Chef Crush

PATRICK, JACKSON, & CHRIS @ Olea (503) 274-0800
1338 NW Hoyt, Portland, Oregon, 97209

Why they’re dreamy:
Uber cutie Jackson has been on our radar for a while now, but all three of these crush-worthy cooks won our hearts recently with a meal left to their whims. The celeriac soup with fresh crab salad on a parmesan cheese crisp made us swoon, while the chicken tagine, not something we would normally ever order for ourselves, surprised with new flavor combinations in every bite- juicy, crispy-skinned chicken, sweet raisins, crunchy almonds, tangy capers…Topped off with a not-too-sweet date coffee cake with almond mascarpone, praline pecans, and caramel sauce, the meal was like the perfect prom date- comfortingly familiar but never boring, with more than a few tasty surprises tucked up its tux sleeves, errr, chef’s whites.

BEN & JASON @ Ned Ludd (503 288-6900
3925 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland, Oregon, 97212

Why they’re dreamy:
We fall hard for their tasty charcuterie and cheese plates, and don’t get us started on the black radish with butter and sea salt starter. The fromage blanc toast is a surprisingly sassy addition to the onion soup, and the sole with buttery leeks, escarole, and capers made us positively blush. What’s not to like about a place with adorable cooks feeding us such tantalizing tidbits?