Scott Dolich’s Portland roots were planted almost 20 years ago after his bent toward local ingredients was seasoned under renowned locavore Bradley Ogden in California. He was drawn to Portland because of its proximity to farms and produce. He started working with guys like Ricardo Segura and Greg Higgins and David Machado in the early ’90s, and still points to them as Portland’s best restaurateurs. He took much of what he learned in the much smaller Portland food world of the ’90s and made a name for himself once the decade turned. He opened Park Kitchen in 2003, which, in retrospect, can be seen as a milestone. Park Kitchen signaled the start of a new, exciting generation of Portland restaurants, garnering accolades from “Restaurant of the Year” to personal James Beard Award nominations. But the restaurant itself isn’t the whole story. It’s the chef that created fertile ground for more to come.
We talk to Scott about changing the face of the industry by working to abolish tipping in his restaurants. And more.

Music: "I Can't Stand the Rain" by Arielle Verinis.
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