#333 Noah Jacob - Jacob & Sons

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Jacob & Sons' Noah Jacob joins us to take us through his journey that started as a filmmaker and director of documentaries in NYC, where he fell in love with the Jewish deli culture.  After interning and experiencing some of the greats in New York, Jacob and his family moved west to California, where they started a catering business with large corporations as clients. The business was thriving, until the pandemic hit.  Overnight, orders and events were canceled, and there was no business.  

His next move was back to where he grew up, Portland. The plan was to open a brick and mortar restaurant, starting with pop-ups featuring all the great food he was making, using fine Northwest products and traditional Jewish deli practices and recipes. Eventually, he opened wholesale and retail operation, supplying stores like Zupan's with his superior smoked fish and other products, including his traditional rye bread. Listen to Noah's story and a fun discussion on traditional Jewish smoked salmon versus the Northwest variety.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#332 Chris & Cort Go Oprah: Gift Guide 2022

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Chris and Cort do something different for Black Friday, and bring you their suggest gifts for the holidays in 2022. Hear their list of great local (and non local) items, tech ideas... nuts, socks and more!

Suggestions from Chris included:

 

Cort's suggestions:

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

RATF Classic: #325 Mariah + Tom Pisha-Duffly - Gado Gado & Oma's Takeaway

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Going all the way back to September... of this year! And our conversation with Mariah and Thomas Pisha-Duffly:

On the heels of our discussion with @garythefoodie last week, when he suggested Mariah and Thomas Pisha-Duffly could be considered as part of the new guard of Portland's lauded restaurateurs, we invited the creative couple on the podcast to talk about how they got to where they are today.

They share how they met in Boston's dive-bar world, travels to Indonesia, and how they learned to love what they do creating pop-ups in two Portlands. We begin with how they weathered the pandemic, having just opened Gado Gado months before the hammer came down. (Plus a new baby!!)

Finally, stick with this fun interview to the end, where host Chris prompts both Marian and Thomas to talk about what they love about each other.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#331 Dan Hart - Prost, Stammtisch, Interurban and Bantam Tavern

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Dan Hart, founder of Prost, Stammtisch, Interurban and The Bantam Tavern joins us to talk about how Portland's first food cart pod with a pub attached to it came to be, in addition to its expansion to Bend. 

We will talk about his bartending and love of skiing in his Eugene and California days, and how that led him to Portland.  We'll also touch on his favorite spots to go in Portland, as we usually do. 

Listen in for a very nice list of Dan's suggestions, which begin with his places!!  You'll really want to go after hearing the genesis of his establishments.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#330 Ron Khormaei - Founder, Steelport Knife Co. & Finex Cookware

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Ron Khormaei doesn't sit still.  From an early age when he left oppressive Iran for Switzerland and then Oregon, to his noteworthy academic pursuits in engineering, to navigating the corporate world to round out his skillsets.

We talk to Ron about his journey to Oregon and his eventual stamping the best aspects of Portland into his cookware and knife products.

There's a lot of food for thought in so much Ron says in this interview. Any entrepreneur or fellow Oregonian would appreciate the wisdom and spirit Mr. Khormaei imparts in this hour-plus talk.

See his products at www.steelportknife.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

#329 Flying Fish's Lyf Gildersleeve Goes to Mexico

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Lyf Gildersleeve of Flying Fish Company joins is again to talk about his recent decision to move to Mexico in the interest of educating his children with a more well-rounded approach than schools in Portland could offer. We discuss the reasons for that decision, how he plans to operate Flying Fish while there, and the adventure that ensued on his drive down with his family.

We will also talk about quality of life, cannabis use, and his fishing trip experiences.

Full disclosure: Host Chris Angelus' Portland Food Adventures has curated and produced trips with Lyf.

Please check in to Right at the Fork's Facebook page to see the essay from Jim Downey that Chris mentioned: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=right%20at%20the%20fork

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#328 Catching Up with Chris and Cort

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It's been nearly a month since Cort and Chris were in Oregon, let alone the same country. On this episode of the podcast, the two catch up on their travels (some more exciting than others) - and share of the things they experienced while away.

Hear where they've been, get some travel tips (which may or may not be helpful) and to wrap it all up, a good ten minues of dog/puppy talk.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

 

RATF Classic: #290 Cameron Lee Dunlap - Morchella

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With the news that Morchella was named as one of the Top 50 New Restaurants in America by Bon Appetit, we thought it important to go back to September of 2021... just weeks before Morchella opened up and our conversation with Cameron Lee Dunlap.

Fresh off the heels of Cameron's excitement about his first mention in EaterPDX, we took it upon ourselves to host Cameron for the first time on a podcast.

Moving from the chef role at The Fireside, a second stint there, Cameron has gathered a team to open Morchella, slated to open its doors in mid-October, 2021. His first restaurant to which he can lay claim has his own will feature foraged edible food sourced by his staff. and others The restaurant will be built with a particular focus on quality of life for its employees, who will all be wearing numerous hats.

Cameron and Chris talk about the sustainability of social-forward restaurants, as well as his experiences at other restaurants, and which chefs he's watching in Portland.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#327 Remembering Sarah Pliner w/ Gary Okazaki

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The Portland Food Scene is in mourning, with news of the tragic passing of renowned Aviary chef Sarah Pliner. 

We asked our friend Gary Okazaki (Gary the Foodie) to share his thoughts on Sarah, having developed a unique relationship with Sarah during her time at Aviary. 

Gary and Chris talk about her influence around town, and Gary shares some of her background and memories. 

Right at the Fork is made possible by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com
RingSideSteakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com

#326 Dirk Marshall - V H US Podcast + Marshall's Haute Sauce

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After nearly 8 years, Dirk Marshall of Marshall's Haute Sauce returns to podcast to talk about his own podcast, V H US, a selft described "film adjacent podcast."  

Dirk shares the story of growing up in a video rental store and how box art shaped him into the person he is today - and what people can expect when they listen in.

Plus, an update about what he and Sarah have been up since we last spoke, including all the projects at Marshall's Haute Sauce (as well as a promise to have both Dirk and Sarah back to JUST talk sauce). 

Learn more about Dirk's podcast here: www.vh-us.com
More on Marshall's Haute Sauce: www.marshallshautesauce.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

RATF Instant Classic: #315 Emily Cafazzo & Ryan Domingo - Sugarpine Drive-In + "Tastebound"

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As we enter the off season, we're jumping back to a conversation from early Summer 2022 - with Sugarpine Drive-In's Emily Cafazzo and Ryan Domingo.

Joining us from their time away in Hawaii are Emily Cafazzo and Ryan Domingo of the now iconic Sugarpine Drive-In in Troutdale. We discuss the genesis of Sugarpine and how incredible the journey has been. We go back even further to the point where the couple met in Brooklyn at Andy Ricker's restaurant, of all places, and follow the reasons behind and the journey back to Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge. Both have quite a resume in the food world, and Emily discusses her days at Gotham Tavern with a cast of chefs who would later arguably be responsible for building the Portland food scene to what it has become.

We also discuss "Tastebound," a book about the bounty of the Mt. Hood and Columbia River Gorge region in which Ryan and Emily included their recipe for their Brown Butter Blondie with Blueberry Sauce.

This is a must-listen episode for Sugarpine fans or those who would like to precede their first visit with some excellent background, straight from the proprietors' voices.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

RATF Classic: #233 Emily Everett - Quaintrelle | Abbey Road Farm

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This week, we look back to March of 2020 - and our conversation with Emily Everett from Quaintrelle & Abbey Road Farm.

Emily Everett joins the podcast to talk about her journey from the East Coast to Portland, with an update on Quaintrelle and Abby Road Farm. 

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com
RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingsideSteakhouse.com 
Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com

#325 Mariah + Tom Pisha-Duffly - Gado Gado & Oma's Takeaway

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On the heels of our discussion with @garythefoodie last week, when he suggested Mariah and Thomas Pisha-Duffly could be considered as part of the new guard of Portland's lauded restaurateurs, we invited the creative couple on the podcast to talk about how they got to where they are today.

They share how they met in Boston's dive-bar world, travels to Indonesia, and how they learned to love what they do creating pop-ups in two Portlands. We begin with how they weathered the pandemic, having just opened Gado Gado months before the hammer came down. (Plus a new baby!!)

Finally, stick with this fun interview to the end, where host Chris prompts both Marian and Thomas to talk about what they love about each other.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#324 Gary Okazaki - @garythefoodie checks in

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Gary Okazaki @garythefoodie joins us to bring us up to date on his latest Portland food experiences, including a few ways to tip the scales a bit to get a table at Kann. We talk about his ambassadorship with a few restaurants, his favored food cart, who the new kingpins are in the Portland food world, and of course, why the Mets will win the World Series this year. 

 

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#323 Tyler Malek - Salt & Straw

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For the first time in 7 years, we bring the positive vibe of Tyler Malek to our guests through a fun conversation about what motivates Tyler at Salt & Straw, and how things have evolved as the company has grown from 2 employees to over 1000 in a handful of states around the country. 

We'll talk about how becoming a father has changed his perspectives in life and business, and then we discuss the company's new product, ice cream specifically for your beloved dog-- how that came about, and what he wanted to accomplish. 

You can find prior episodes with Tyler on the podcast by searching for episode 54.  His cousin and co-founder, Kim, joined us on episode 126.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

#322 Aundre Barnes - Urdaneta

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We spend an hour with Aundre Barnes, who has been serving diners at Portland's Urdaneta for the past 7 years. Aundre is a native Portlander and has seen many changes over his years here. He's worked in banking and in voice-over work along the way.

He shares with us some of the reasons for his passion and his love of the industry, which run from the soulful experience of gaining first-hand knowledge of Spanish cuisine during Urdaneta's company field trips in addition to his admiration for Chef Javier Canteras, whose Basque roots shine through in his unique cuisine. Aundre will share some of his favorite Portland haunts, as well as some of his favorite travel destinations.

Disclosure: Right at the Fork host Chris Angelus is associated with Urdaneta and Aundre with his trips to Basque Country offered through Portland Food Adventures.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

RATF Classic: #27 Jeff Trenary - Kingfisher Farms

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In this classic episode of RATF, we go all the way back to July of 2014, to a conversation with Jeff Trenary of Kingfisher Farms.  Sadly, Jeff passed away earlier this year.  Over the years, we talked regularly with Jeff about coming back on the show, but never made it happen. This reposting of of episode #27 will serve as our tribute to a great person.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

Original Post:

Farmin'!  Get to know a man responsible for the wonderful vegetables that land on your plate.  Oh, and how to properly pronounce "Nehalem."  It's Jeff Trenary from Kingfisher Farm.

Mentioned in this episode:

www.nostrana.com/

www.bluehouronline.com/

www.clarklewispdx.com/

www.taradpdx.com/

www.facebook.com/vinomanzanita

www.higginsportland.com/

www.roe-pdx.com/

www.woodsmantavern.com/

www.trifectapdx.com/

#321 Bryan Deckert - Country Cat at PDX

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Bryan Deckert has been running the busy Country Cat restaurant at PDX since it first opened its doors.  Along the way it's garnered BEST AIRPORT RESTAURANT honors twice, and is a model for the many new local brands making airport experiences better. 

Bryan talks to us about what goes into running such a busy, quirky operation with different hours and structures, especially through the pandemic.   We also touch on Bryan's earlier days at Pazzo, where he was in charge of making dignitaries, like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley, happy.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com
RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com

#320 Erik Englund - Flying Fish

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Flying Fish's Chef Erik Englund joins us on the podcast today to talk about his journey from the Detroit area to Portland 12 years ago, with stops at fabled Gruner and CDC at Bamboo Sushi for years.  There, he procured seafood from Lyf Gildersleeve during his food truck days on Hawthorne, and the rest is current history. 

Lyf brought Erik in to assist him at his former oyster bar at Providore and then built a restaurant around Erik's talents, which can now be enjoyed at their fish market and restaurant on East Burnside.   

We talk about Erik's appreciation for the beauty of natural Oregon and sanity in kitchens as well.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com
RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com

RATF Classic: #266 Mike Aldridge - Mid City Smash Burgers

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With the recent news that Mike Aldridge was talking his Mid City Smash Burger to Bend, we felt it appropriate to bring back our conversation with Mike about the origins of Mid City.

ORIGINAL POST:

Chef Mike Aldridge has been on quite a career and personal journey over the past couple of years. Mike, a native North Dakotan, has cooked in some of Portland's well-known restaurants, including Urban Farmer, Imperial and Headwaters, among others. He became chef at the coastal restaurant, Salmonberry Saloon in 2017 and garnered lots of press for making hay in a region not known for great dining. After leaving there, he started his own pop-up, Ope, in Portland, with the goal of opening up a place near Mt. Hood, where his heart as a winter enthusiast had always drawn him.

His love of New Orleans drove him to expand his horizons there in early 2019, but when the pandemic hit in 2020, his plans were derailed, as restaurants struggled through yet another calamity in that city. To make ends meet, he started making burgers at home and offering them to friends and neighbors. Before he knew it, he was sold out each time he put his burger party together. Now, we talk to Mike about his adventure back to Portland, and the opening of Mid City Smash Burgers as a food cart. Mike talks about his plans to expand that business and realize his dream of a brick and mortar restaurant on this episode.

@midcitysmashburgers on Instagram

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com
RingSide Steakhouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com