StarChefs.com included Portland, Oregon as a city this year in its Rising Stars Revue. Our own Chef Bill Brooks spent time at the event among the winners and shares his perspective.

December 4, 2011
The Nines Hotel, Portland, Oregon

I had the pleasure of joining several members of the US Foods Northwest Division, including President Tom Van Orman, for the StarChefs.com Rising Stars Portland.

Not only did we have the chance to mingle and meet with some of the best and brightest of the Portland food scene, but we were also able to eat a sampling from each chef.

As one of the major sponsors for the event, we also procured product for many of the honorees. Pork Belly for Chef Naomi Pomeroy of Beast, Salt Cod for Chef Greg Perrault of June and Foie Gras for Chef Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon.

The guests of the dinner were asked to vote for their favorite Chef/Dish of the evening, and Chef Naomi Pomeroy of Beast was the winner of a Jade Range for her dish: Maple-Glazed Pork Belly, Turnips, Sour Cherry Chutney and Fried Shallots.

If you have ever had the chance to visit Portland, hopefully you were able to enjoy the vast food truck assortment. Entire parking lots have been taken over with such a diverse selection of great quality eats, making it hard to choose and rivaling the likes of Singapore.

Chef Kir Jensen of The Sugar Cube, one of those food truck chefs, is a Rising Star Chef this year. The first item on her menu, Chocolate Caramel Potato Chip Cupcake, says it all. Desserts served from a food truck on vintage china – only in Portland.

We supplied Chef Kir with many of the ingredients for the dish of the evening, Coconut Panna Cotta, Chocolate Pot de Crème, Bruleed Bananas and Sesame Brittle, right from our US Foods Northwest Division, including Glenview Farms® 40% heavy cream.

I want to thank all of the 2011 StarChefs.com Rising Stars Portland for a true culinary experience.