Every year, food and travel writer Elizabeth Rose shares her experiences at Feast Portland. The event is a wonderful opportunity to get to know Portland through its culinary scene. Elizabeth tells us what 2018’s event was like and what to expect in 2019.

Chef Schafer’s casually elegant restaurant in the historic Pearl District.

I’ve been attending Feast Portland events for several years now. Each year I choose a new type of foodie event to experience. And Feast Portland never disappoints because there are new, creative, and fun events each year.

Feast Portland: Crazy Competitions
Opening night, Feast usually has a smack-down event with chefs from near and far competing. But it’s the ticket-holders who win. They get to taste all those creations, even before the judges do.

One year it was the “Sandwich Invitational,” and this year it was a brand new themed competition “80s vs. 90s.” Twenty of the hottest chefs from Portland and across America performed their craft in the ultimate throwback cook-off. The competition style event enlisted half of the participating chefs to represent the 80s and the other half the 90s. Participants combed their attics for fun and funky costumes and danced to vintage tunes. I can’t wait to see what the theme will be next year.

Chef Maya Lovelace’s Tillamook pimento cheese, smoked ham, and broccoli hot pocket with sun dried tomato ranch dressing at the fun 80s vs. 90s competition. Courtesy: Feast Portland

Feast Portland: Intimate Dining Events

I try to find something new at Feast each year and, since I’ve been to the mega-events and am not a fan of lines and crowds, I checked out one of the hot ticket items, an event from the small group Dinner Series.

I opted to experience the cuisine prepared by a female chef duo who aimed to surprise us with their culinary wizardry. Feast brought together mentors and friends Traci Des Jardins (Jardinière, San Francisco) and local celeb Sarah Schafer (Irving Street Kitchen, Portland). The two joined forces at Irving Street Kitchen in the Pearl District to create a menu that represented their collective experiences.

The duo kept the diners wondering what was coming out of the kitchen next. And then once the dish was placed before them, the diners were still wondering and had to check their menus to decide what they were enjoying. Not all combinations of foods were intuitive. The chefs were out to keep us guessing.

The evening started with a reception outside of the casually elegant restaurant housed in a Pearl District renovated warehouse. We actually were standing on what was once the loading dock.

Once a warehouse, this Pearl District building was transformed into one of the top restaurants in Portland.

Diners were greeted with Willamette Valley white wines from Ponzi Vineyards and WillaKenzie Estate. Elegant appetizers were passed.

The diners were welcomed with passed appetizers like this chanterelle confit.

The group of about 60 was then seated at large round tables. The chefs were introduced, and in turn, introduced us to the offerings for the evening, all to be carefully paired with wines from Ponzi and WillaKenzie.

The first course was a smoked scallop crudo with pressed melon and, surprisingly, Hatch popcorn for a little crunch texture.

The evening ended with yet another surprising dish with seemingly incompatible ingredients. The desert was Foie Gras Crème Caramel, Oregon hazelnut cake, with carbonated grapes. It was sweet and delightful. I quickly surmised that the flavor of the Foie Gras was undetectable and, with the other diners, marveled at the skill of the chefs who created tiny bubbles inside the grapes.

And as we thanked the chefs and made our way outside, I stood on the former loading dock and looked down at the crowd walking along the basalt-block streets and summoned my ride-share. I was pleased to have had this Feast Portland Dinner Series experience and the opportunity to experience the magic created by Traci Des Jardins and Sarah Schafer.

Feast Portland: It’s Really About Giving
With all the fun and feasting, it’s important to be reminded that Feast Portland is a fund raiser. During its seventh year, Bon Appétit Presents Feast Portland food and drink festival raised $75,140 for its charitable partners Partners For A Hunger-Free Oregon and Urban Gleaners. Since 2012, Feast Portland has raised $445,140 to help fight hunger.

Feast Portland 2018 welcomed 20,373 total attendees. There were 127 participating chefs, in addition to wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries, artisans and more. 4,452 pounds of 183 different types of fresh produce provided by Feast partners were featured at 52 distinct events during the four-day festival, continuing to highlight the bounty of the region.

Save the date for year eight of Bon Appétit Presents Feast Portland, September 12-15, 2019. You’ll have plenty of choices if you log on quickly for tickets. If you procrastinate, you can still have fun with the larger tasting events.  — Story and photos, except where noted, by Elizabeth Rose.

Hungry for more? While you’re in Portland, let this book be your guide to other fun. Also, read this article by Elizabeth about the wine tasting experience in Idaho, and how to explore Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks.