Kachka Announces Guest Chef Series in partnership with Kuni Lexus of Portland, Bringing Some of the Country’s Most Exciting Cooking to Portland
Chef Bonnie Morales will host chefs from Turkey and the Wolf, Fat Rice, Kismet and Oxomoco for a series of collaborative dinners interweaving their cuisines
PORTLAND, Ore. (April 29, 2019) –While traveling the country promoting her award-winning cookbook and cooking at events over the past couple of years, Kachka chef/co-owner Bonnie Morales and her husband/business partner Israel had the opportunity to dine at some of the country’s most coveted tables and connect with other chefs that truly inspire them. This year, they’ll launch their first guest chef dinner series at Kachka, inviting these chefs to cook with them in their kitchen in Portland.
“Interwoven,” presented by Lexus, is a series of four dinners that will be truly collaborative: Morales will cook dishes inspired by her guest chefs, and they’ll, in turn, incorporate Eastern European flavors and ingredients from Kachka to create new dishes inspired by her cooking. The chefs will riff off of each other and the dishes will be presented in tandem with the aim of creating a seamless, one-of-a-kind meal that blends the two styles together.
“This is a chance for me to bring chefs to Portland from other cities around the U.S. who create food completely different from what we do at Kachka,” says Morales. “I’m so excited to cook with these amazing chefs, and to bring their talent and style into our kitchen and share it with our guests.”
Morales hand-picked the chefs who inspire her, but also whose food is a clear departure from Kachka, so that the dinners are a true exercise in culinary collaboration. Mason Hereford’s Turkey and the Wolf is a New Orleans sandwich shop (that Bon Appétit named “America’s best new restaurant”); Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo from Fat Rice in Chicago cook food in celebration of the culinary history of Macao; Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson’s Los Angeles restaurant Kismet combines Middle Eastern flavors with a modern California aesthetic; at Oxomoco in New York, Justin Bazdarich is making waves (and earned a Michelin star) with his boundary-pushing Mexican cooking.
The Lineup
May 16, 2019 – Mason Hereford of Turkey & the Wolf (New Orleans)
August 1, 2019 – Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo of Fat Rice (Chicago)
October 3, 2019 – Sarah Hymanson and Sara Kramer of Kismet (Los Angeles)
December 5, 2019 – Justin Bazdarich of Oxomoco (New York City)
Tickets/Details
Each dinner will begin at 7pm. Tickets are $85 per person, including a family-style dinner at communal tables, vodka and gratuity. Tickets are available at Kachkapdx.com/events
About the Chefs
Bonnie Morales is the first-generation American daughter of Belarusian immigrants, who grew up in Chicago in a large family that brought with them the distinctive culture of food and drink of the former Soviet Union. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America, then honed her skills in several of New York and Chicago’s Michelin starred restaurants. In 2014 Bonnie and her husband Israel opened Kachka, their dream restaurant devoted to the food that Bonnie grew up with, inspired by Russia and former Soviet republics. Kachka has received accolades from many national publications and Eater National included Kachka on their list of Best Restaurants in America in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, the only restaurant in Portland to be included. Morales was named a Rising Star Chef by StarChefs, and a finalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northwest in 2018. Kachka recently expanded into a larger space in Portland’s Central Eastside, and Kachka’s original location reopened as Kachinka, a fun, casual sister restaurant focusing on Russian-inspired drinking food. Morales’ first cookbook, Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking,, was released in 2017 to critical acclaim.
Mason Hereford is the chef and owner of Turkey and the Wolf and Molly’s Rise and Shine in New Orleans. He grew up in Charlottesville, VA, eating at gas stations and old country stores outside of town, but also at the wealth of delicious casual restaurants the small city had to offer. He started his cooking career at Fat Harry’s bar in New Orleans, popular with the kids on the weekends and old dudes in the daytime. Mason went on to work at Coquette in New Orleans, a higher-end farm to table joint, where he later spent a few years as the Chef de Cuisine. After driving around the country in his car for a few months and helping some friends open restaurants around New Orleans, he got a few of his most talented buddies together and opened Turkey and the Wolf. It got a lot of press and accolades, and he claims credit belongs to that amazing group of friends that runs the place. That team went on to open Molly’s Rise and Shine, a counter service breakfast joint named after Mason’s sister.
Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson co-own and co-chef the family of Kismet restaurants in LA, with their third concept forthcoming. Along with many local and national accolades, the two were named Food & Wine Best New Chefs in 2017 and Kismet was nominated for a James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2018. They aim to create inclusive spaces that serve their local and greater community.
Abe Conlon and Adrienne Lo are co-owners of Chicago’s Fat Rice, The Bakery at Fat Rice, and the Ladies’ Room. Growing up in Lowell, Massachusetts, Abraham Conlon’s culinary beginning was heavily impacted by his Portuguese heritage and a strong Southeast Asian presence in his community. Growing up in a Chinese-American household, Adrienne learned at an early age that food and hospitality were central to the family unit. Together the two opened Fat Rice in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood in 2012. The restaurant harmonizes its individual upbringings with their unique culinary explorations. Fat Rice’s menu focuses on food from the modest traditions of Macau and is prepared with respect for ritual, custom, and technique. The acclaimed concept has been recognized by Bon Appétit (Top 10 Best Restaurants in America, 2013), Jean Banchet Awards (Best New Restaurant winner, 2013), the James Beard Awards (Abe Conlon winning Best Chef: Great Lakes winner, 2018), StarChefs (“Rising Star” 2015), and many others.
Justin Bazdarich is chef/partner of Oxomoco in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York. Justin graduated from the French Culinary Institute with honors and began his career working under Jean-Georges Vongerichten at his flagship restaurant “Jean-Georges.” Justin climbed the ranks and was eventually promoted to opening chef de cuisine at “Perry Street.” Under the tutelage of Gregory Brainin, Justin’s culinary vision came to fruition and resulted in a Michelin star. He then moved on to work for Jean-Georges’ Culinary Concepts, helping to open 15 restaurants worldwide. Deciding it was time to finally open his own project, Justin joined forces with his friend Todd Feldman to open Speedy Romeo in Brooklyn in 2012. The pair opened a second Speedy on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. This past year, Justin took his love of Mexican fare and many trips to Mexico and opened Oxomoco in partnership with childhood friend Chris Walton. Oxomoco, which borrows its name from the Aztec Goddess of the Night, offers guests wood-fired Mexican fare using techniques and flavors from all regions of Mexico. In 2019, Oxomoco received a Michelin star.
About Kuni Lexus of Portland
Kuni Lexus of Portland is proud to offer Pacific Northwest drivers the unforgettable experience of driving away from their lot in an impeccably crafted Lexus for the more than 30 years. Carrying a host of aesthetically and mechanically refined new Lexus models, there’s a luxury sedan or SUV for any driver wanting a taste of Lexus’ engineering perfection. Award-winning customer service and more than 400 years of combined Lexus service experience make Kuni Lexus of Portland a premier Lexus destination. Experience Amazing by visiting in person or online at kunilexusofportland.com
Interwoven is presented by Lexus and supported by Jupiter NEXT.