The Art of Gathering

As we move into an unpredictable future, meaningful work and gathering at the table with people who matter in our lives is a wellspring of hope. A contingent of Portland, Oregon food and agriculture colleagues are in town for a “Seed to Plate” tour, and they will convene at Clio’s on Saturday, April 26th to discuss the path of food from farm to table and the power of sharing a meal. The evening’s conversation will be centered around Lola Milholland’s new book Group Living and Other Recipes, but it will focus on how regenerative agriculture and regenerative kitchen practices have been changing the culinary world. Please join us for an evening of conversation and connection, and to share some small bites and Portland wines.

Stacey Givens is a Farmer/Chef/Owner of Side Yard Farm & Kitchen in Portland, Oregon. Driven by a deep childhood connection to her Greek cultural roots and a desire to create a community-centered space, she began farming on a small plot of land in the NE Cully neighborhood in 2009 and eventually took her Seed to Plate concept into a full-scale catering business.

Lola Milholland is a writer and author of Group Living and Other Recipes. She also runs Umi Organic, a noodle company with a commitment to providing nutritious public school lunches.

Lane Selman is a Professor of Practice at Oregon State University and food advocate known for her work in promoting biodiversity in agriculture and connecting farmers, chefs, and plant breeders. She is founder of the Culinary Breeding Network.

Sarah Minnick is chef/owner of Lovely’s Fifty Fifty in Portland, Oregon, a James Beard Award nominee, and featured chef on Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Pizza.

Althea Grey Potter is chef/owner of the catering and events business Nouveau Food & Wine, a condiment company called The Flavor Society, and a new chef residency called Bar Nouveau.

Shawn Linehan is a commercial photographer based in Portland, Oregon, who combines her artistic eye and journalistic approach to capture the stories of socially responsible farmers and mission-driven clients.

Dillon DeBauche is a baker who has been immersed in Portland’s culinary scene since 2003. He spent nearly 10 years as the head baker of Little t AmericanBaker before taking an educational opportunity as the lead baker and mill research and development consultant for Camas Country Mill in Junction City, Oregon. In 2022, Dillon returned to Little t with unique expertise in both the product and the business.

Kir Jensen is an award winning pastry chef, cookbook author of The Sugar Cube 2012, and recipe developer who has spent the past twenty-five years creating butter, sugar, flour, and magic in the City of Roses. Kir’s inspired desserts are a mix of nostalgic baking with her mom, her fine dining background and the beautiful, seasonal bounty of the PNW.

They will be in conversation with anthropologist, salonniere and educator Cari Borja, who also serves as Senior Advisor to Alice Waters. Cari is a founding member of Clio’s Books.