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Chef Dustin Clark, recently named executive chef at Wildwood Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, began his culinary career at a young age, parlaying his youth spent fishing, hunting and gardening into a passion for food. By age 18, Clark already had several years of restaurant experience and was enrolled at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont. It was during this coursework that Clark had the opportunity to work with Chef Cory Schreiber, owner and founding executive chef at Wildwood, through an externship program. "When Cory followed me around on my first day, he thought my method for cooking asparagus was unusual," says Clark. "Then he tried one." Schreiber has trusted Dustin ever since. "His influence on Wildwood's menu has brought a deeper focus to the study and definitions of foods of the Pacific Northwest," notes Schreiber. "Dustin understands the raw product so well - he puts it into its simplest form, which emphasizes its true flavor." Clark has a very cerebral approach to cooking, and he especially enjoys working with fresh, local produce. "The challenge is to balance and enhance the flavors of an ingredient at its peak flavor and seasonality," he says. He recalls that he has found some of the best produce worldwide right here in the Pacific Northwest. "I spent three months traveling around Europe, yet always found myself comparing the selection of fruits and vegetables to the great foods grown here in the Northwest, including the vast varieties of juicy, Northwest pears!"
