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    Timberline Lodge Chef Cooks For White House

    By PDX Food Dude Last Update January 20, 2014 8 Comments

    A few months ago, I mentioned that Jason Stoller Smith of the Dundee Bistro, had moved to Timberline Lodge as executive chef.  On June 8th, he was invited to the White House where he served an all-American lunch, with a “Tastes of the States” theme.

    The picnic had a guest list of over 2000 people. Smith served food that he felt would represent the Northwest, with smoked salmon, cous cous, and a salad.

    From an article in the News Register that ran before the picnic,

    To represent the Pacific Northwest, he also plans to prepare dishes using fresh Oregon strawberries, bacon from Carlton Farms, sheep’s milk cheese from Oregon and farro, a grain from Southern Washington.

    “The menu will be seasonal produce and food from small producers,” said Stoller Smith, who has featured similar products at Dundee Bistro and expects his replacement, Christopher Flanagan, to do the same.

    “It’s my responsibility as an Oregonian to highlight Oregon’s foods,” he said. “This is just a great opportunity to do this on the nation’s greatest stage for some of the most influential people.”

    For the entree, he and his assistants will bake Copper River salmon, which is just coming into season in Alaska. Stoller Smith said he ordered 80 salmon sides for the event.

    The rich fish will be threaded onto alder saplings cut and trimmed just for this event. Cedar lashings will hold them onto the stakes.

    They will be baked in a traditional way over an open fire — in a 45-foot fire pit dug into the White House lawn.

    “We’re building a fire pit right outside the Oval Office steps. Crazy,” said Stoller Smith, who is still marveling at the opportunity to cook for the president.

    The alder saplings used were cut in McMinnville, and transported by car to D.C. Wow.

    Related

    Category: Portland Food and Restaurant News and Discussion.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jeff Shultz says

      June 24, 2010 at 8:38 am

      The alder saplings used were cut in McMinnville, and transported by car to D.C. Wow.

      Yeah, wow indeed. What a waste of money.

      Reply
    2. Leo says

      June 24, 2010 at 1:09 pm

      Yeah, wouldn’t it just work better if the Prez and his folks came out to the Pacific Northwest and had a meal prepared for him here?

      Reply
      • CO says

        June 25, 2010 at 4:45 pm

        whaaa? fly 2000+ ppl across the country, instead of flying ingredients and a handful of cooks/chefs to DC? this couldn’t possibly be what you mean, could it?

        Reply
    3. Joisey says

      June 24, 2010 at 2:42 pm

      Unconfirmed reports are that Stoller Smith spilled some cooking oil, with no help from the White House in cleaning it up.

      Reply
      • Jill-O says

        June 24, 2010 at 3:17 pm

        Yeah, but did it ruin all the shellfish for miles around?

        Reply
      • Joisey says

        June 24, 2010 at 3:33 pm

        The press had to sign a nondisclosure agreement before they were allowed to partake in the raw oysters and shrimp cocktail.

        Reply
    4. Scotty says

      June 24, 2010 at 10:39 pm

      I just want to send my congrats to Jason Stoller-Smith. Being that only the smallest percentage of Chefs get to cook for the President let alone at the Whitehouse. I know we could all just sit around and bash the President or just take pot shots, but maybe we should recognize that one of our local chefs did an amazing job on the National Stage.

      Congrats again!

      Reply
    5. Food Dude says

      June 25, 2010 at 12:48 am

      Jill-O, that was hilarious ;)

      Reply

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