Meet the Kitchen
The kitchen is, in many ways, a living thing. Things change constantly. As the seasons cycle, so does the availability of ingredients, keeping the kitchen staff on their toes. It's close quarters back there, and you are always in someone else's way. It requires great dedication, precision, and awareness to execute meal service smoothly. Meet some of the special people who give all of their time and energy to create beautiful meals for our customers:
Billy teaches his son, Wyatt, appreciation of the outdoors. The most recent addition to our kitchen staff, Billy Dachtler, grew up in San Diego. As goes for anyone who grows up in San Diego and is physically able, he spent most of his years surfing, as well as snowboarding, golfing, hiking, fishing, and generally being outdoors. Eventually he began to seek a career, and found himself in the magnetic pull of fine dining restaurants. When I asked Billy why he got into cooking, he smiled inwardly and responded, "I always liked eating!" The love of good food helped fuel his success in culinary school and in his many restaurant endeavors in Southern California. He credits well-renowned chefs such as Gavin Kaysen and Michael Mina for teaching him the kind of dedication, discipline, and skill that have made him an excellent asset to Janet's kitchen staff. When he's not cooking, he is usually spending time with his son Wyatt, who was born last November, or exploring other Portland eateries. He has a particular fondness for Japanese food. True to his roots, Billy is a devoted fan of the Chargers and the Padres. Don't worry: working at Bethany's Table (and being a reasonable person) have led him to become a Ducks fan as well.
Don't be fooled by the stoic facial expression... John loves the outdoors. John Bowles' role at Bethany's Table is a big one. As David's oldest son, John has been involved with the business since its inception. Now he is our star Pantry Chef. When he isn't creating masterpiece salads or artfully plating desserts, he is taking classes at PCC, skiing, biking, climbing, and coming up with very clever puns. His favorite foods include Vietnamese dishes, salads of all types, and pancakes. He loves to read. No matter how a conversation with John begins, it always seems to end in a literary reference. His favorite books include the Art of Racing in the Rain, the Fountainhead, and Love in a time of Cholera. Nothing drives him crazier than authors who write long, 8-volume series and then die before finishing them.
Kyle Wilson is our Sous-chef and Resident Alien. He grew up in New Zealand, moving to the United States at the age of ten. Kyle's interest in food sprouted from a pure, childhood love of sweets. "My grandma always had sweets, but when I was home, my mom wouldn't make them as much." Kyle found a way around that by sneaking ingredients like sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and butter into the backyard, where he would mix them together. "Then I would run inside, microwave them, and get back outside to eat my creation before mom noticed." Fortunately, Kyle graduated from microwaved cocoa powder and became an incredibly talented chef. Kyle has been around from the very beginning, keeping everyone in line and motivated. His favorite foods are Chinese food and the breakfast BLT from Petite Provence. He can also double-dutch jump rope. Alone.
Allea hiking in Eastern Oregon. Allea Martin's food career really began last fall when, after finishing her Political Science degree from U of O (go Ducks!), she skipped out to Tuscany to work on a farm for a few months. She spent every afternoon working alongside the farm's cook, who had been born on the farm more than 60 years before. What she loves most about cooking is that there is always something new to learn. When she's not at Bethany's table, she write the blog Table Lessons, camping, hiking, snowboarding, reading, and cheering for the Ducks. Her favorite foods are crab, raspberries, and cheese.
The driving force of the kitchen is our chef-owner, Janet O'Connor, whose full bio is here. Though Janet was born in Chicago, the truly character-building years of her life were spent in central Oregon where her family "Little House on the Prarie'd It", meaning they bought 35 acres of wild property and built a house on it. Her belief in Real Food comes mostly from her father, an avid fisherman, mushroom forager, and hobby cook. Janet worked in restaurants her whole life. After graduating high school, Janet lived in Switzerland for a year, speaking French and eating delectable cheeses and baked goods. She moved to Portland in her early twenties to attend Le Cordon Bleu, and has since worked at a number of Portland locales including Ringside, Atwaters, Zell's, the Heathman, and Meriwethers. As our Head Chef, she co-owns Bethany's Table with David, whom she met while waiting tables at Zell's, where he was a regular customer. When I ask the couple how they met, they reminisce longingly, unable to stop smiling at each other. Many of our regular customers have witnessed this same loving gaze exchanged in the midst of a busy dinner service. It's part of what makes Bethany's Table so special: the foundation of the restaurant is as much David and Janet's love for one another as their passion for delivering excellent culinary experiences.