#422 Greg Higgins - About his Message to Portland about the state of Downtown and Higgins
Release Date: 07/25/2025
#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: ...
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Remembering Justin Woodward of Castagna & OK Omens - Encore of Episode #78 w/ Gary Okazaki
Right At The Fork
The Portland food community mourns the news of the sudden passing of one of its long-time brightest stars, Justin Woodward. He passed away. losing a long battle with alcoholism, on Oct 2nd, in California. He was best known for his work in the kitchens of Castagna and OK Omens in Portland. This episode is a replay from our time with Justin and dear friend Gary Okazaki in 2016 when he was only one of two James Beard nominees from the Pacific Northwest. Find a story of his life by Brooke-Jackson Glidden of Portland Monthly, here: And Justin's obituary here:...
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RATF Classic: #405 Tyler Malek - Salt & Straw Growth
Right At The Fork
This week's episode is an encore presentation of our conversation with Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw from January, where we discussed the expansion of Portland's favorite ice cream shop. And don't forget to check our our news partner and sponsor, DU/ER! Be sure to visit and receive 15% off your first purchase! ORIGINAL POST: Tyler Malek is the Chef and co-owner of one of Portland's now most iconic brands and restaurants, Salt & Straw. Now with locations cornering the continental US, Tyler and his cousin Kim have made some serious noise in the ice cream world. In this...
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#428 Chris Angelus - 15 years of Portland Food Adventures local events and 10 years of International Food Tours
Right At The Fork
Join us in welcoming DU/ER as a new sponsor to the podcast. Visit and receive 15% off your first purchase! Portland Food Adventures events have featured the best of over 250 Oregon restaurants, food carts, coffee shops, wineries, and more. Then,10 years ago its international travel division began taking food lovers with chefs and artisans to their favorite places overseas, and with that have taken over 200 people to hundreds of food experiences from Austrailia to Europe and even on the Snake River in Oregon. Portland Food Adventures has connected many to wonderful food...
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#427 Rose Archer - Luscious Bend, Part 2
Right At The Fork
Please join us in welcoming DU/ER as a new sponsor to the podcast. Visit and receive 15% off your first purchase! In this engaging conversation, Rose Archer shares her culinary journey from Hawaii to Italy, Germany, and finally to Bend, Oregon. She discusses her experiences working with renowned chefs, including Massimo Bottura, and the challenges and triumphs of establishing her supper club, which has become a beloved community event. Rose emphasizes the importance of connection and creativity in food, and her upcoming Luscious Bend Food and Wine Experience aims to foster that sense...
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Right at the Fork is supported by:
Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com
RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com
Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com