Chesa Restaurant Becomes Boundary-Pushing Nightwood Collective

Chesa is one of 2017’s most shocking restaurant closures, and PoMo reports a boundary-pushing venture is taking over the 218 NE Broadway venue: The Nightwood, a space for culinary events, cooking classes, and other creative pursuits. An all-women crew of top Portland chefs, butchers, restaurant veterans, and artists will run the operation.

The Nightwood will be “a bold experiment in food and drink,” according to the website. Perhaps similar to Nodoguro’s wildly acclaimed themed dinners, it will explore the intersection of food and art, with the capacity to play home to dining experiences bolstered by customizable art installations, floral design, and more. (Beast’s Naomi Pomeroy recently opened a floral design studio, so Nightwood is the latest evidence the move to combine meals and artistic settings is one to watch in Portland).

The Nightwood is backed by a huge amount of local talent, or what it describes as “butchers, bakers, and magic makers.” Michelle Battista (Ned Ludd) and Ataula co-owner Cristina Baéz are spearheading the project. Former Renata butcher Sarah Schneider will serve as culinary director, and Camas Davis will run her Portland Meat Collective out of the space as well as oversee Nightwood’s culinary programming, from classes to workshops.

Also on board are Leah Scafe, formerly of Let Em Eat; floral designer Rosemary Stafford; and Vibrant Valley farmer Kara Gilbert.

The Nightwood is currently booking events and will release a calendar of events on its website soon.

• The Nightwood [Official]