Chefs Week PDX Announces Big-Name Chefs and 2016 Schedule

"This year, we're bringing chefs from up and down the West Coast," says Gregory Gourdet, Departure executive chef and one of the founders of Chefs Week PDX. Now in its third year, Chefs Week PDX brings together chefs for a series of collaboration dinners in restaurants across the city from February 3 to 7. "The thing I like most about collaborating," says Gourdet, "is people surprise you. Everyone has their own way of working with ingredients."

To taste what happens at this culinary mind meld, check out the event's schedule below and reserve seats on 2016 Chefs Week PDX. It's sold out every year since launching in 2013, and this year's dinners range from a $65 beer dinner with The Country Cat's Adam Sappington and Double Mountain Brewery, to the $250 27-course grand finale at Departure featuring over 30 chefs. The 2016 theme is Heritage and Legacy, and Gourdet says 2016 is all about honoring and building West Coast culinary traditions.

Just like last year, the Chefs Week PDX after parties are open to the public (just make sure to RSVP on the website), and 2016 is bringing new specialty dinners in addition to the largest line-up of chefs ever. In addition to touting home-town pride like Earl Ninsom of Langbaan, there will be Top Chef winner Mei Lin, San Francisco's Maya Erickson, and Los Angeles's Sara Kramer. The chefs are also teaming up with local food purveyors to create a variety of one-off products for the event, including beers designed by Double Mountain with Adam Sappington, Doug Adams (Imperial), and Rick Gencarelli (Lardo), and ice creams by Salt & Straw with Nong Poonsukwattana (Nong's Khao Man Gai), Maya Erickson, and Gourdet. Here's the complete schedule:

Wednesday, February 3rd:

+Unofficial CWPDX x Langbaan Dinner, E Burnside
Earl Ninsom, Langbaan, PDX
Rassamee Ruaysuntia, Langbaan, PDX
Mei Lin, LA
Doug Adams, Imperial, PDX
Andrew Evan Mace, Le Pigeon, PDX
Nora Antene, Le Pigeon, PDX

Thursday, February 4th:

+International Dinner @ Bollywood Theater, NE Alberta Street, 7:00pm, $125
Eric Johnson, Stateside, Seattle
Gregory Gourdet, Departure, PDX
Kusuma Rao, Ruchikala, PDX
Lon Symensma, ChoLon Bistro, Denver
Rassamee Ruaysuntia, Langbaan, PDX
Richie Nakano, former Hapa Ramen, SF
Troy MacLarty, Bollywood Theater, PDX

+Unoffical CWPDX Double Mountain x The Country Cat Beer Dinner
Adam Sappington, The Country Cat, PDX

+Ice Cream Takeover @ Salt + Straw, NE Alberta Street
Nong Poonsukwattana, Khao Man Gai, PDX
Maya Erickson, Lazy Bear, SF
Gregory Gourdet, Departure, PDX

+"Izakaya Nights" Afterparty @ Bamboo Sushi, NE Alberta Street
PJ Yang, Bamboo Sushi, PDX
Chubo Knives

Friday, February 5th:

+Heritage + Legacy Dinner @ Imperial, SW Broadway
Aaron Barnett, St. Jack/La Moule, PDX
Adam Sappington, The Country Cat, PDX
Doug Adams, Imperial, PDX
Eve Kuttemann, Trifecta Tavern/SageHen, PDX
Jeff Scheer, Maui Executive Catering, HI
Vitaly Paley, Paley's Place, PDX

+Modern Dinner @ Ataula, NW 23rd Place
Brian McCracken, SPUR, Seattle
Dana Tough, SPUR, Seattle
Gregory Gourdet, Departure, PDX
Jose Chesa, Ataula/Chesa, PDX
Justin Woodward, Castagna, PDX
Maya Erickson, Lazy Bear, SF
Mei Lin, LA
Ryan Fox + Ali Matteis, Nomad, PDX

+Unoffical CWPDX Ramen Pop-up @ Smokehouse Tavern, SE Morrison
BJ Smith, Smokehouse Tavern, PDX
Richie Nakano, former Hapa Ramen, SF

+Heritage + Legacy Afterparty @ Imperial, SW Broadway
Doug Adams, Imperial, PDX
Vitaly Paley, Paley's Place, PDX
Nicky USA, PDX

Saturday, February 6th:

+Stumptown Brunch 
Details coming soon

+Hearth Dinner @ Renata, SE 6th
Angus An, Maenam, Vancouver BC
Benjamin Bettinger, Laurelhurst Market, PDX
Jason Stratton, Mamnoon, Seattle
Justin Wills, Restaurant Beck, OR
Joel Watanabe, Bao Bei, Vancouver BC
Matthew Sigler, Renata, PDX

+Wild Wild West Afterparty @ Bithouse Saloon, SE Grand, 10:00pm
Jeremy Sturm, Bithouse Saloon, PDX
Double Mountain, Hood River, OR
Rogue Creamery

Sunday, February 7th:

+West Coast 2016 Dinner @ Departure, 5:00pm

Angus An, Vancouver, B.C.
Ali Matteis, PDX
BJ Smith, PDX
Brian McCracken, SEA
Dana Tough, SEA
Doug Adams, PDX
Earl Ninsom, PDX
Eric Johnson, SEA
Eve Kuttemann, PDX
Gabriel Rucker, PDX
Gregory Gourdet, PDX
Han Ly Hwang, PDX
Jason Stratton, SEA
Jeff Scheer, HI
Joel Watanabe, Vancouver, B.C.
Jose Chesa, PDX
Joshua McFadden, PDX
Justin Wills, OR
Justin Woodward, PDX
Matthew Sigler, PDX
Maya Erickson, SF
Mei Lin, LA
Patrick McKee, PDX
Rassamee Ruaysuntia, PDX
Richie Nakano, SF
Ryan Fox, PDX
Ryan Roadhouse, PDX
Troy MacLarty, PDX
Vitaly Paley, PDX
Sarah Hymanson, LA
Sara Kramer, LA

+Closing Party @ Commons Brewery
Chris Starkus, Urban Farmer, PDX
Matt Christianson, Urban Farmer, PDX
Eli Cairo, Olympia Provisions, PDX

Can't make it to the dinners? Chefs Week PDX will also be taking over the hot foods station at Whole Foods for a period, and you can taste Chefs Week PDX creations at Lardo for a stint beginning January 15, 2016. Get the details by following along on social media using #ChefsWeekPDX.