#437 Gary Okazaki - Gary the Foodie's 25 Most Significant PDX Restaurants This Century | Part 2
Right At The Fork
We're back with Part 2 of our conversation with Gary Okazaki - aka @GarytheFoodie. Gary gives us his top 10 (out of the 25) - highlighting the most important/defining restaurants of the first quarter century in Portland. Chris throws in the restaurants he thinks should have been on the list. Check out episode #436 to hear 25-11. They touch on the rise of pop-up restaurants and reflect on the future of Portland's food scene, concluding with thoughts on the lasting impact of these establishments. In this engaging conversation, we explore the evolution of...
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#436 Gary Okazaki - Gary the Foodie's 25 Most Significant PDX Restaurants This Century | Part 1
Right At The Fork
In Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Gary Okazaki - aka @GarytheFoodie, Chris and Gary start with 15+2 of Gary's list of the 25 most important/defining restaurants of the first quarter century in Portland. (The top 10 are next week). They touch on the rise of pop-up restaurants and reflect on the future of Portland's food scene, concluding with thoughts on the lasting impact of these establishments. In this engaging conversation, we explore the evolution of Portland's food scene, highlighting influential restaurants, chefs, and the unique culinary ethos that defines...
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#435 Keoni Wachsmuth - Dan & Louis Oyster Bar: Part II
Right At The Fork
In this conversation, Keoni Wachsmuth, 4th generation owner of Portland's iconic oyster bar, discusses the current success of his oyster bar, the challenges faced by the restaurant industry, and the impact of technology on dining experiences. He reflects on the importance of preserving culinary history and the economic pressures affecting both restaurant owners and employees. The discussion also touches on the historical context of the oyster bar and the changing landscape of Portland's dining scene. In this engaging conversation, Keoni Wachsmuth discusses the intricacies of running Dan and...
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#434 Brady Stephens - Fancy Baby
Right At The Fork
Chef Brady Stephens, now Executive Chef at Fancy Baby in Portland, was born and raised in Sioux City, IA. He has spent years refining his craft in various kitchens, including stints at Michelin bib gourmands in Spain, and most recently at Jacqueline, St. Jack, OK Emens and Scotch Lodge in Portland. Chef Brady is drawn to a community-forward style of cooking, highlighting the vibrant flavors of locally farmed, preserved, and fermented foods through a creative elaboration of French, Italian, and Spanish Mediterranean cuisines We talk about his journey and his responsibilities now at Fancy...
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#433 Michelle and Keoni Wachsmuth - Dan and Lous Oyster Bar, Part 1
Right At The Fork
We are thrilled to welcome Keoni and Michelle Wachsmuth, the owners of Portland's legendary Dan and Louis Oyster Bar, for a candid two-part conversation starting this week. The Wachsmuth family has run the seafood landmark since 1907, and in this first segment, Keoni and Michelle open up about the immense challenges of keeping one of the city's oldest restaurants afloat in 2025. They discuss everything from the ongoing difficulties facing the downtown area—which they've referred to as the "downtown depression"—to the financial strains of operating a historic, full-service establishment....
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#432 Jake Martin - Daphne / Astoria
Right At The Fork
Jake Martin began his culinary journey at 15, washing dishes in Northern California before moving sight unseen to Seattle in 1999. There, he taught himself the craft, working his way up through kitchens like Union and Maria Hines' Tilth. He moved to Portland in 2007, eventually running acclaimed restaurants Carlyle and Fenouil. This success was followed by a period of intense personal and professional difficulty, including high-profile restaurant closures, a severe depression, and a series of unfulfilling jobs that left him feeling burnt out and disconnected from the food he wanted to cook....
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#431 Amanda Cannon-Windquist and Judson Windquist - Sunday Sauce and Normandie
Right At The Fork
In a fun interview, we welcome Amanda Cannon Windquist and husband Judson to the podcast, just after they opened their newest venture in Portland, Sunday Sauce. We talk about their journey and inspiration for Sunday Sauce, as well as their other restaurant, Normandie. Amanda and her husband, Judson, met while working in bars in Hoboken, NJ before moving to Portland in the early 2000s, where they now live with their two children. Amanda previously served as the wine director at Q (formerly Veritable Quandary). Her primary venture is Normandie, which she co-founded and opened in...
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RATF Classic: #414 Joel Gunderson - Heavenly Creatures: The affects of threatened tariffs, restaurant sustainability, James Beard nomination and superior hospitality
Right At The Fork
This episode is from April of 2025: 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...
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#430 Faith Dionne - Dappled Tonic
Right At The Fork
In this conversation, Faith Dionne shares her culinary journey from her early influences in Alaska to her experiences in New York and the mountain states, leading to her eventual move to Portland. She discusses her time at Higgins, the challenges of the restaurant industry, and her transition into consumer packaged goods with the creation of Dappled Tonic. Faith reflects on the importance of community, the state of the Portland food scene, and the need to honor culinary legends while also embracing new talent. Right at the Fork is made possible by: DU/ER: Zupan's...
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#429 Jeff Shinrock - Bridge 13
Right At The Fork
In this conversation, Chris and Jeff Shinrock discuss the inception and mission of Bridge 13, a new initiative aimed at redirecting food waste to local community organizations. Jeff shares insights into the challenges of food scarcity, the importance of building trust within the food industry, and the operational strategies employed by Bridge 13 to facilitate food redistribution. The discussion also touches on the metrics for success, community engagement, and future aspirations for expanding the initiative beyond Portland. Right at the Fork is made possible by: ...
info_outlineIt's summer, and that means it's Hog Dog Season...
So here's a look back to our conversation with Michael Mudd from earlier this year.
We venture out to Manzanita for this podcast, and take the opportunity to chat with Michael Mudd, the proprietor of Manzanita Mudd Dogs. Whether you have been to or plan on visiting Manzanita, the story of how the iconic Manzanita Mudd Dogs started to how Michael and his brother Brad took over the operation of the business from their parents, Jim and Lynn Mudd, is an awesome story.
Michael talks about how and why his parents started serving hot dogs from their driveway in Manzanita, and how that led to the Mudd Nick Foundation, which provides kids with wonderful enriching opportunities to go to camps and travel worldwide through their charitable efforts. It was truly a team effort to find that purpose, and now the foundation and hot dog business is going strong, evolving and thriving.
Hearing Michael's recollection of leaving the corporate world to make authentic Chicago Dogs is something so many of us would envy, and we'll get to hear how that's worked out for Michael.
Manzanita Mudd Dogs serves more Chicago dogs than any other place on the West Coast. They can be found close to the water on Laneda Avenue in Manzanita, or here: https://www.manzanitamudddogs.com/. The Mudd Nick Foundation can be found here: https://muddnickfoundation.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