Farm Spirit Brings on Scott Winegard as Co-Chef
March 15, 2019 – Portland, Ore. – Modernist plant-based restaurant Farm Spirit is enhancing its team with some world-class culinary talent. Chef Scott Winegard will be joining chef/owner Aaron Adams behind the stoves as co-chef at the newly-opened expanded location in SE Portland.
Winegard brings over 20 years of cooking experience, most recently serving as the chef and culinary director for plant-based culinary institution Matthew Kenney Cuisine. Since 2012, he has directed the recipe development and execution for the company’s culinary schools and restaurants all over the globe. During his tenure, Winegard opened 30 concepts such as Plant Food and Wine in Venice, Calif. and Miami, Double Zero in New York, and Asian-inspired Arata in Belfast, Maine.
With Winegard now relocated from Los Angeles, he will take on the savory portion of Farm Spirit’s menu with Aaron focusing on desserts. The two chefs see the alliance as a natural progression of a friendship rooted in similar culinary style, philosophy and love of the region’s ingredients.
“Scott was the one who nudged me to open Farm Spirit years ago and really inspired me put my ideas into action,” says Adams. “So when Scott started talking to me last year about him wanting to make a change, it just felt like this was a great opportunity to reciprocate his kindness and up our culinary game at the restaurant in one fell swoop.”
For Scott, Farm Spirit presents an opportunity to focus his creativity on one concept in a single location, after eight years of juggling multiple concepts and teams and extensive travel. “It sounds funny, but I’m looking forward to working with people I can look in the eye. When you work at a global organization, so much of the job is virtual. I’m excited about the tangibility of being at Farm Spirit, face to face with the team and seeing the delight on the guests faces when they dine. And of course, working with Aaron.”
Farm Spirit reopened in January 2019 as a full-sized, 28-seat restaurant, expanded from the former 14-seat chef counter. Farm Spirit is open Wednesday to Saturday, with dining room seating starting at 5:00 p.m. and chef’s counter seating at 7:00 p.m. Dinner service includes six or more courses, plus snacks and surprises for $89. The Chef’s Counter Cascadian Tasting Menu experience is $109 and features several additional courses for the more adventurous diner. Dinners are reserved and pre-paid online exclusively via TOCK. Farm Spirit is a gratuity-free restaurant.
Farm Spirit
Located in Portland, Ore., Farm Spirit serves plant-based, locally-sourced modernist cuisine from the Cascadia region. Farm Spirit has been named “Best Farm to Table Restaurant” by Travel + Leisure, and one of Tasting Table’s “8 Best Vegan Restaurants in America.” Find Farm Spirit on Facebook.com/FarmSpirit, and @FarmSpirit on Instagram.