The Oregon Convention Center, Portland Center for the Performing Arts and Portland Expo Center welcomes Stephen Marshall as the new executive chef for the three venues.
ARAMARK, the exclusive food and beverage contractor for the venues, selected Marshall after an extensive national search that included food demonstrations and event menus planned with locally-sourced, Pacific Northwest seasonal ingredients.
“Hands down, Stephen impressed the interview panel with his culinary talents and enthusiasm for incorporating fresh, seasonal and local ingredients into his outstanding dishes,” said Teri Dresler, general manager of Metro’s visitor venues. “His work ethic and commitment to sustainability make him a perfect fit for our venues and will match the caliber of service our clients have come to enjoy and expect.”
Marshall is a past winner of the 1997 James Beard House Award for Best Resort Hotel Series and comes to Portland after working most recently as the executive chef at the Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas AAA Four Diamond Award Resort. Prior to that, he served as executive chef for the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua Hawaii AAA Five Diamond Award Resort and as a culinary trainer for six hotels within the Ritz-Carlton hotel company.
“The national meeting and convention trade press acknowledges that Portland leads the nation in sustainable offerings and farm-to-table style cuisine. Chef Marshall moved to Oregon specifically to be part of the sustainable culture and will take our food and beverage to another level unparalleled by our competitors,” said Oregon Convention Center executive director Jeff Blosser.
Marshall 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 has enjoyed wild success with the Keller Café and Art Bar & Bistro,” said Robyn Williams, PCPA executive director. “We expect Chef Marshall to add a new dimension to the visitor experience by infusing his creativity and depth into our food offerings.”
“It is an exciting time for Chef Marshall to join us at the Portland Expo Center and I look forward to seeing where he takes the West Delta Bar & Grill into the future,” said Chris Bailey, director of the Portland Expo Center.
An open house is scheduled to introduce Marshall to venue clients and customers on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011, in the Portland Ballroom of the Oregon Convention Center. A reception begins at 11:30 a.m., followed by a luncheon/tasting from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Chef Marshall began working at the Oregon Convention Center late last month. In addition to championing ARAMARK’s “Culture, Nurture, Nature” campaign, he will be integral to the success of the implementation of the Metro Café training program serving individuals interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry but without the financial means to do so.
The Oregon Convention Center, Portland Expo Center and Portland Center for the Performing Arts are owned and/or managed by Metro through its Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission.
Metro, the regional government, crosses city limits and county lines to build a resilient economy, keep nature close by and respond to a changing climate. Representing a diverse population of 1.5 million people in 25 cities and three counties, Metro's directly elected council gives voters a voice in decisions about how the region grows and communities prosper.
Fore more information, visit www.oregonmetro.gov.