Chef Crush

JESSE and DANE @ Cafe Castagna (503) 231-9959
1758 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, Oregon, 97214

Why they’re dreamy:
Sassy starters like sauteed scallops with fennel and cauliflower mushrooms, and adorable arancini- fried risotto balls filled with luscious, gooey fontina cheese. The chanterelle pizza with pecorino fresco and torpedo onion fans our fungi flames, while the gelato affogato decimates our dessert willpower. Every entree these hotties send our way makes us swoon. And that burger? More of a player than John Mayer- it scores with us every time.

SANDRO @ Alu (503) ALU-WINE
2831 NE MLK Jr. Boulevard, Portland, Oregon, 97212

Why he’s dreamy:
Darling charcuterie plates that don’t skimp on the house-made pate and crisp cornichons. Kasespatzle is the snazziest mac ‘n’ cheese you’ve never had, and even the grilled ham and cheese sandwich is snappily dressed in perfect grill marks, and accessorized with a sassy potato salad. This tattooed chef crush makes tasty bites that perfectly complement the extensive beer and wine selections. We’re especially fond of the reasonably-priced wine flights and his exotic bad boy appeal. And did we mention that he does it all in a kitchen smaller than CG1’s walk-in closet? That’s just hot.

RYAN @ Francis (503) 288-8299
2338 NE Alberta Street, Portland, Oregon, 97211

Why he’s dreamy:
Southern comfort food with a Northwest twist makes this cutie a keeper. We adore biscuits with sausage gravy and the almost-a-dessert oatmeal brulee. Grits or hash browns? We only wish we had to make that choice more often! As if breakfast doesn’t make us blush enough, the smoked roasted beet salad and creamtastic mac and cheese always manage to charm us into lunch. Extra chef crush hearts for being a restaurant where our vegan and gluten-sensitive friends can crush without starving, but where we don’t have to eat soy anything unless we want to.

BRIAN @ Apizza Scholls (503) 233-1286
4741 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Portland, Oregon, 97215

Why he’s dreamy:
Ooey-gooey, perfectly-proportioned cheesy goodness atop an impossible crisp-chewy crust. We love a rebel cook, and this chefcrush maverick proves the establishment has it all wrong about the perfect pie: there IS such a thing as too many toppings; blacker crust is BETTER; sharing is BAD (if you don’t order enough). We always order too much so there is extra to take home- this pizza re-heats well so you can keep on crushing for days!

MIKE and JORDAN @ Ten-01 (503) 226-DINE
1001 NW Couch Street, Portland, Oregon, 97209

Why they’re dreamy:
Adorable happy hour sliders and super yummy truffle fries set our hearts aflutter…Could they be any cuter? These comely cooks turn out delightful charcuterie and cheese plates, alongside ultra fresh oysters (with a pink peppercorn mignonette) that literally melt in your mouth. We Crush Girls love an open kitchen, especially one this aesthetically pleasing!