Food By Hand SeminarsCore Instructors
Steve Jones, The Craft and Business of Retailing Artisan Cheese
Steve Jones is owner of Cheese Bar, an artisan cheese shop in Portland, Oregon. Born in Iowa, son of a herdsman for Maytag Dairy, Steve has had experience in every aspect of cheese distribution, purchasing and sales.
Steve directed the cheese department for Provvista Specialty Foods Inc., one of the nation’s most admired wholesale purveyors of fine cheeses. He then spent more than two years as head cheesemonger at one location of New Seasons, the groundbreaking boutique supermarket chain. His next venture was acting as a broker for a group of Oregon artisan cheesemakers. Jones also took time for an internship at London’s revered cheese merchant, Neal’s Yard.
In November, 2005, Jones opened Steve’s Cheese, a compact wonderland of fine cheeses, cured meats and related hand-made food products. Read an interview with Steve here.
Stephen McCarthy, The Distiller’s Art
When Steve McCarthy’s travels in Europe introduced him to traditional, artisan-distilled spirits – especially the fragrant eau de vie made from pears – he was inspired to make spirits of the same quality from the outstanding fruit grown in his family’s orchards in Oregon’s Hood River valley.
That’s the origin of Clear Creek Distillery, founded in 1985, which sets “new standards among the world’s smaller distilleries,” according to Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible. As the distillery celebrates its 25th anniversary, McCarthy’s products continue to be called “the most extraordinary eaux-de-vie in America, indeed, in the world,” as Karen MacNeil writes in The Wine Bible. The name Clear Creek comes from the creek that runs through the family pear orchard in Parkdale, Oregon.
Adam Sappington, The Whole Hog
Adam Sappington, former executive chef at the James Beard Award-winning Wildwood restaurant in Portland, Oregon, has been performing in the kitchen for more than 20 years. Sappington’s passion for food goes back to the way he was brought up on the farmlands of central Missouri, where he spent hours with his mother in the kitchen and attended the local farmers market with his grandmother. “It’s the value of a sense of place, and the comfort of being together at the dinner table that lured me into cooking,” says Sappington. “I love how food brings people together.”
In 2007, Adam and his pastry chef-wife, Jackie, opened their dream venture, The Country Cat Dinner House & Bar. They serve food that’s smoky, rustic and earthy, bold and playful. Adam remains dedicated to the philosophy of using fresh, seasonal ingredients, flavored by his Midwestern roots and love and appreciation for family dinners. All the meat they use in the restaurant is butchered from whole carcasses. Adam and Jackie have two young sons, and they participate in an outdoor learning garden to teach youngsters about fresh food and gardening.
Jackie Babicky-Peterson, Business Planning
Jackie Babicky-Peterson has launched and assisted literally thousands of small businesses. She is a business advisor (and former Director of Business Education) at Portland Community College’s Small Business Development Center, and teaches business seminars and entrepreneurship programs. Jackie is a legend among Oregon’s independent businesses for her sage advice and clear-eyed analysis of the financial, management and personal challenges which affect business success.
Jackie has owned her own business for over 30 years and currently chairs the City of Portland Small Business Advisory Council. She holds a BA in Economics and a Master’s in Organizational Management.
Jackie’s website on business success for creative entrepreneurs is here.
Richard Pelletier | Internet Marketing
Richard Pelletier is a Portland based freelance copywriter, blogger and search engine optimization consultant. In his copywriting work, Richard has worked with global real estate and manufacturing companies, institutes of higher education and marketing agencies across the country. Here in Portland, Richard works closely on web content and seo issues with one of Portland’s best known culinary figures, chef David Machado.
Richard’s work is primarily focused on website content, but also includes white papers, e-books, case studies, newsletters and blogging. His thoughts on marketing and web writing have appeared in MarketingProfs.com.
Richard is passionate about the opportunities that the Internet avails businesses of every size and shape. As new businesses emerge, and as more and more people look for businesses online, the demands on small business owners to understand this new environment will continue to grow. You can find Richard’s website at www.lucidcontent.com.
* Food by Hand Seminars LLC reserves the right to substitute other qualified instructors if necessary.