Right at the Fork

We're looking back to March of this year, and our conversation with Ben Edmunds - Brewmaster at Breakside Brewery in Portland - where he oversees the company's production brewery and at the time, two pub breweries.

Since this interview, they've opened up a location in Lake Oswego, Astoria - and their long talked about Beer Garden and Beer Hall in Beaverton.

We talk about his background, growing up in the mid-west, to what ultimately inspired him to change careers as a high school teacher and go into brewing. Under Ben's guidance, Breakside has won many medals at national and international competitions - including 8 World Beer Cup Awards.

Hear the behind the scenes decision making moments that have made Breakside what it is today - including the introduction of a new year-round witbier. Plus - where does Ben eat and drink when he's not at Breakside.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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

Fall means doughnuts, at least for Cort.

Here's a look back to May 2023 and our conversation with Chris Schultz, CEO at Voodoo Doughnut.

Chris Schultz, CEO of Portland's iconic brand Voodoo Doughnut, joined the company in 2017 to bring his 30+ years experience in the restaurant industry to the company. Prior to taking over the leadership of Voodoo, he helped Mod Pizza expand nationwide and before that, worked at Starbucks during its rapid expansion. Since coming aboard, he's helped Voodoo expand into new markets and weather a pandemic. We talk about bringing Voodoo and its Portland ethos to new markets, what the criteria is, and how it's been accepted. Chris drops hints at new locations and also announces a new paintjob for their flagship store, taking place as we spoke.

We get to know a bit about Chris, too. Where he eats in Portland, what he thinks of Blue Star, as well as his love of the Pacific Northwest after transplanting here from Southern California 20 years ago.

We interviewed co-founder Tres Shannon just before he brought Chris on to run the company in 2016. One of our favorite episodes: https://rightatthefork.libsyn.com/85-tres-shannon-voodoo-doughnut

https://www.voodoodoughnut.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

On the news that Lisa Schroeder was named the Oregon Small Business Person of the Year for 2023, we felt it necessary to bring back our conversation with Lisa from January of this year.

Chef Lisa Schroeder of Mother's Bistro has had a very challenging few years. The most recent upset was when her bank wouldn't honor refunding the money on checks written to her bank account number under someone else's name, simply because she didn't report the problem soon enough. This comes on the heels of a tumultuous few years after 23 years in business In 2018, she went through the process of moving Mother's to its new location not long before the pandemic hit. Her location, in the middle of downtown where meth use is prolific, isn't the only challenge. She's required in her lease to be open 7 days a week, since her restaurant serves the hotel in the same building. Lisa talks to us about the outlook for her business in the face of rising costs and new Portland dining and working patterns as well as restaurants as a whole, wherever they may be.

Lisa is one of Portland's most outspoken restaurant owners, and she's always a great interview.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

Zupan's Markets: www.Zupans.com Oregon Dungeness Crab: www.OregonDungeness.org 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

We look back to our conversation with Alexa Numkena-Anderson from July of 2024:

Alexa Numkena-Anderson @cheflex_pdx is enrolled Hopi and is Yakama, Skokomish, Cree and Mexican descent. She was born in Yakima, Washington and grew up in the greater Washington area (Toppenish, Tri-Cites and Fairchild Air Force Base). After high school Alexa moved to Portland, Oregon to pursue a culinary career and attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary school while also working as a line cook.

She has worked in many kitchens across the Portland, such as @kingtidepdx (formally Three Degrees) @twr.pdx @sammichportland @imperialportland @headwaterspdx and @bullardtavernpdx as well as working for acclaimed chefs and restaurateurs such as @dougiepdx @vit0bike @lesbianmeatmaker & @lauroromero to name a few. Drawing inspiration from her grandmother, her indigenous heritage . Her grandma Stella of the Yakama Tribe with memories of fry bread, roast beef, and soups as well as her Hopi heritage With the motivations of being a new mother, she is ready to share and continuously learn about her culture’s food. Inspired by other Indigenous chefs she feels it is her responsibility to share and learn about these ancient foods and techniques.

Javelina’s main feature is fry bread and even though this food came from necessity, our people were able to make a comfort food that is still found at pow wows and family gatherings to this day. On her culinary journey she discovered the amazing bounty of native ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Using what the surrounding land has already given them and combining it with Alexa’s culture, skill and vision they hope to create a truly unique story.

Right at the Fork is supported by:

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