GALA 2025
FEATURED DINNER CHEFS
This year’s gala dinner will be an experience of abundance and becoming, led by Chef Kiara “Kitchen Killa” Hardy and joined by chefs Damala, Diego, and Alexa.
Together, this powerhouse team is crafting a sit-down, family-style meal that reflects the theme, "They tried to bury us but they didn’t know we were seeds."
Each dish will honor roots while celebrating growth, blending tradition with innovation, and showcasing the brilliance of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ chefs who are planting new possibilities in Portland’s food story. This dinner is not just a meal, it is a collective experience of nourishment, joy, and transformation shared in one intimate room.
Chef Kiara - Lead Chef
I am a Florida girl so much of thought processes around menu building are influenced by my early exposures to the melting pot of cuisines popular in South Florida.
I'm also someone who loves new, elevated experiences. The intertwining of these new experiences and my upbringing create a very fun space for food creation and I think, an awesome, unique experience for folks who eat my food.
Chef Diego
Cooking has always been in my family since I remember from a very early age, from helping out my abuela at family diners to different food businesses owned by my grandpa.
I serve authentic Mexico City Street Food (the kind of food your grandma would cook if you grew up in CDMX).
Chef Alexa
I grew up on the Yakama Reservation in Toppenish, WA, and I've always loved to cook. I found it brought me peace and understanding. My grandmother Stella Washines taught me how to make frybread and stews.
At Javelina's, our focus is eating as Indigenous people would eat (no gluten, no dairy, no cane sugar), while also paying respect to the past, present and future of Indigenous cuisine with frybread, stews, soups, and other foods that were often eaten on the reservations.
Chef Damala - Dessert Chef
The inspiration behind starting DB Desserts was Family. As the mother to 3 boys, my life desire has been to always show them a positive way of life and how to follow their dreams.
Our dessert company is a family-run operation with the hopes of starting a program to teach young people about the baking industry and entrepreneurship. Our goal is to positively impact the community and provide outstanding desserts.
FEATURED BITES CHEFS
Beyond our distinguished Dinner Chefs, discover our Gala Bites Chefs—crafting delectable small plates that set the stage for an unforgettable evening.
Dahlia Hanson
Neighborhood: Buckman
1015 SE Stark St, Portland, OR 97214 (Lil America Food Cart Pod)
My food is comfort food and chaos! I take all the stuff we crave and I remake them fully plant-based. We do big, bold, gluttonous flavors that remind you food should be fun! My goal is to get the ‘I don’t usually eat vegan’ people to lean in, because our food hits that cravings button. It’s playful and over the top, just like food you’d find at a fair!
Louis Lin
Neighborhood:
Hollywood
3832 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland, OR 97232
We cook food from the lens of First-Generation Americans, those who have grown up with one foot in one culture and one in another. It's rooted in technique and ingredient driven, but ultimately it's just comforting and nostalgic, and it showcases who I am as a Chef & the periods and places that have influenced me in my life. It's not one cuisine and it's not really fusion, but it's 100% me.
Manuel (Manny) Lopez
Neighborhood: Roseway
3244 NE 82nd Ave, Portland, OR 97220
Ki'ikibáa severs authentic Yucatec Mayan cuisine spotlighting foods not found in typical Mexican establishments. We specialize in cooking comfort food for everyone to find and enjoy and create a nice space for family’s to visit and enjoy themselves.
Tracee & Brandon Hirahara
Neighborhood: Alberta Arts / Concordia
2026 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR 97211
Our core focus is centered around a diverse range of dishes, notably the cherished “Plate lunch” concept renowned in Hawaii – all executed with a meticulous emphasis on quality; a focus honed through decades of training in the culinary industry.
GET THE LATEST NEWS & EVENT UPDATES
FROM TASTE FOR EQUITY!