Right at the Fork

Right at the Fork's most frequent guest, Gary Okazaki (@garythefoodie), joins Chris on the podcast to discuss his favorite most recent experiences in the Portland food world.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Jamal Hassan is a seasoned beverage consultant and the owner of Ice Cold Co., a Portland-based company specializing in clear craft cocktail ice. With over 20 years of experience in the beverage and hospitality industry, Jamal has developed and overseen bar programs at award-winning restaurants such as Ox, Tasty N' Alder, and Mediterranean Exploration Company. A founding member of Sesame Collective Restaurant Group, he served as their Chief Marketing and Beverage Officer before transitioning to consulting full-time. Jamal Hassan - @ironsheikh Ice Cold Co.- @icecoldpdx Beverage Business Consulting - @beveragebusinessconsulting Fav. places mentioned in this episode: Ox - @oxpdx Scotch Lodge - @scotchlodge Palomar @palomarpdx Pacific Standard - @pacificstandardpdx Bellwether - @bellwetherbarco Kachka - @kachkapdx

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Kurt Huffman, one of the most influential and key people in Portland's food world, joins us to discuss his company ChefStable's forays into the airport dining circuit with new restaurants in PDX's brand new terminal. Kurt informs us about what it takes to apply and gain entry, and what the metrics appear to be for the new Grassa and Loyal Legion spaces. We also touch on where things are hot and not right now in Portland, namely the suburbs of Portland, as downtown continues to languish in the wake of the pandemic and the social protests of 2020.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

With the opening of Bar RBC in Bend, we return to our conversation with Garrett Peck from August of last year... following the opening of RBC... and the talk of what would become Bar RBC.

Original Post:

It's always a pleasure to have Garrett Peck on our podcast. For years, Garrett was at the center of the Portland food world as GM and host at some of Portland's most prolific restaurants. He managed the Heathman, later Headwaters, as well as The Paley Group's other hotel properties, Imperial, Rosa Rosa and The Crown.

When turmoil of 2020 put beyond a damper on the viability of those restaurants, Garrett and his wife Jonie sought greener pastures, which led them to Sisters, OR. There, they connected with some of Portland's other most successful restaurateurs, who also found central Oregon more to their liking. In 2022, the three opened RBC (Rancher Butcher Chef) with other investors. Now with a year under their belts, RBC is lauded as one of the states most successful restaurants, outside of Portland.

Garrett shares with us some of the joys of central Oregon life, as well as the growth of Bend as a living and dining destination. Listen to the end for some of his faves in the area.

www.rbcbend.com.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Get to know Javier Canteras from his original interview on Right at the Fork.

From June 21, 2017:

Javier Canteras' roots are planted in Madrid, but now he's blossoming as a chef at Urdaneta, the sweet Alberta Street restaurant he owns with his wife, Jael. He's putting out some of the most interesting food in Portland now, which was not his original goal when moving here from Oklahoma to take part in Portland's music scene. He stops by to talk about Spain, life in the midwest, and where you can find him playing his guitar at his Portland gigs.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

With the news that Ken's Artisan Pizza has opened in downtown Bend, we return to our conversation wtih Peter Kost from November of 2023.

ORIGINAL POST:

Peter Kost grew up in Seattle, where his love for food was established as the son of farmers who sold their goods at the Seattle Public Market. Peter's journey has taken him from restaurant work to wine sales to a long stint at Zupans in grocery management to landing his first restaurant, Lucy's Table on NW 21st in Portland. It was there when he met a fellow by the name of Ken Forkish, from whom he'd buy breads at Ken's Artisan Bakery. Listen to the podcast to hear how that relationship evolved to the point where Peter became the only one Ken had in mind when he was ready to pass his iconic Ken's Artisan Pizza on to a new generation. We will hear how Peter is determined to honor the legacy Ken built and get a hint of what his plans are going forward..

https://kensartisan.com/pizza

https://www.carinalounge.com/

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Tommy Habetz is one of the most significant people in the Portland food world. Having learned his craft from the likes of Mario Batali and Bobby Flay, he made his way out to Portland and found himself in the middle of an exciting time in the early days of Portland's burgeoning food scene. He worked with Naomi Pomeroy at both Ripe and Gotham Tavern along side some other chefs and restaurateurs who would go on to accomplish great things as Portland became a hotbed of culinary talent. Now, over 20 years later, Tommy owns and has built some of the city's most notable spots: Bunk Sandwiches, Bunk Bar, and Pizza Jerk. In December of 2022, he suffered a brain aneurysm, which landed him in the hospital for four months. He still hasn't returned to work at his restaurants, and isn't sure when and if he will. Tommy was gracious in agreeing to come on the podcast with us to share his memories of Naomi Pomeroy, not long after her tragic death in a rafting accident. He also talks about his big health scare, how it's changed his life and outlook as well as what he's up to and what's important to him now.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

We catch up with Farmer Evan Gregoire again, while he's on vacation in the San Juan Islands. Even operates an urban farm, from where he supplies veggies to consumers and the restaurant industry, as well as an opportunity to purchase seeds for those growing their own. Chris and Evan we talk about some of the joys and challenges that come with that. We also discuss some of Evan's favorite chefs and places.

From Evan's Heirloom Seedhouse website:

At the heart of the Seedhouse beats a passion for nurturing nature's bounty and preserving its precious gifts. We dream of cultivating a diverse array of specialty vegetables and flowers, not just for their culinary delights, but as living legacies of resilience. Our mission stretches far beyond the fields; it's a commitment to safeguarding these resilient varieties for generations to come.

As we gaze into the future, we see a changing landscape, both in our region and our climate. It's a call to action, urging us to deepen our understanding and connection to our local food systems. Through the simple act of planting and saving seeds, we can weave a tapestry of resilience, rooted in the soil of community and nourished by knowledge.

In our journey, education becomes our guiding light, illuminating the path towards a more sustainable tomorrow. We invite our community to join us, to learn, to grow, and to sow the seeds of change together. For in this shared endeavor lies the promise of a brighter, greener future, where every seed planted is a testament to our collective stewardship of the Earth

It's through the valuable input of growers, chefs, and our community that we can continually refine and elevate the flavors of our vegetables. By listening to their insights, preferences, and suggestions, we not only enhance the taste of our produce but also cultivate a strong demand for these unique varieties. So, let's keep those lines of communication open and thriving, because together, we can cultivate a truly exceptional culinary experience!

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Alexa Numkena-Anderson @cheflex_pdx is enrolled Hopi and is Yakama, Skokomish, Cree and Mexican descent. She was born in Yakima, Washington and grew up in the greater Washington area (Toppenish, Tri-Cites and Fairchild Air Force Base). After high school Alexa moved to Portland, Oregon to pursue a culinary career and attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary school while also working as a line cook. She has worked in many kitchens across the Portland, such as @kingtidepdx (formally Three Degrees) @twr.pdx @sammichportland @imperialportland @headwaterspdx and @bullardtavernpdx as well as working for acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs such as @dougiepdx @vit0bike @lesbianmeatmaker & @lauroromero to name a few. Drawing inspiration from her grandmother, her indigenous heritage . Her grandma Stella of the Yakama Tribe with memories of fry bread, roast beef, and soups as well as her Hopi heritage With the motivations of being a new mother, she is ready to share and continuously learn about her culture's food. Inspired by other Indigenous chefs she feels it is her responsibility to share and learn about these ancient foods and techniques. Javelina's main feature is fry bread and even though this food came from necessity, our people were able to make a comfort food that is still found at pow wows and family gatherings to this day. On her culinary journey she discovered the amazing bounty of native ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Using what the surrounding land has already given them and combining it with Alexa's culture, skill and vision they hope to create a truly unique story.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

This classic episode of Right at the Fork comes from late summer 2016 and our conversation with Earl Ninsom.

A lot has changed for Earl since this interview, including most recently, his restaurant Langbaan being named the Outstanding Restaurant in the 2024 James Beard Awards.

ORIGINAL POST:

Earl Ninsom opened PaaDee to find his passion. Then he took that to another step with one of Portland's most lauded restaurants, Langbaan. Now he's hoping others realize their dreams with Hat Yai and Kim Jing Smokehouse. We talked to Earl about his trajectory and place in Portland's food world.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com Capitola Coffee: www.CapitolaCoffee.com Acre Forge Knives: www.AcreForge.co (use code: CUT25 for $25 off)