#412 DaMenga Weaverhuff and Thomas Pisha-Duffly - Gado Gado and Oma's Hideway (and their Steelport Knife demo)
Right At The Fork
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...
info_outline
RATF Classic: #402 Andrea Falaschi - 4th Generation Tuscan Butcher and Maialata Marquee Guest
Right At The Fork
Visit 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...
info_outline
#411 Tony Bixler - Local Ocean Seafoods
Right At The Fork
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. Tony shares some of his...
info_outline
RATF Classic: #370 Peter Kost - Ken's Artisan Pizza and Carina Lounge
Right At The Fork
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...
info_outline
#410 Elisa Acciai - Tuscany Tour Guide
Right At The Fork
Right at the Fork is supported by: Zupan's Markets: RingSide Steakhouse: Portland Food Adventures: 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...
info_outline
#409 Jose Lalo Camarena - República
Right At The Fork
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...
info_outline
#408 Meg Cotner - Bridgetown Bites
Right At The Fork
Meg Cotner is a freelance writer and editor based in Portland, Oregon via various other places including California to New York.. Meg publishes Bridgetown Bites, which covers restaurants, bars, cafes, food trucks, events, and includes opinion pieces, all centering on the Portland food world.. The site focuses on and news, while dabbling in reviews and other editorial content. We talk about what it requires in time and effort to keep up the site, as well as Meg's personal and business objectives and her writing and eating...
info_outline
RATF Classic: #391 Alexa Numkena-Anderson - @JavelinaPDX
Right At The Fork
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...
info_outline
#407 Frank Squillo - Wanda's Cafe & Bakery
Right At The Fork
Frank Squillo has had quite a storied career, but as he points out in this episode, there are definite parallels between his career as a radio host and now, as co-owner of the storied Wanda's Cafe and Bakery, a mainstay of the North Oregon Coast that he purchased with his husband in 2019 and has operated since. We talk about what it takes to run a successful restaurant on the Oregon Coast - the key ingredients in the business and in the recipes. We'll even go into the things he's learned and how he deals with challenging situations and challenging people. We...
info_outline
#406 Jon Galdos - Basque Tours
Right At The Fork
Jon Galdos operates a premiere tour company in San Sebastian. The convergence of his love of travel and thirst for holiday time led him to find this passion almost 20 years ago, during a successful career in engineering. Jon explains in this interview how he approaches designing experiences for people in one of the most culinary-rich areas of the world, and how he came to love what he does. Jon has curated some wonderful experiences for host Chris Angelus' Portland Food Adventures groups with Urdaneta in Basque Country. One of them, a dreamy visit to a 13 generation...
info_outlineWith news that L'Orange has made the New York Times list of America's Best Restaurants, wanted to return to our conversation from July 2023 with Joel Stocks.
Original post:
Joel Stocks has found a new home at his new restaurant/wine bar L'Orange with business partner Jeff Vejr, also of Las Caves. We discuss what L'Orange is all about, including the visions both he and Jeff had when opening their wine bar/restaurant in the former Willow space.
Joel has worked at some of the best restaurants in Portland, and the world. Arzak, Alinea, French Laundry to name a few, and of course Holdfast Dining in Portland. We'll hear how Joel targeted working at the French Laundry long before he got a gig there, and now that happened. Joel will also discuss how his prior experiences influences his cooking. We'll also talk travel ideas, especially Spain.
Right at the Fork is supported by:
Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com
RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingsideSteakHouse.com
Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com