Right at the Fork

We venture out to Manzanita for this podcast, and take the opportunity to chat with Michael Mudd, the proprietor of Manzanita Mudd Dogs. Whether you have been to or plan on visiting Manzanita, the story of how the iconic Manzanita Mudd Dogs started to how Michael and his brother Brad took over the operation of the business from their parents, Jim and Lynn Mudd, is an awesome story. Michael talks about how and why his parents started serving hot dogs from their driveway in Manzanita, and how that led to the Mudd Nick Foundation, which provides kids with wonderful enriching opportunities to go to camps and travel worldwide through their charitable efforts. It was truly a team effort to find that purpose, and now the foundation and hot dog business is going strong, evolving and thriving. Hearing Michael's recollection of leaving the corporate world to make authentic Chicago Dogs is something so many of us would envy, and we'll get to hear how that's worked out for Michael. Manzanita Mudd Dogs serves more Chicago dogs than any other place on the West Coast. They can be found close to the water on Laneda Avenue in Manzanita, or here: https://www.manzanitamudddogs.com/. The Mudd Nick Foundation can be found here: https://muddnickfoundation.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

We look back to April of last year, and our conversation with Rob Sample of Mother's Bistro.

ORIGINAL POST:

Rob Sample joins us on the podcast. He's the Chief Schmoozing Officer at Mother's Bistro, where his wife Lisa has been well known as the chef and restaurateur since 2002. Lisa just won the area's "Most Remarkable Woman" award on KOIN and we thought there was no one better to talk about why that's an apt designation for Lisa than Rob. Rob has lots of Portland stories to tell, and also stores of raising two young kids with Lisa after tragedy struck a few years ago. So, we talk about that and hear what a remarkable and wonderful couple Rob and Lisa are.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

Joel Gunderson of Heavenly Creatures, Coopers Hall, Grassa, St. Jack and a host of places, joins us again to talk about how deeply Trump's tariffs would affect the wine and restaurant industries. Coincidentally, the tariffs were suspended just minutes before we started recording this episode. But we talk about the stress uncertainty puts on the industry and how things have just begun to bounce back in Portland. We also touch on what it takes to become one of the most celebrated people in the industry nationwide, and some of the ways his staff approaches hospitality.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Gary Okazaki aka @garythefoodie joins us for the umpteenth time to share information on his favorite pop-up restaurants in Portland, including where to find them on Insta, and where they take place. Also, he'll go over some of his most anticipated openings in 2025.

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 are joined by two of the people responsible for the accolades and wonderful food that comes out of the kitchens of Gado Gado and Oma's Hideway. DaMenga Weaverhuff is Executive Chef, and has been leading the kitchens for a good while now, while Tom Pisha-Duffly is the owner and since Chef DeMenga's promotion has assumed a larger role, which we discuss in some detail during this interview. DaMenga was born and raised in Columbus Ohio, where he realized he wanted to be in the restaurant industry. He spent four years at the University of Cincinnati studying business before moving to Portland in 2019, landing at Grassa for a year before the pandemic happened. After that hiatus, he found his way to Gado Gado as CDC, earning the respect of the Pisha-Duffly's to earn him the Executive Chef position at two of Portland's most well-regarded restaurants. Also, you may join Chefs Tom and DaMenga at Steelport Knife Company on Sandy Blvd, Saturday, March 29th, between 11 and Noon for a knife skills demo and some tasting.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Visit www.localocean.net for details on the Fin & Feast dinner with Andrea at Local Ocean in Newport.

We go back to December 2024 and our converation with Andrea Falaschi, ahead of his visit to Oregon for the Oregon Mailata and special Fin & Feast dinner at Local Ocean in Newport.

Joining us this week is Andrea Falaschi, fourth generation butcher from Macelleria Falaschi in San Miniato in the heart of Tuscany. Andrea's family business is celebrating its 100th year in 2025. Andrea takes us through his family history with some anecdotes about how the business started back in 1925 with his great Grandfather Guido emigrating from Argentina with no reading and writing skills to open San Miniato's first butcher shop. Moving through Fascism in Italy we hear about the discord between his grandfather Vasco and Vasco's brother Bruno, and you must hear the segment discussing Vasco's fear of the phone when that technology became commonplace!! Also, Andrea talks about the influence women in the family had on the business.

Andrea, with interpretation assistance from his dear friend Astrid Ensign, who designs Portland Food Adventures trips to Italy, shares some of the challenges of the business, including the severe conditions in Italy through the pandemic. He is a huge lover of cinema, and Andrea shares the joy he had visiting the Goonies house when visiting Oregon earlier this year, as well as some of his favorite experiences in Oregon.

How does this relate to Portland? Well, here. Two ways!:

Andrea will be the marquee guest at the Oregon Mailata in May of 2025, the Italian Festival of the Pig put on by renowned chef Portland chef Cathy Whims and her team. The event takes place on March 22 and tickets can be found here, where you can see his exciting butchering demonstration, in addition to many other workshops, wine tasting, and a big celebratory meal put on by some of Portland's best chefs.

VISIT ANDREA IN TUSCANY!! This!! A very few select folks can book a trip to Tuscany in the Fall with RATF host Chris Angelus' Portland Food Adventures, and celebrate Macelleria Falaschi's 100th anniversary with Andrea and PFA's Astrid Ensign, former expat, and host Chris. Check out those details here and contact Chris - contact into on the PFA website at the link to your left.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

Tony Bixler, president of Local Ocean Seafoods, joins us to discuss the history of Local Ocean, as well as his journey in Oregon in restaurants and life to get where he is today. We will talk about what makes Local Ocean very special and the extra challenges it takes to serve fresh seafood to so many every day. We also discuss a special event at Local Ocean on March 30, 2025 where 4th generation Tuscan butcher Andrea Falaschi joins Chef Enrique Sanchez-Rodriguez at Local Ocean for a special Land N Sea dinner, a rare event at Local Ocean. https://www.localocean.net/news-events/fin-feast-an-evening-with-tuscan-butcher-andrea-falaschi-pfa Tony shares some of his favorite Central Coast food spots, also.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com

RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com

Portland Food Adventures: www.portlandfoodadventures.com

Now that Ken's Artisan Pizza has officially 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..

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com

RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com

Portland Food Adventures: www.portlandfoodadventures.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

Taking a trip to Tuscany? You'll want to listen to this episode with Elisa Acciai, who's been a tour guide in Florence for years. We talk about her journey from being a Concierge at a 5-Star hotel in Florence to becoming a guide in one of the world's most popular destinations, including the requirements to be licensed to do so in Italy. The balance of family/work life as well.

She'll share a few of her recommended restaurants and experiences in Florence and in the Tuscan countryside in this podcast. Best practices for tipping various services in Italy, a must for all people touring the country.

You can visit Elisa with her dearest American "sister," Astrid Ensign in September 2025 as host Chris Angelus takes a group to Tuscany to take in the Uffizi and the best historical sites in Florence with Elisa, as well as celebrating the Andrea Falaschi's family's 100th year as the village butcher in San Miniato. It will be quite an insider's trip featuring the people near and dear to PFA's Astrid, who lived for years in Tuscany, but now makes Portland her home.

Recommended Italy-focused companion podcasts here:

Astrid Ensign, Portland Food Adventures' Italian Host

Podcast with Andrea Falaschi of Macelleria Falaschi

Contact Elisa:

Instagram: @elaizatour

Facebook: Acciai Elisa Florence Guide

Email: [email protected]

French Blog:

www.jadoreflorence.blogspot.com

This is a must-listen. Chef Jose Camarena, Executive Chef at Portland's highly regarded República, may just be the youngest guest of over 400 on our podcast. But you wouldn't know it if we hadn't drawn attention to that fact. At just 24, he's in a position few others are at his age, and it's easy to see how he got as far as he's gotten at such a young age. We talk about his family Sunday dinners, how he became interested in the food industry and how his family lineage of hard work in horse grooming instilled in him the grit to work hard to reach success in a tough industry. We cover some of the places he's worked, who Lalo's Portland mentors have been, including chef Lauro Romero, who passed away two years ago, leaving a huge hole in many hearts. Chef Lalo will be appearing at Steelport Knife Company on 2/22 in the first of a series of knife skills classes Steelport is putting on at their Sandy Blvd factory, where you can meet him and learn some helpful knife skills. Stay tuned to Right at the Fork for interviews with more Steelport chefs. We also talk about his Mazatlan favorite places, as well as his faves in Portland. And we wish him well with his wedding coming up in March!

https://www.mexico-forward.com/

@lalocamarena_

@republicapdx

@steelportknifeco

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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