PDX Food Press

PDX Feeds Puerto Rico Raises Crucial Funds for Hurricane Relief December 4th – 10th

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Ataula founders, including Puerto Rico native Cristina Báez, launch “PDX Feeds Puerto Rico,” an entire week of exciting culinary events and fundraisers hosted throughout Portland

PORTLAND, Ore. (November 27, 2017) – Ataula founders chef José Chesa and co-owner, and Puerto Rico native Cristina Báez, are launching PDX Feeds Puerto Rico, an entire week of culinary fundraising events benefiting Hurricane Maria relief efforts. An issue near to the family; it has been nearly two months since the hurricane devastated the small island and rebuilding efforts, medical support, food, water and supply distribution is still in dire shape. That’s why chefs like Rick Gencarelli of Lardo, José Chesa of Ataula, Gregory Gourdet of Departure, Peter Cho of Han Oak, Tyler Malek of Salt & Straw and more, have joined forces to raise money for the cause. Beginning Monday, December 4th through Sunday, December 10th, Chesa and Báez will launch a series of citywide events to raise funds to send directly to Puerto Rico, providing immediate help. With the help of Puerto Rican company Don Q they will be bringing chefs and stars from the coffee world from Puerto Rico to Portland for a special week of fundraising events. Tapping the incredible support and true collaborative spirit of the Portland food and beverage industry. For a first time in Portland you can eat and drink for a great cause throughout the city with a full on Puerto Rican flavors. From a tropical bar takeover filled with mojitos and daiquiris to an Asian-Rican night at Han Oak to a traditional Puerto Rican feast, to the Caribbean brunch of your dreams. You can watch founder Cristina Báez share more about the week of events and its mission, by watching the video below.
You can play a crucial role. On Thursday, December 7th, the Nightwood Collective will play host to a marquee open to the public Puerto Rican bash featuring festive food, salsa dancing and dominoes games. There will also be a panel moderated by Báez with Puerto Rican business owners, opening up about what it’s like operating a business on the storm-ravaged island; how to survive and stay positive, and what’s next.
“Knowing that basic needs are scarce, and friends and family are hurting, I felt so helpless – I just had to jump in and do something, anything! Culturally, Puerto Ricans help everybody. We’re simply trying to do our part from far away, and we hope people will join us to make a huge impact,” said Ataula co-owner and PDX Feeds Puerto Rico founder, Cristina Báez.
All events throughout the week will raise crucial funds for Cosa Nuestra Relief Fund. PDX Feeds Puerto Rico will serve as a place to make monetary donations that will go directly to chefs on the island working to feed people in need NOW. Visit www.pdxfeedspuertorico.com to donate, get involved, for a full schedule and more information. And, you can follow for the latest news and updates on social media @pdx4pr.
WHEN
Monday, December 4th – Sunday, December 10th
DETAILS
To make donations, full schedule and information on how to get involved, visit www.pdxfeedspuertorico.com. PDX Feeds Puerto Rico features visiting chefs/baristas in the schedule below, with more events/specials being added! Learn more about the week of events and mission: https://vimeo.com/244610432. Follow for the latest news and updates on social media @pdx4pr.
Photos of all Participants: HERE, please credit Bria Solack
Puerto Rico Chefs
Paxx Caraballo: Paxx is the chef and co-owner of El Baoricua in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he serves inventive bao buns filled with local ingredients and flavors. He’s been working in kitchens since the early 2000s, spending time in the restaurants of José Enrique, Alfredo Ayala, and Roberto Treviño, and worked with chef Jason Vincent at the prestigious JE Invites events. His work has been covered widely, in outlets such as the New York Times, Munchies, and the Village Voice. He was prominently featured in a documentary, Mala Mala, about gender identity in Puerto Rico. Hurricane Maria forced the closure of El Baoricua, but Paxx has more projects already in the works
Instagram: @paxxito @baoricua
Mario Pagan: Co-founder of ARETE pop-ups, Chef/Owner Pernileria Los Proceres a cart in an airstream trailer. Started ARETE, a series of pop-ups that were wildly popular for years – including being featured in the New York Times – before he opened PLP. After training in New York City and San Sebastián, Spain, Mario Juan returned to his native Puerto Rico where he got his start doing a series of pop-up dinners under the name ARETĒ. Now Mario Juan is the Chef/Co-owner of Pernilerīa Los Prōceres, an Airstream Trailer in Lote 23, Santurce Puerto Rico where he and his team serve casual fare focused on pernil, Puerto Rican-style roasted pork shoulder. After Hurricane María, he has been working hard to keep his business running under challenging conditions while cooking for others and organizations aiding in relief efforts.
Puerto Rico Baristas
Abner Roland: Founder and Barista of Cafe Comunion in Santurce Puerto Rico, along side his wife Karla is the co-owner of Café Comunión and a writer and editor for Perfect Daily Grind. Abner  was the Puerto Rico National Latte Art Champion in 2014 and 2015. He did a residence in Portland at Barista and traveled the world studying coffee culture before planning to open his own spot in PR, which was scheduled to open one week before Hurricane Maria.  After the storm, his storefront was too damaged to start business, so he plans to open after visiting Portland with help from his GoFundMe – giving him press from Munchies, Sprudge.com, Barista Magazine and a long list of local press. @cafecomunion
Kali Solack: Owner of Café Regina, from Pennsylvania. After working in the food industry for 5 years in NYC, Kali moved to Puerto Rico and worked alongside Mario Juan at their pop-up ARETĒ dinners while learning about coffee at Hacienda San Pedro. She competed in the National Latte Art competition where she made it to the finals as the only female and placed 4th. Kali opened her tiny specialty coffee shop, Café Regina, in Santurce, PR. Her knowledge of food & coffee shines in her rotating specialty drink menu. She serves a Café Stormy, which consists of cold brew, ginger beer, lime, cardamom and coconut and a cold latte with house made brown butter washed cold brew, macadamia nut milk, chocolate salt & maple.
Hurricane Maria has made running a new small business much more difficult. To help in the relief efforts she partnered with Xavier from Metric Coffee, Chicago, and Stephen from La Penultima, San Juan, and created Beans for Puerto Rico. They are currently collecting donated roasted beans from roasters across the United States to distribute to shops in PR who have suffered from Maria. The damage to coffee farms across the island will limit their ability to obtain locally grown beans. More about Beans for PR here:
  • Friday, December 1st
    • Oyster Social: Tournant:  5 PM – 9 PM
    • Food: Oysters on the half shell shucked-to-order, Bubbles 10% of drink sales donated
  • Monday, December 4th
    • Asian-Rican at Han Oak:  5:30 PM – 9:30 PM
      • Cocktail: Puerto Rican Cocktail
      • Food: Asian Puerto Rican Fusion Dish by Chef Paxx
      • Details: No pre-sale tickets, food and beverage sold a la carte.
      • More info at www.hanoakpdx.com
  • Tuesday, December 5th
    • Puerto Rican Style Coffee at Water Avenue:  11 AM – 6 PM
      • Drink: Come Xurros, Toast and Cafe colao and other PR fave coffee drinks
  • Wednesday, December 6th
    • Puerto Rico Takes Over at Foxy Coffee Co.:  11 AM – 5 PM
      • Coffee, Dominoes, Xurros, Music
      • Setup your remote office, with game breaks
      • Cafe colao and other Puerto Rico favorite coffee drinks
  • Thursday, December 7th
    • Puerto Rican Party at The Nightwood Society:  6 PM – 10 PM
      • Details: All visiting Puerto Rico chefs and Cristina to cook, baristas and bartenders will come together in one place to serve 3 bites, 1 dish, 1 coffee. Live music, games, and meet all visiting Puerto Rico chefs and baristas.
      • Tickets: $30 online $35 door, 3 bites, 1 main dish, coffee drink included
      • Cash Bar: Mojitos, Beer and more
      • Music: Salsa, Puerto Rico Music
      • Panel: 2 chefs, 2 baristas discussing Puerto Rico issues
  • Friday, December 8th
    • Puerto Rican Pop-Up at Rue:  5 PM – 11 PM
      • Details: Jose Chesa, Mario Pagan, Jason Roberts:
      • $65 Four-Course Prix Fixe
      • Pre-Sale not available, reservations not needed, special menu walk ins welcome
    • Cafe & Xocolata at Downtown Stumptown:  10 AM – 3 PM
      • Details: Puerto Rico Baristas, Puerto Rico Coffee, and 180 Xurros
  • Saturday, December 9th
    • NO EVENTS: CHEF WILL EXPLORE THE CITY
  • Sunday, December 10th
    • Ataula Rican Brunch:   11  AM – 4  PM
      • Details: Puerto Rico Chefs Mario Pagan, Paxx Caraballo, Cristina Baez alongside Baristas Abner Roland and Kali Solcak will take over Ataula Restaurant and create a Rican Brunch with Caribbean spices to spare!
      • A la carte
      • Dishes such as: Mangu, Pernil and A’Caballo (put an egg on it!)
      • Tropical Cocktails
      • Hacienda San Pedro Puerto Rico Coffee and Coffee Drinks
      • Ataula Turns Puerto Rican: A True Takeover
About Ataula
Ataula (ah-TAŮ-luh) is the Catalonian call to meals in that part of Spain. Uttered by chefs, home cooks, mothers and grandmothers alike, the word signals everyone to gather and share food with their loved ones. In 2014 Spaniard José Chesa, Puerto Rican Cristina Báez, and east coaster Emily Metivier came together from around the globe to bring a modern version of traditional dishes from Catalonia and Spain, to the tables of Portland Oregon. All three chefs have a pedigreed background in fine-dining, but found the high pressure world of Michelin-starred restaurants to be a great training ground rather than a destination goal. Ataula was formed to bring the highest quality food in a relaxed environment that everyone can enjoy. In 2014, Chesa was chosen as Portland Monthly’s Chef of the Year, and in 2016, he was nominated as a semifinalist for Best Chef NW by the James Beard Foundation. In January 2016 José Chesa, Cristina Baéz, and long time friend David Martin joined forces to open 180, Portland’s first xurreria. In 2017 The Oregonian named Ataula one of Portland’s 40 Best Restaurants, and Willamette Week noted Ataula as “Chef Jose Chesa’s masterpiece” in their annual 2016 Restaurant Guide. For more information on Chef/Owner José Chesa, visit: http://www.josechesa.com/. Location: 1818 NW 23rd Place Portland OR., 97210, Phone: 503-477-9521 Website: www.ataulapdx.com Social Media: @AtaulaPDX.