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 ..read more

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.   Righ ..read more

Althea Grey Potter wanted to try something new after Oui, the wine bar at the Southeast Collective where she had generated much attention, closed due to the pandemic.  She started The Flavor Society, which produces and distributes crunchy chili oils designed for enhancing your favorite pizza (and more).  Althea was sampling her product recently at an event and her energy and enthusiasm resonated with our host, Chris.  And so we are pleased to feature Althea to talk about her hippie parent upbringing in New England, which of course leads to an east coast stuff vs. west discussion ..read more

One of the hardest working people in the media biz, Brooke Jackson Glidden joins the podcast between editorial positions.  Her six-year tenure at Eater as Portland's editor and writer just came to an end as she anticipates taking the editorial helm at Portland Monthly.  We talk about her trophy-case full of accomplishments at the age of 30, what she's most proud of as well as how her new position will differ, and what her goals are with the magazine.   Much of the conversation centers around how the pandemic changed so much in the food industry and how it was a struggle to cover ..read more

On the morning of May 10, 2024, Chad Draizin woke up to a notification that his flagship Fifty Licks Ice Cream store had a little problem.  That's when the rollercoaster of information and crazy stuff started, appearing not to be a big deal but in short time turning out to be a major fire and smoke problem. Chad joins us to discuss the challenges the damaging fire presents to his business and what needs to happen to think about opening that location again.      We also talk about the parade of challenges that have faced Fifty Licks (and this, Chad) from the initia ..read more

Elias Cairo is the co-owner and head salumist at Olympia Provisions in Portland. Cairo grew up in a Greek-American family, where he learned to appreciate the value of handmade food. He later traveled to Europe to apprentice with master chefs and butchers, where he honed his skills in charcuterie. In 2009, Cairo returned to Portland and founded Olympia Provisions with his sister and partners, which has since become renowned for its high-quality artisanal meats. Lately, Eli has been propagating a message on social media comparing OP to larger meat companies, and on this podcast we talk to him ab ..read more

Chef Sam Smith has been a notable figure in the Portland culinary scene since he arrived in the city from the Bay Area. He is currently the chef at Yaowarat, Portland Monthly's 2023 Restaurant of the Year.  Sam talks about the experiences of traveling through Thailand with his team doing extensive research to develop the recipes for the restaurant, as well as why the team of Sam, Akkapong Earl Ninsom, Kyle Webster and Eric Nelson is such a powerhouse.     Smith has honed his skills through experiences at renowned establishments like Zahav in Philadelphia and Ava Gene's in P ..read more

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 This week's episode comes from September of 2023, and our conversation with Garrett Peck. 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 m ..read more

There may be no bigger fan of In-N-Out in the Portland area than Danny Dwyer. Yes, that Danny Dwyer, a long time voice on country radio in Portland at 98.7 The Bull. In this episode we talk about his love of In-N-Out, what it might mean for the Portland food scene.  We also hear about some of the places around the Portland/Vancouver area that are his go-to spots. 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:&n ..read more

This episode of Right at the Fork comes from December of 2023.   Original notes:   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 relationsh ..read more