Rising Star 2011

The Dining Guide is out and St. Jack was deemed Rising Star of 2011. You can see Graham in action in the video...

(sidenote: He is the "man with his arm halfway down a meat grinder)

Rising Star 2011: St. Jack

Praise

And it just keeps coming. I can't speak for Graham, but I would think that having so much praise and excitement about the restaurant might justify the long hours (well a little).

I know that the food is amazing and that the staff is amazingly talented as well. I love to see and hear that the rest of the city does as well.

 Willamette Week Review

New Direction

As I told you a few weeks ago, there have been many changes with Graham's job. Aaron was let go and the focus of the restaurant has been drastically changed along with Lunch starting last Tuesday.

Graham is now the lunch Sous Chef and got to work last week at 7am. Most days he was home before 8 and one day even 6:30! That might all be changing this week as a Kitchen Manager was hired who also has a family. They will be getting together to decide who will be working when. It was so nice and great having him home early though it did throw a kink in our day to day schedule. It would be nice to be able to get used to the new schedule but I am not crossing my fingers.

I didn't mention much before so as to not ruffle any feathers or tell of Graham's real feelings of the situation so as to not put his job in jeopardy. He was really unhappy about how things went down and the direction the restaurant was going. The staff moped about for at least a week, some people even cried, many started looking for new work. Graham started to look for new work and even went on an interview but decided it was best to stay put. He is still keeping his eyes open and being prepared for the possibility of getting laid off, something that we think could be possible but not sure, there isn't the security feeling that he once had.

Aaron has been talking about opening his own place for awhile now and is taking this opportunity and advantage of the economy to start his own little place. Many people think "Really?! in this economy?" but in Portland, people flock to the new, now who knows if they will stay...but usually they become the darlings of the town. Another great thing is there is a lot of space available at better rates and labor costs are down since people need work. There are no set dates or location, but the idea is about and the planning getting under way. 

So we look to the future and keep our fingers crossed...

Fame

Today Graham along with good friend Zac Domka & their CHS classmate, Raina, were featured in the Gazette-Times for taking time out of their lives to talk with the current class of 2009 about college and life choices. 

 Giving Back

The experience turned out to be different than what Graham was expecting but I think it was a good thing. We were surprised to learn that The local paper was there with a photographer and even more surprised to see it on the front page of the GT today. 

Here's the link to the article itself.

http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2009/02/03/news/top_story/6aaa01_10yearsafter.txt

Crispy Striped Bass

Graham just got a Call from the Chef Man. There has been a new write up in the PDX Magazine that is worth taking a look at. Scroll down to Crispy Striped Bass for the review.

http://www.pdxmagazine.com/pdxpo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1295&Itemid=80

Or go pick up a copy of the January issue.

Daddy's Dinner

Last Thursday was the beginning of our whirlwind week. Granma and Poppa Rick came up for a visit, a haircut with the FABULOUS Karen Miles, a little shopping and dinner at Olea.

We tried to not be the first ticket of the night, due to Graham's wishes, but alas, we had good luck catching the Street Car and got there almost on time for dinner service to start. We were the only ones in the restaurant and there were a few customers outside enjoying Happy Hour.

We started off the evening with drinks.

The Mojito. mmmm.....with a hint of basil, so tasty!

Oliver chowin' on some cheerios and making a mess.

After we ordered drinks the boys sent out an amazing Roasted Sweet Corn Soup. The bowls came out with a tasty little relish in the center, some little tomatoes sliced in half and chili oil. The waiter then poured the soup for each of us one at a time.

The next course was a Romaine, Corn & Quinoa Salad for Mom, Graham's new mussel dish for Poppa Rick (who couldn't stop talking about how good it was!) and a Grilled Peach & Arugula Salad for myself. ( I forgot to take pictures until half way through dinner!)

Dinner was next.

Granma had the Scallops.

Poppa Rick had the Chicken.

I had Graham's Pappardelle dish, with Morels and English Peas but forgot to take a picture!

Granma's new do.

Daddy got Ollie some peas, he LOVED them!

After Dinner we were each given our own dessert, just when we thought we couldn't eat another bite!

Poppa Rick got Peach Creme Brulee.

Granma's cold Cantaloupe Soup with Strawberry Sorbet and Melon balls.My Panna Cotta with Blueberry Compote.The Pastry Chef Kristy made Oliver his very own animal cookies out of pie crust. She had never done them before and just happen to have little animal cutters.

He ate every last one...


After dinner, Oliver and I headed down to Lebanon to start the next leg of our journey to Southern Oregon the next day.