86 The Chicken: Recent Episodes
Bill Komissaroff
Nong Poonsukwatanna of Nong's Khao Man Gai in Portland, OR opens up about her difficult childhood in Thailand, coming to the United States, and betting it all on one simple dish.
A conversation with Portland, Oregon restauranteur John Taboada owner of Navarre and Luce. Among other things, he talks about growing up in the DC suburbs, accompanying his dying mentor/friend on a farewell trip to France, and what to do with green peaches.
In this episode we sit down with Sam Tannahill of A to Z Wineworks. Sam and his wife, Cheryl Francis are winemakers. Together they co-founded Francis Tannahill Wines and along with their partners Bill and Deb Hatcher created A to Z Wineworks. In 2oo7 A to Z aquired Rex Hill Vineyards. We met for coffee on a cold Portland, Oregon morning at Chef Vitaly Paley's Imperial in the Hotel Lucia. Sam talks about growing up near wine country in San Fransisco, being in business with his wife and the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs, and how Portland could be a better wine city.
In this episode we sit down with Jason French who is the owner/chef of Ned Ludd located in Portland, Oregon. Ned Ludd is a self-described American Craft Kitchen whose menu is often dictated by what is available from local farmers and purveyors. Oh and the main source of cooking is a large wood-fired oven.
In this episode we profile Cathy Whims who along with her husband David West are owners of Nostrana and co-owners of Oven & Shaker. Cathy is a highly decorated Portland chef who not only has witnessed the Portland restaurant revolution; she has been an integral part of it. During our conversation Cathy talks about growing up in the college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and her move to San Francisco and eventually Portland in the late 1970s. She describes how she got her dream job working in the kitchen at Genoa the celebrated high-end Portland Italian restaurant. It was at Genoa that Cathy met the recently deceased Marcella Hazan who was her idol and became her mentor.
A conversation with Tommy Habetz co-founder of Bunk Sandwiches in Portland, Oregon. Tommy talks about growing up in Connecticut, working alongside celebrity chefs like Mario Batali and Bobby Flay, and why he is happy to be the Walter White of Portland.
A conversation with Scott Snyder whose family and culinary history inspired him to open Levant in Portland, Oregon, Scott uses his French technical background while cooking with traditional North African and Middle Eastern spices and meats. He talks about growing up as a Jewish a punk rock kid in California and his road from body piercing artist to restauranteur.
Since opening in early 2012, Smallwares has received critical acclaim both locally in Portland and nationally. Johanna describes her food as "inauthentic" Asian cuisine which gives her license to add her own creative twist on traditional recipes and ingredients.