Artslandia at the Performance: Portland Playhouse Nov/Dec 2014 | Page 73
DRAMATIC DISHES
LITTLE BIRD
BISTRO
YIELDS 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
PORTLAND, OREGON
CASSOULET
EXECUTIVE CHEF ERIK VAN KLEY
Erik Van Kley is the executive chef at Little Bird Bistro in Portland, Oregon
and has been working with acclaimed chef Gabe Rucker at restaurants Le
Pigeon and Little Bird since 2005.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Van Kley entered the culinary circuit in 1994 as
a line cook in his lakeside hometown. He worked his way up to an executive chef position within seven years of starting his career and then moved to Scottsdale, Arizona to
continue his culinary pursuits. After two years of working in kitchens in Arizona and 10
years of professional cooking, Van Kley decided to attend culinary school. Upon graduating, he set his sights on Portland, Oregon, noting that it was on the cutting edge of good
culture. In 2005, Van Kley began working at
the Gotham Building and Tavern where he
met future colleague Gabe Rucker. Van Kley
INGREDIENTS
and Rucker worked together at the celebrated
6-8 pieces roasted pork belly
Gotham as well as at Portland’s acclaimed Nos6-8 fresh garlic sausages
trana. When Rucker left to begin working at
6-8 confit duck legs
Le Pigeon, he recruited Van Kley to join him
bread crumbs
and the duo have been working together ever
since.
BEANS
“
4 cups great northern
white beans
3 yellow onions, julienned
6 large carrots,
cut into ¼-inch rounds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons roasted garlic
puree
1 sachet filled with 4 fresh
thyme sprigs, 2 fresh
rosemary sprigs, 2 fresh bay
leaves, 1 tablespoon black
peppercorns and 6 crushed
fresh cloves
Pork, duck, or chicken
stock to cover
Salt to taste
Food can be
taken seriously
without taking
yourself too
seriously.
Van Kley worked as the sous chef at Le Pigeon
until =