ChefTse

Meet the newest member of our team, Jeff Emmerson. He’s our new Italian Specialist here in Portland! He has an impressive resume as a chef at several Portland hot spots, and now he’ll be working with our customers on all things Italian. Welcome to the team Jeff! We’re lucky to have you!

A little throwback when I taught baking and pastry at Le Cordon Bleu Portland. And as you can see, it’s serious business. Chef Malorie and I are judging a biscuit practical. 😁

I love it when former students send me photos of their creations. Not only does it make me proud, but I get to marvel in their creativity! Who wants a bite?

Enraptured by chocolates. And who wouldn’t be when perusing the flavors at in Hood River? Ayden’s favorite is the dark chocolate and cassis. Good taste for a nine year old!

Pop quiz: what is this famous breakfast dish from the gold rush era made from the three most expensive ingredients at the time: eggs, bacon and oysters? Cory made this dish yesterday for a customer, and I was so intrigued by the combination. Yep. It was delicious!

Teaching my nine year old how to plate with tweezers. This is what happens when your parents trained in a three Michelin star restaurant! 🤣🤣🤣

Love this dish from our friends at The Village Bar and Grill in Sun River! At a recent consult, we talked about birria nachos using chicharrones instead of chips. But every time they made a plate, the chicharrones got soggy. Their brilliant idea? Serve the birria separately from the chicharrones and let diners assemble. I love it when customers show me new ideas. Creativity is what keeps the industry so much fun!

How do you like your strip steak? The possibilities are endless don’t you think? Save time this holiday season with precut steaks from our meat company, Newport. Whether you’re looking for dry aged or a food-cost friendly version, we’ve got you covered! DM me for details.

I love having customers get up during a consult, come behind the counter and get creative. Thanks Andy for having a sense of adventure and for getting inspired. The next three photos are all dishes he created in his restaurant, Casablanca Coffee and Grill, using the beef birria. So proud!

On this rainy Friday, entice diners with a bowl of speed scratch chili: fire roasted tomatoes, pinto beans, beef birria + the consommé, prediced onions, crema, shredded cheese and cilantro. This came together in under 30 minutes and tasted delicious! Using value added chopped veg, kettle cooked beans from Bare Beans and premade birria makes this recipe a snap.

I love it when chefs come in for a consult and see items that inspire them. Here Chef Rick from Hooligans takes our CES butterfly shrimp to a whole new level with his version of elote. Love his creativity! And I might be a bit biased since he’s a former student of mine. Proud!

My new favorite burger: steak trim patty, roasted shish*to peppers, pepper jack cheese, Kewpie mayo, orange gochugaru spice, tender greens, tomato and a Portland French bun. Terribly sorry if I just made you hungry! 🤣🤪

*topeppers

Wednesday I had the opportunity to host a lovely group of culinary students from Mountainside High School. Since they were studying vegetables, we did a fun veggie ID project and talked about how cooking methods impact flavor and texture. Then they sampled 5 of my favorite vegetarian dishes. Thanks for coming - it was so fun!

Sysco is SO lucky to have such a talented and fun loving sales team. On Friday we all got together to create some unique mocktails and desserts. Loved seeing what this crazy bunch came up with using items from European Imports!

Our new Cutting Edge Solutions products are here! And this one is a winner. This is a burnt end sausage from our friends at : all beef, with smoky chunks of brisket burnt ends throughout. Serve it on a bun, wrap it in puff pastry or yes, deep fry it. Your diners will be excited, and it’s perfect for game day.

If I have to wear a uniform to work, at least I can have fun with my socks! All together I have 37 pairs of food related socks that keep me entertained. 😁

Dessert brings a smile to everyone’s face! Yesterday I did an entire consult on the subject with a fantastic customer. But putting dessert on a menu doesn’t mean it will sell. I always recommend mixing server training to get your FOH excited with social media to get your customers excited. Want to learn more? Book a consult with me in my kitchen. 😁

Set your diners’ hearts on fire with our October steak or the month: dry aged, bone in strip steak. Whether pan seared, grilled or broiled, this steak simply needs a sprinkle of salt and pepper. But you better act fast - only 35 cases left in stock!

Ready to jump into the weekend!

Had way too much fun in the kitchen last week with making pastries. Together we whipped up a bakery’s worth of sweet and savory items to show a customer. And don’t worry, we found home for all the pastries afterwards!

Looking for something impressive to serve at your next event? Charles is holding a stunning crown roast of pork from our friends at Salmon Creek Farms. Delish!

Holiday desserts are ready to go! Show opens at 10 am!

It’s go time! Putting the finishing touches on the desserts for the European Imports table at our Home for the Holiday food show this morning! For those of you who are coming, save room for dessert!

My version of kouign amann: all butter croissant dough, praline pastry cream and lots of sugar!

With the cooler weather, I’m craving something comforting. How about some French onion soup from our friends at La Provence?? After just one bite, I’m in heaven!

Is there anything better than pho on a cold day?!?

Congratulations to Michael and his amazing team for opening Smith’s Coffee and Eats yesterday on the Portland State University campus! Come get a delicious latte, Kombucha on tap, a house made buttermilk biscuit breakfast sandwich or a freshly baked chocolate croissant. Couldn’t be more proud for all the hard work they’ve put in to open as students return to campus.

Rainy days at the coast call for freshly baked quiche from for lunch!

When we go to the beach, homemade halibut tacos are always on the menu! Thanks for the amazing fish! So delish!

A standing ovation to all the culinary instructors out there! Meet Chef Erick who developed and heads up the culinary program at North Marion High School. I had the pleasure of visiting one of his classes yesterday. So excited to see the next generation learning to cook and who knows…. maybe there were some future chefs in the class?!? Thanks for being so inspiring Chef!

One of the best parts of our job is listening to our customers. Here my amazing counterpart, Cory, sits with a customer before a consult to fully understand her needs. That way when he presents each dish, it’s customized to her business. Such a fun process!

Harvest time! Don’t you wish you were my neighbor?!?

I’ve been coming to Pizza A’ Fetta in Cannon Beach for decades, and today’s lunch did not disappoint. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a stop - pick up a slice or better yet, a whole pie! And yes, I’ve been known for eating it for breakfast - cold of course - the next morning.

It’s not fall yet, but I was definitely feeling this house made soup and salad combination from River Daze Cafe in Hood River. Don’t you love meals that hit the spot?

I was feeling decadent yesterday in the kitchen: basque cheesecake, S’mores sprinkles, chocolate sauce, toasted meringue and graham crackers. Okay maybe I got a little carried away with the chocolate sauce! 😉

Dinner last night: home grown tomatoes called Pineapple, fresh mozzarella, garden basil and black garlic salt. A perfect dish!

Meet JD. He just opened a stunning driving range and golf course in Medford. Everything about the place is inviting, relaxing and comfortable. It’s definitely worth spending an hour or two!

I’m always a fan of cooking with kids. Yes it takes twice as long with triple the mess, but it gives them valuable skills that will last a lifetime. And the best part, it’s building the next generation of chefs!

I consider it an honor whenever someone invites me over for dinner! Especially when they make their mother’s recipe for birria! Thank you Carlo for a heavenly dinner - your birria rules them all!

Next time you’re in The Gorge, stop by Le Wagon and Randonnee Coffee in Mosier. Check out their house roasted small batch coffee, sip on a creatively crafted mocktail or order a freshly made sandwich like the turkey red pepper. Great people and a great location make this well worth the trip!