Category Archives: Visionaries

Local Chefs Fight Monsanto With Knives

HAUTEMEALZ KITCHEN, PORTLAND, ORE. (November 6, 2013) As Chef Terry Ramsey (left) dishes us savory, crunchy lettuce rolls, Chef Perry Perkins (right) discusses issues that affect global food supply. Not a fan of GMOs, he talks about his experience on a humanitarian trip to Nigeria in his early 20's. "If I could have walked down the street and bought a bag of genetically modified soybeans to feed the people, I would have done it in a second. Having the political will to make tough decisions about population controls, changing policies that create endemic dependence on foreign aid, and overcoming tribal differences and power struggles that affect the distribution of food are not easy discussion to have or simple solutions to find, according to Perkins. (Photo by Kaley Perkins / Independent Journalist)

HAUTEMEALZ KITCHEN, PORTLAND, ORE. (November 6, 2013) As Chef Terry Ramsey (left) dishes up savory, crunchy lettuce rolls, Chef Perry Perkins (right) discusses issues that affect global food supply. Not a fan of GMOs, he talks about his experience on a humanitarian trip to Nigeria in his early 20′s. “If I could have walked down the street and bought a bag of genetically modified soybeans to feed the people, I would have done it in a second.” Having the political will to make tough decisions about population controls, changing policies that create endemic dependence on foreign aid, and overcoming tribal differences and power struggles that affect the distribution of food are not easy discussion to have or simple solutions to find, according to Perkins.
(Photo by Kaley Perkins / Independent Journalist)

Sharp kitchen knives. That’s how local chefs Perry Perkins, Terry Ramsey, and Chris Renner of HauteMealz.com stand up against a government-sanctioned food industry that peddles processed, genetically-modified food to a frenetic, stressed out generation of Americans who lack the cooking skills to make their own eating choices.

Outreach has always been a priority for the trio, and with their partnership they are not only feeding fish to the hungry, but they are also teaching families to fish. Well, they may not literally be teaching families to fish, but they are showing families how to reconnect around the dining table by preparing and sharing fresh, hand-made meals.

Renner and Perkins have been cooking together for years: as kids in youth group; as young men volunteers in local food kitchens; as caterers for BBQ (that’s where they picked up Ramsey); and now as men with HauteMealz, a weekly menu-planning and food shopping service that streamlines the cooking process for busy families.

The Service

The goal of the program isn’t solely to make meals easier. The stakes are bigger for these three. Their vision is to see families reunited around the dinner table, eating real, whole food; supporting local farmers’ markets; and taking back control of their own health. “It’s getting to the point where we can’t afford to be sick anymore,” said Perkins.

HauteMealz menu plans cost just $5 per month. Chefs Perry and Terry agree that they didn’t want cost to be a reason why people couldn’t benefit from their healthy meal plans. The four different menus - classic menu, lighter-side menu (reduced calorie), diabetic menu, and a gluten free menu - come in a variety of serving sizes.

Each week’s meals are grouped around similar food to save preparation and shopping time and to eliminate food waste. By cooking the “large protein” of the week ahead of time, moms and dads turn meal preparation time into roughly a ten minutes assembly process. The men believe the advanced planning will save families far more than the cost of the program.

HAUTEMEALZ KITCHEN, PORTLAND, ORE. (November 6, 2013) While Chef Perry Perkins chops cilantro for his chicken sausage lettuce rolls, Chef Terry Ramsey cuts carrots. By squaring the sides of the carrots, Chef Terry creates a stable platform for chopping the root vegetable into planks and then matchsticks. As part of their lessons, the chefs explain these kitchen terms to their customers. Chef Perry adds, "We know when our customers have graduated from our service when they start arguing with us." Both men chuckle as they keep chopping. (Photo by Kaley Perkins / Independent Journalist)

HAUTEMEALZ KITCHEN, PORTLAND, ORE. (November 6, 2013) While Chef Perry Perkins chops cilantro for his chicken sausage lettuce rolls, Chef Terry Ramsey cuts carrots. By squaring the sides of the carrots, Chef Terry creates a stable platform for chopping the root vegetable into planks and then matchsticks. As part of their lessons, the chefs explain these kitchen terms to their customers. Chef Perry adds, “We know when our customers have graduated from our service when they start arguing with us.” Both men chuckle as they keep chopping.
(Photo by Kaley Perkins / Independent Journalist)

Cooking Lessons:

Another benefit of the HauteMealz program are the professional kitchen technique tutorials from the chefs. In this video, Chef Perry demonstrates proper knife use.

How to Chop with a Kitchen Knife While Keeping Your Fingers Intact from Kaley Perkins on Vimeo.

More tutorials and resources can be found on Chef Perry’s YouTube channel.

 

‘Happy Improv Fun Time’ Founders See Robust Future for Portland’s Improv Scene

With a combined total of 42 years of stage performance between them, veteran improvisers Brad Fortier and Phil Incorvia actively evangelize a life of improv. According to the pair, the communication muscles developed in improv contribute to success in relationships, professional endeavors, and, more broadly, life.

‘Happy Improv Fun Time’ Founders Evangelize Improv, See Robust Future for Portland’s Improv Scene from Kaley Perkins on Vimeo.

The longtime friends met “before the turn of the century” as roommates when Incorvia relocated to become an active part of Portland’s improv community. Fortier, a new improv teacher at the time, lived in a house he terms “Planet Morrison,” where the newly-arrived Incorvia became one of a memorable cast of roommates. They’ve been fast friends since, performing and growing into men together.

Fortier and Incorvia founded “Happy Improv Fun Time,” their independent improv studio currently housed in the Willamette Cultural Resource Associates office building and warehouse in Portland, Ore., where Fortier contracts his archeology expertise. With a unique master’s degree in anthropology and theater arts from Portland State University, Fortier has traveled internationally to teach improv, the fine performance art that teaches people how to work together to make meaningful scenes in the moment.

Speaking about Portland’s improv scene, Fortier says, “It’s (Portland) starting to be a place where people are moving to to do improv and comedy which, like geez, five years ago I never would have imagined.”

Incorvia adds, “Yeah, it’s certainly… If you want to get in on what will appear in the not so distant future to be the ground floor… like now will be the ground floor.”

Fortier and Incorvia hold classes in Portland, and their schedule can be found online.

An in depth interview of Fortier and Incorvia discussing the how the lessons learned in improv apply to life in general can be found below:

Happy Improv Fun Time currently meets here:


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Fortier’s Books:

His Fathers’ Hair

Ten years ago, Michael Langley decided to grow his hair out.

His Fathers’ Hair from Kaley Perkins on Vimeo.

Langley is a member of The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in Grand Ronde, Oregon, a tribe that was established, terminated, and restored by the federal government. Already a conglomeration of multiple tribes and various languages throughout the northwest, the Tribe has struggled for an identity amidst a generation of elders who were so successfully assimilated that their traditions, ceremonies, and oral histories were largely lost - their generation-weaving voices silenced.

Langley grew up in Tillamook, Oregon where his grandfather moved to find work; he attended Portland State University and now serves as auditor of the Spirit Mountain Casino. He has returned to the reservation with the vision of seeing his people create a new identity for themselves: an identity both relevant and meaningful.

In this piece Langley explains the symbolic context that growing his hair has provided to both his personal and tribal identity as a modern Indian.

Links:

Shane Burcaw’s Last Days

Shout out to SoulPancake for airing this incredible piece on humanity.

“When you have kids, you lift them above your shoulders,” Shane’s dad.

No words.

Except: Good Men