Hi there! I’m Katherine Chew Hamilton, and I’m beyond excited to join the Mercury as its new managing editor.
Most of the time, I write and edit stories about food—you might recognize my rather lengthy byline from various pubs around town, including Eater Portland and Portland Monthly, where I was the food editor for several years. Food has always been the star around which my life orbits, and when I’m not writing about food, I’m getting my hands into it however I can, from churning gelato in Florence, to digging up razor clams on the coast, to working a wine harvest in the Willamette Valley. Yes, I did get to do that thing where you stomp on the grapes with your (sanitized) bare feet, but only for the very best wines. (Ahem, it’s called pigeage.)
I’ll also be taking on food editor duties at the Mercury, and I’m excited to keep writing about all the incredible things to eat and drink in and around town, from salted egg yolk fried prawns at Sichuan City to steaming bowls of goat birria with handmade tortillas at Birrias Tamazula. Along with highlighting spots that are often overlooked by traditional media, I’ll continue covering all the topics that come along with food, including culture, identity, class, immigration, and labor. Who knows—I might even dabble in a few topics outside of the food world that strike my fancy.
When I’m not eating or writing about food, you can find me behind a pottery wheel, riding my bike around town, dancing, camping, swimming in Oregon’s glorious lakes and rivers, and cuddling with my cat, Leonardo Antonio Guanciale (Leo for short).
Find me on Instagram @kat.bites, read on for more hot food stories, and send all tips, questions, and complaints to khamilton@portlandmercury.com. Just remember to keep it civil; this is who you’re being mean to.