Some interesting Portland chef notes in the last couple of days: Appears the staff at Urban Farmer, in the Nines Hotel, has been shaken up a bit. Just a few weeks after opening, they’ve let go pastry chef Jodi Elliott and chef Ned Elliott. Michael Corvino, the current chef de cuisine, is now on point. Early critique by area foodies has impugned everything from the decor (which I actually didn’t mind) to the cast iron serving plates. Can they turn it around? We’ll see.
Meanwhile, Bruce Carey and Joe Rodgers of Saucebox are looking for just the right person to “fill Chef Christopher Israel’s big shoes.” They’re looking for a “young visionary” and claim to have some exciting prospects. Apparently, sous chef Travis Surmi was not ready to take the reigns.
In other news, Andy Ricker of Pok Pok was featured on NPR’s Splendid Table, in an interview with Lynne Rossetto Kasper. I don’t know how you feel about Kasper, but I have a hard time listening to her for some reason. Luckily, the car radio was tuned to NPR last night and I accidentally caught the tail end of the interview. Ricker goes in-depth into his ingredients, his menu, and the food of Thailand. The full interview can be found on the Splendid Table website. I guess Kasper and I can share common ground in our love of Pok Pok’s amazing boar collar. Yum.
i love the splendid table and LRK. my favorite part is jane and michael stearns’ “road food.” whenever i travel i look to find restaurants that they have recommended. see miguelaron.com and go to the “glendale, wi” entry.
I haven’t been to Urban Farmer, but it never surprises me to hear of another out of town “hospitality group” style chain restaurant biting the dust. Portlanders are very picky consumers, and we like to reward local talent. What works in Denver ain’t necessarily gonna fly very far here… And you’re not the first person I’ve heard express a less than flattering opinion of Lynne Rosetto Kaspar. I tune her in pretty regularly, and actually find both her voice and her witty, if often vapid, repartee quite charming, but I’ve met people who compare listening to her to chewing on tin foil. I guess like those Denver restaurant chains, she’s just not for everyone.