and served as an instructor at Sur La Table from 2009 to 2012 as well as at EVOO Cooking School in Cannon Beach. Koo curates Zilla’s expansive sake program and is a Sake Certified Professional through John Gauntner’s Sake Professional Course. In 2016, Koo passed the International Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s Sake Award Level 3 with distinction; WSET’s highest level of achievement.
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