Thursday, January 20, 2011

We went from hoping the lease was going to be signed to a tornado of activity. It’s hard to believe that only a month ago we were waiting to sign a lease! Seriously?!! We can’t believe it. In less than two weeks we signed the lease, were allowed into the space early, painted, hooked up utilities, and brought in beautiful tables that Susana’s dad made for us.

Though we are always sad when other small businesses have to close, we were lucky to be able to purchase a bunch of goods from Blue Gardenia on Mississippi and from Alu on MLK, thank you to both of them for their contribution to a new endeavor. And between Susana and me we realized we had been collecting culinary toys for years and cleaned out our respective houses to outfit our new space.

We’ve been meeting with contractors, electricians, sign people and compost companies and that’s my excuse for not having written. My sincere apologies and I realize that trying to keep up with a blog while working doubles and trying to open a business has been a little overwhelming.
On 01/01/11 we had a “Woohoo, Our New Space” party for Facebook, family and friends. Don’t worry if you missed it, we will be having a Grand Opening as soon as our kitchen is completed! Any excuse is a good excuse for a party!

Since the first, we have purchased a freezer, reach-in, stove, stainless table and our hood system was put in yesterday sans the fan. Oh right, the fan. Turns out our building is on the historical registry so instead of taking the city a day to approve the permit, it’s going to take 8 weeks and we have to show design plans that the area with the fan will blend into the building. Even though this is a hiccup, and not a cheap hiccup, considering how fast this process has been going and how fortunate we have been I have to say that I’m just glad we can still get a hood system and well… it could be a lot worse. We are rolling with the changes.

We decided there were a huge variety of classes that we could offer without the hood (Raw Foods, Mind Your Meat Mistress, Snout to Tail! Pork and Lamb, Turducken 101: The Chicken, Knife Techniques) and amazing lectures that we want to offer, so we open the doors in February!
The press has been great and we are looking forward to more. We had a blog and then an article in the FoodDay, an article on Thrillist and a video being filmed tomorrow and another request for an interview this weekend. So I was serious about the Tornado.

Monday the 17th we did an Olive Oil tasting and lecture for Lattice Semiconductor in Beaverton. It was exciting to be in front of a whole room doing what we do best and everyone including us had a great time.

We are hoping to finish our purchasing of small wares soon, and the last kitchen piece, a three compartment sink, by the end of next week so we are completely set up. Our signs are in the window, the welcome mat is in front of the door and we are ready to have you in our shop!

http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2011/01/new_cooking_school_to_open_in.html

http://www.thrillist.com/food/portland/or/97227/north/northeast-portland/portlands-culinary-workshop_services#axzz1Bc2AHuld

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?aid=21126&id=112042322190463