#ThursdayToursPDX {Feast Founders}

In just over one month Food Blogger Christmas will commence in Portland, Oregon September 17th-20th!! #FeastPDX is one of the leading food festivals in the country and brings together some of the best chefs, artisans and wineries in the country! Passionate about amazing food, the culinary experience and the City of Roses Feast was founded by Carrie Welch and Mike Thelin in 2012.

Carrie Welch is the epitome of a Girl Boss!! Before founding Feast and opening food PR firm Little Green Pickle she was the Vice President of the Food Network in New York City. Right, that Food Network. She was even named one of the coolest people in food! And the truth of the matter is that she is the coolest - super nice, always fun and really, really smart.

Erin and I both feel so honored to have Carrie and Mike sharing their favorite Feast events for #ThursdayToursPDX!! Be sure to stop by Bakery Bingo for Mike's picks!

First, a few words from Carrie...

To me, Feast Portland is more than a food and drink festival. It’s a movement that brings to life the energy, creativity and enthusiasm of our food and drink scene today – in Portland, throughout Oregon and around the country. We have one-of-a-kind large-scale events featuring the best chefs from all over the country and the world, hands-on classes, collaborative dinners and panels. I think it’s safe to say we offer some of the most compelling experiences in the festival space and that’s why I love doing it!

Feast is also a festival with a mission, we donate our net proceeds to help end hunger in Oregon and around the country through our charities Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon and No Kid Hungry. Since our inception, we’ve donated more than $162,000 to these deserving organizations! The issue of hunger in the US is something that’s become a personal mission for me, as there is so much we can do to help end it and there is no reason any child should be food insecure.

It’s hard to pick my favorite Feast events as I feel they are all my babies, but here goes!

SANDWICH INVITATIONAL – Thursday, 9/17

This is our killer kick-off party, where cheffed-up interpretations of the sandwich reign. Chefs from Duff Goldman of Charm City Cakes to Aaron Franklin of Franklin BBQ explore what can fit between two slices of bread—with even the bread up for interpretation! Sandwich bragging rights are on the line with our esteemed judges naming their favorite and as well as YOU the attendee choosing a People’s Choice winner. Use the hashtag #VoteSandwich and be sure to wash down all the fun with a Widmer beer!

OREGON BOUNTY GRAND TASTING – Friday, 9/18 and Sat 9/19

I think the Oregon Bounty Grand Tasting is one of our best events that represents everything Feast wants to be. If you haven’t gone to this gem yet, get a ticket this year and eat and drink your way through a culinary road map of Oregon’s food-craft culture, with stopovers at berry pies, artisan cheeses, hand-crafted chocolates, a who’s who of 30-plus top wineries, more than a dozen breweries, and Oregon ciders. We have a brand new stage we are debuting this year that will be full of surprises, so get there!

DRINK TANK PANELS

I’m particularly excited about the Bon Appetit Shaken, Stirred and Buzzed: Why We Really Like Booze panel. This is a new addition to the Drink Tank lineup that is going to be a wild ride on Friday, September 18 at 12pm! Bon Appetit’s top editors, Alise Moffatt from Shift Drinks and notorious drinks master Jeffery Morgenthaler are going to drop some serious drinks knowledge on your ass. Get your tickets and I expect a full report!

All images are courtesy of Feast.

#ThursdayToursPDX is a collaborative series between Portland, OR bloggers {Erin} Bakery Bingo + {Meredith} Martha Chartreuse. In a city filled with amazing restaurants, artisan experiences, and fantastic tastemakers the inside scoop is a must. We will be asking our friends and fellow bloggers for their recommendations and tips for all the City of Roses has to offer.