Right at the Fork

It's an interview with Matt Wickstrom in two parts.

Part 1 took place on March 2nd, 2020, before everything changed. Matt talks with Chris about his work at La Moule, and his plans to move and open restaurants in Iceland.

Part 2 took place June 8th, 2020, when Matt and Aurora Wickstrom, joined Matt via phone to talk about how life has changed in the pandemic, and what has happened to their plans of moving. This part begins at the 1 hour mark.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets - www.Zupans.com

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Don Salamone quickly realized he needed to change his game plan, and that's when Stevens Italiano was born.  Learn more here at www.StevensItaliano.com

This podcast is a look back at our first conversation with Don, in February of 2017.

Don Salamone, like many others, landed in Portland because of its cost of entry as a chef.  Armed with a solid work ethic and a resume that included stops at Michelin-starred restaurants, he opened a food cart, Burger Stevens.  We talk about what Michael Russell's glowing review meant to him, how he came up with that name, and where Don's sights are set. 

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com

 

After a bit of a break, it's Episode 3 of the Joy of Drinking Podcast!

Camille Cavan, Bar Manager at Quaintrelle restaurant in Portland, Oregon joins The Joy of Drinking to share her Covid-19 cocktail pivots and her strategies to keep the bar front-and-center during the Governor's stay-at-home order. Camille and Joy originally recorded an episode for Women's History Month back in March 2020. Camille graciously shared her skills and struggles as a woman behind the bar; perfect subject matter in celebration of women. Listeners will get to hear that segment and the new addition, recorded in late May 2020.

Everything changed for Joy Church this past March. And not just because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Joy's house burned down, just as area restaurants and businesses began to shut down.

In this episode of Right at the Fork, Chris catches up with Joy to talk about her life, how's she's handled a catastrophic event, and when we'll hear more of her Joy of Drinking Podcast (hint: next Monday, June 1st!). 

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com Toro Bravo Inc:  www.torobravoinc.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com 

Lyf Gildersleeve is our guest for another two-part interview.  We sat down with Lyf to talk about opening his new Flying Fish restaurant just weeks after opening the doors in late February, in which we hear what it took to make the move to a brick and mortar restaurant and market. 

Since that interview was just prior to the pandemic, we followed up that recording with another phone interview with Lyf on May 15th, where we discuss how the pandemic affected Flying Fish, and how having a strong retail market following helped during COVID-19.  Lyf also talks about how he backed into help from a bank and what that did for many restaurants in Portland.  Part 2 of the interview begins at the 1:10:00 mark.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com Toro Bravo Inc:  www.torobravoinc.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com 

It's the second part of our conversation with Chef Philippe Boulot of Multnomah Athletic Club.

Part 2 was recorded March 9th, 2020, just days before the travel ban took place in response to COVID-19 and about a week before most restaurants shut down for dine-in service.  This episode dives deeper into his chef and personal past.  Hear more about Chef Boulot and the MAC's response to COVID-19 in the previous episode, posted here.

Chef Boulot is one of the true pioneers and icons of the Portland Food world, having taken over the Heathman restaurant in 1994, leading to four straight James Beard Best Chef Northwest nominations, which he won in 2001.   Chef Boulot's pedigree is most impressive, having learned to cook as young boy in Normandy.  He studied under renowned Chef Paul Robichon before seasoning his skills at numerous significant Paris, London, New York and San Francisco hotel restaurants before coming to Portland.  Chef Boulot has also been named Officer of the prestigious Order of Agricultural Merit by the Ambassodor of France.

Right at the Fork's host Chris and Chef Boulot got to know one another during a Feast and Travel Oregon-sponsored culinary and wine adventure in southern Oregon in 2018. 

Please make sure to listen to the longer-form interview with Chef Philippe and his second in command at the MAC, Philip Oswalt, here.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com Toro Bravo Inc:  www.torobravoinc.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com 

Chef Philippe Boulot of Multnomah Athletic Club joins us for a two part interview, bookshelving the COVID-19 pandemic.  This first part was conducted via phone on April 28, 2020, six weeks after part 1.  Here, we talk about how the pandemic has affected the MAC, and what Chef Boulot sees as some of the changes in the restaurant world coming out of the life-changing event. Check out the second part of this interview where Chris and Philippe delve deeper into his chef and personal past, coming soon as Episode #247.   Chef Boulot is one of the true pioneers and icons of the Portland Food world, having taken over the Heathman restaurant in 1994, leading to four straight James Beard Best Chef Northwest nominations, which he won in 2001.   Chef Boulot's pedigree is most impressive, having learned to cook as young boy in Normandy.  He studied under renowned Chef Paul Robichon before seasoning his skills at numerous significant Paris, London, New York and San Francisco hotel restaurants before coming to Portland.  Chef Boulot has also been named Officer of the prestigious Order of Agricultural Merit by the Ambassodor of France.   Right at the Fork's host Chris and Chef Boulot got to know one another during a Feast and Travel Oregon-sponsored culinary and wine adventure in southern Oregon in 2018.    Please make sure to listen to the longer-form interview with Chef Philippe and his second in command at the MAC, Philip Oswalt, here.   Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com Toro Bravo Inc:  www.torobravoinc.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com 

It's a classic episode of Right at the Fork to kick of May, as Cort and Chris are able to catch up with each other on the podcast for the first time. The power of Zoom!

One of Portland's best known chefs is back, Gregory Gourdet of Departure, to talk about his journey to being sober. 

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com Toro Bravo Inc:  www.torobravoinc.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com 

Mike Thelin, co-founder of Feast Portland, joins Chris on the podcast as we near the return to our regularly scheduled interviews.  Mike talks about the inability to produce the same Feast festival Portlanders and the international food industry have come to know and love for 2020.  Mike also discusses some of the unplanned changes and interruptions his firm has experienced in light of the pandemic.

This interview took place on April 23, 2020.   Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com Toro Bravo Inc:  www.torobravoinc.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com 

Nick Zukin chats with Chris about a tumultuous year for him as a restaurateur in Portland.  Nick shares the heartbreak of losing $400,000 with the closing of his Mexican pizza concept, Zapapizza, after having been open for just months.  If that wasn't enough, less than a month later he was forced to react to the upheaval caused by the Covid-19 pandemic at Mi Mero Mole, his popular spot in Old Town. Nick's very forthright viewpoints on how the government handled the crisis, and his ideas on how it could have been better, are quite interesting and thoughtful.   Lend your patronage to Nick's livelihood at mmmtacospdx.com. This episode was recorded April 20, 2020.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com Toro Bravo Inc:  www.torobravoinc.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com