ePoint :: News from the Oregon Convention Center

Classically Trained Chef with Sustainable Focus Incorporates International Flavor at Metro’s Visitor Venues

The Oregon Convention Center, Portland Center for the Performing Arts (PCPA) and Portland Expo Center have selected Allan Wambaa as the new executive chef for the three Metro Visitor Venues.

pacificwild catering co., the exclusive premium food and beverage brand for the venues, selected Wambaa after an extensive national search that included event menus planned with locally-sourced ingredients and “think outside the box” demonstrations such as creating gourmet concession items that would be at home on a food truck; a nod to Portland’s famous foodie culture.

“Allan’s creativity during the interview process combined with his background with international cuisine made him a natural choice for the position,” said Teri Dresler, general manager of Metro’s visitor venues. “His commitment to using sustainable ingredients along with his creativity and credentials make him a perfect fit for our venues.”

A native of Kenya, Wambaa comes to Portland after working most recently as the executive chef at the Tacoma Convention and Trade Center. Prior to that, he served as executive chef of the Bell Harbor International Conference Center & World Trade Center, Washington Hospitality and Wolfgang Puck Catering at Benaroya Hall. He also served as the Chef de Cuisine in Saudi Arabia for Prince Fahad bin Khalid al Saud.

“The challenge in the convention business is for our menus to be fresh, sustainable and in-line with local trends,” said Oregon Convention Center executive director Jeff Blosser. “Chef Wambaa is well up to the challenge and we are excited with what he is bringing to the table.”

Wambaa will be responsible for the strategic direction of all catering services and lead menu planning for venue-specific and event-related meals. He will also manage the team of food and beverage staff responsible for the in-house dining establishments in each of the venues - the Art Bar & Bistro housed in PCPA’s Antoinette Hatfield Hall, Keller Auditorium’s swanky martini bar, Keller Café, the Portland Expo Center’s brand-new West Delta Bar & Grill, and Stir cocktail lounge in the Oregon Convention Center.

The Portland Center for the Performing Arts is thrilled to be working with a chef who has a background working at a performing arts center,” said Robyn Williams, PCPA executive director. “We expect Chef Wambaa to take the ArtBar & Bistro and the Keller Café to new heights.”

“With West Delta Bar & Grill still in its infancy, I am looking forward to see what direction Chef Wambaa takes us at the Expo Center,” said Chris Bailey, director of the Portland Expo Center.

Chef Wambaa is a Pro-Chef II certified graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and is also a certified chef and member of the American Culinary Federation. Wambaa started work at the Oregon Convention Center on Thursday, August 25.

pacificwild catering co. is the exclusive premium brand created by ARAMARK specifically for the Metro Visitor Venues, with an emphasis on serving seasonal, local and sustainable food. For more information, please visit http://www.oregoncc.org/pacificwildCatering/.

The Oregon Convention Center, Portland Expo Center and Portland Center for the Performing Arts are managed by Metro. For more information, visit www.oregonmetro.gov.

Contact:
Alicia Crawford Loos
Public Relations
503.274.6591
alicia@pcpa.com

New cafe will offer fresh, seasonal lunch fare and much more - paid internships available to disadvantaged culinary aspirants

On June 20, the Hoyt Street Station Community Café will open its doors to Lloyd District residents and neighbors, serving healthy and delicious salads, sandwiches and soups with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients. Named after the future nearby Portland Streetcar stop, the café is a joint collaboration between Metro’s Oregon Convention Center (OCC) and its food and beverage service contractor, Aramark/Giacometti Partners, Ltd.

A unique distinction of the Hoyt Street Station Community Café is its commitment to the “triple bottom line” – people, planet and profits – throughout all aspects of the operation.

The café will be staffed with Aramark employees, along with two paid interns participating in an 18-month food service management training program geared towards individuals in underserved communities who face barriers to entering culinary management careers. The program includes a broad array of topics including food production, service, safety and hygiene; menu planning and food procurement; employee supervision, training, scheduling and labor relations; sales and marketing; cash and inventory controls; and customer service. Divided into three sections, interns will begin with six months of hands-on training and instruction at the OCC, followed by two six-month segments, back and front-of-house, in the café. Upon completion of the program, participants will be eligible to apply for additional grants to be used for culinary school tuition or as seed money to start their own businesses.

During café construction, attention was paid to utilizing local contractors classified as minority and/or women-owned or emerging small businesses (MWESB), and firms located within in the immediate vicinity of the OCC, known as the First Opportunity Target Area or FOTA. Of the thirteen contracts awarded, eleven were to MWESB and/or FOTA businesses, totaling roughly two-thirds of the total contract dollars.

Efforts were also focused on using local, recycled, reused and LEED-certified products and materials. Energy-efficient refrigerators, dishwasher, hand dryers and lighting were installed. The carpet, table bases and chairs, and fluorescent lights are reused and the bar and table tops were constructed with reclaimed wood from Refind, a division of the Rebuilding Center. Portland-based Schoolhouse Electric light fixtures offset walls covered in Metro’s recycled paint, recycled quartz countertops and tile backsplash and Evoke vinyl flooring. A refurbished classroom chalkboard serves as the menu display.

“It is extremely satisfying to see our vision for the community café project come to fruition,” says Jeff Blosser, Executive Director of the Oregon Convention Center. “Creating good jobs that translate into successful and meaningful careers is what we do at the Oregon Convention Center. With the support of Metro and partnership of Aramark/Giacometti, we’re able to make a huge difference in the lives of those who need it.”

Profits from the project will be reinvested into the café and internship program. Recruitment is currently underway for interested individuals. Applications and more information can be downloaded at http://www.oregoncc.org/communitycafe/.

Located at the northwest corner of the Metro Regional Center plaza, at 622 N.E. Grand Avenue in Portland, the Hoyt Street Station Community Café will be open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. beginning June 20, 2011.

Media contact: Stephanie Soden, Metro Visitor Venues, 503-797-1818 (office), 971-227-1195 (cell), Stephanie.Soden@oregonmetro.gov

STIR IT UP at the Oregon Convention Center's Classic Cocktail Lounge!

• Classic Hand-Crafted Cocktails with Local Spirits
• Northwest Craft Brew Beers and Wines
• A Menu Featuring the Flavors of Oregon

Open to the Public
HAPPY HOUR 4PM to 7PM
Wednesday - Friday
Starting February 3, 2010

Click for "BUY ONE HAPPY HOUR FOOD ITEM, GET ONE FREE" coupon!

Click to view the Stir menu

777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97232
Located inside the Martin Luther King Jr. Lobby