Podcast
Right at the Fork
Hosted by RATF · EN
Think Portland, Oregon is all VooDoo Doughnuts and "put an egg on it?" One of Portland's most prominent "food sherpas" and Portland Food Adventures' founder Chris Angelus along with co-host Cort Johnson invite the region's most prominent and up-and-coming tastemakers to pull up a chair and talk about the craft of food & beverage in their own words. This is "Right at the Fork."
27episodes
Episodes
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ENCORE - #455 Richard Matusow - Carioca Bowls
2w ago01:05:55Tap to summarizeWe welcome Richard Matusow to the podcast to talk about his eye-opening journey to Rio de Janiero at the turn of the century, where he discovered the wonders of the superfood açai. That led to a new career. On his way to opening Carioca Bowls in Portland, he learned what he could about a açai, working for a premier company in the industry. Now, Carioca Bowls on Alberta, has a loyal following of healthy customers. Richard also fills us in on the celebration of his 11th year in business with a big party at the restaurant on June 28th. A week later, Carioca Bowls and Richard participate in the Portland Waterfront BluesFestival. Richard fills us in on some of the particulars for the Festival taking place July 2-4. Richard also shares some of his favorite Alberta haunts, and others in the area. www.cariocabowls.com @cariocabowls waterfrontbluesfest.com @waterfrontblues Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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#455 Richard Matusaw - Carioca Bowls
3w ago01:11:25Tap to summarizeWe welcome Richard Matusow to the podcast to talk about his eye-opening journey to Rio de Janiero at the turn of the century, where he discovered the wonders of the superfood açai. That led to a new career. On his way to opening Carioca Bowls in Portland, he learned what he could about a açai, working for a premier company in the industry. Now, Carioca Bowls on Alberta, has a loyal following of healthy customers. Richard also fills us in on the celebration of his 11th year in business with a big party at the restaurant on June 28th. A week later, Carioca Bowls and Richard participate in the Portland Waterfront BluesFestival. Richard fills us in on some of the particulars for the Festival taking place July 2-4. Richard also shares some of his favorite Alberta haunts, and others in the area. www.cariocabowls.com @cariocabowls waterfrontbluesfest.com @waterfrontblues Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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#453 - @GarytheFoodie and Portland's 2026 James Beard Award Winners
4w ago01:00:08Tap to summarizeRight at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com Friend of the podcast Gary Okazaki joins us once again to lend his thoughts about the current Portland (and elsewhere) James Beard Award winners. No one is better qualified to discuss this than Gary, especially since two of his favorites in Portland won, Ryan Roadhouse of Nodoguro for Best Chef Northwest / Pacific and Scotch Lodge got the nod for Best Bar in the USA. We talk about those two places and their proprietors and also how the JBF Awards have changed over the years. @thenodoguro @ryan.nodoguro @elena_roadhouse @scotchlodge Listen to our episode with Ryan from from Nodoguro here: https://rightatthefork.com/shows/2015/4/15/48-ryan-roadhouse-nodoguro Listen to our episode with Tim from Scotch Lodge here: https://rightatthefork.com/shows/2019/9/19/215-tim-artale-scotch-lodge
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#452 Piyanut (PJ) Sampaotong - Hua Hin
Jun 1201:13:55Tap to summarizeWe are joined by Piyanut of Hua Hin to discuss his journey toward opening and operating his fresh new Thai restaurant on Hawthorne Blvd. PJ talks about his mother's influence on his career, as well as some instances in Vancouver, BC that led to his professional growth. We enjoy a glimpse into the kitchen and Piyanut's philosophy for creating an atmosphere positive for both team members and guests. Instagram: Huahinpdx Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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RATF Classic: #450 Jaco Smith - Lechon
Jun 501:24:19Tap to summarizeIt's an instant classic with Jaco Smith! Listen for details on how you can travel with Chef Jaco and Chris Angelus to South Africa. ORIGINAL EPISODE POST: In our first episode where we discuss the influence of Apartheid on a guest, Jaco Smith talks about his remarkable journey from South Africa, where his mother cooked for diplomats when he was a child, to cruise ships and high end hospitality in the USA deep south, to Portland and Lechon. If anyone is interested in going deeper into this podcast, why not travel with Jaco and have HIM take you to the places that mean so much to him? Yes, there's a trip with host Chris Angelus' Portland Food Adventures to Cape Town, the Winelands and even a safari in September of 2027 with Portland Food Adventures. Listen and discover insights on hospitality, food culture, and the exciting plans for a South African culinary adventure. And then consider a trip of a lifetime. https://www.lechonpdx.com Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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#451 Gary Okazaki's Happy Hour Roundup
May 2200:51:04Tap to summarizeAt a time when budget dining is becoming less possible, Gary Okazaki (@garythefoodie) joins us once again to review his latest Happy Hour finds in Portland. As always, the conversation wafts into the unexpected and surely provides us with a list of places to try. We also talk about some Summer openings in Portland. Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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#450 Jaco Smith - Lechon
May 1501:24:14Tap to summarizeIn our first episode where we discuss the influence of Apartheid on a guest, Jaco Smith talks about his remarkable journey from South Africa, where his mother cooked for diplomats when he was a child, to cruise ships and high end hospitality in the USA deep south, to Portland and Lechon. If anyone is interested in going deeper into this podcast, why not travel with Jaco and have HIM take you to the places that mean so much to him? Yes, there's a trip with host Chris Angelus' Portland Food Adventures to Cape Town, the Winelands and even a safari in September of 2027 with Portland Food Adventures. Listen and discover insights on hospitality, food culture, and the exciting plans for a South African culinary adventure. And then consider a trip of a lifetime. https://www.lechonpdx.com Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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RATF Classic: #431 Amanda Cannon-Windquist and Judson Windquist - Sunday Sauce and Normandie
May 801:15:53Tap to summarizeIn this classic episode of Right at the Fork, we head back to November of 2025 and our conversation with Amanda Cannon Windquist and Judson Windquist of Sunday Sauce. ORIGINAL POST: In a fun interview, we welcome Amanda Cannon Windquist and husband Judson to the podcast, just after they opened their newest venture in Portland, Sunday Sauce. We talk about their journey and inspiration for Sunday Sauce, as well as their other restaurant, Normandie. Amanda and her husband, Judson, met while working in bars in Hoboken, NJ before moving to Portland in the early 2000s, where they now live with their two children. Amanda previously served as the wine director at Q (formerly Veritable Quandary). Her primary venture is Normandie, which she co-founded and opened in 2018. She co-owns the restaurant with Judson and Executive Chef Heather Kintler. Normandie has earned a spot on Portland Monthly's Top 50 Restaurants list and is celebrated for its wine list, which is exclusively focused on women-made wines. The Winquists have since opened a second restaurant together, Sunday Sauce. This new venture was originally conceived as a pop-up event held at Normandie in November 2024 before becoming a permanent establishment. Sunday Sauce marks the second restaurant collaboration between Amanda and Judson. www.sundaysaucepdx.com @sundaysaucepdx Right at the Fork is made possible by: DU/ER: www.shopduer.com/fork Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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#449 Christopher Czarnecki - The Joel Palmer House
Apr 2401:13:19Tap to summarizeChristopher Czarnecki, is the chef-owner of Joel Palmer House in Dayton. a fourth-generation family restaurant specializing in wild mushrooms, now based in a historic 1857 house in the heart of Oregon wine country. The restaurant is well-known as a must visit destination while visiting the wine country. We talk with Christopher about his family's roots in Pennsylvania, why they moved to Oregon, and Christopher's experiences on the way to, and after taking over the restaurant, including his military service. Chef Czarnecki cites huge credit to his GM, Levi, and we talk about what he brings to the table. Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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RATF Classic: #432 Jake Martin - Daphne / Astoria
Apr 1701:12:42Tap to summarizeAs warmer weather approaches, many of us are heading to coast. Make sure Daphne in Astoria is on your list of to-dos. Here's our conversation with Jake Martin from last November. Original Post: Jake Martin began his culinary journey at 15, washing dishes in Northern California before moving sight unseen to Seattle in 1999. There, he taught himself the craft, working his way up through kitchens like Union and Maria Hines' Tilth. He moved to Portland in 2007, eventually running acclaimed restaurants Carlyle and Fenouil. This success was followed by a period of intense personal and professional difficulty, including high-profile restaurant closures, a severe depression, and a series of unfulfilling jobs that left him feeling burnt out and disconnected from the food he wanted to cook. After hitting a low point, his partner, Silqet, urged him to stop working for others and create his own vision. With her support and help from the Small Business Development Center, he wrote a business plan and secured a loan to open their new restaurant, Daphne, in Astoria. Today, his focus is hyper-local, sourcing nearly all ingredients from within a 75-mile radius. He champions a philosophy of simplicity, letting high-quality ingredients speak for themselves, and aims to educate the community on the exceptional produce, meats, and seafood their own region provides. www.daphneastoria.com @restaurant.daphne Right at the Fork is made possible by: Zupan's Markets: www.zupans.com RingSide SteakHouse: www.RingSideSteakhouse.com Portland Food Adventures: www.PortlandFoodAdventures.com
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