In 2013, the James Beard Foundation described the restaurant’s cuisine as “rustic Pacific Northwest with an elegant Mediterranean sensibility.”

Located in a craftsman bungalow on the Westside of Bend you’ll find Ariana. This beautiful little gem in the heart of Oregon has become known for Chef Andres and Ariana Fernandez’ focused seasonal chef’s tasting menus. Committed to utilizing the bounty of culinary treasures available in our region as well as local farmers and purveyors in Central Oregon. An extensive wine list highlights selections from the Pacific Northwest.

Nickol’s culinary journey spans over twenty-seven years and includes training at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY, and professional experience in renowned kitchens across California, New York, London, and Oregon. She has honed her craft under the mentorship of Michelin-starred chefs, James Beard award winners, and culinary pioneers who, like her, view food as both art and soul. In all that she creates, Nickol strives to capture the essence of beauty—both ephemeral and enduring—inviting others to discover joy in the everyday: the changing seasons, the abundance of the harvest, and the magic found in every bite. After gracefully passing on the torch of her acclaimed Foxtail Bakeshop & Kitchen in 2022, Nickol’s journey took on new dimensions. She has since served as a culinary consultant across the West Coast and, in Winter 2023, celebrated the release of her first cookbook, Foxtail Bakeshop Presents... Treats from the Den. Now, she is poised to bring her longtime dream to life. Nickol is currently seeking funding to bring The Den Teahouse and Dessert Bar to life. Her evolving vision is a refined yet whimsical retreat in Bend, OR where nature’s bounty meets artful indulgence and sweet alchemy. It is a space designed to invite guests to pause, to savor, and to experience the quiet wonder of life’s simplest pleasures.

Scott has spent the last 20 years expanding his deep knowledge of culinary arts with an emphasis on Japanese cuisine. Scott has spent time in Japan taking specialty courses on cutting fish, cooking, rice, making tofu, and many others. Scott started with a very popular food cart and when the demand outpaced the cart Scott decided to open a brick and morter restaurant in Bend, Oregon. It was pure delight for those lucky enough to have eaten at Ronin. Unfortunately, it closed during COVID, but sitting at his sushi bar and asking him to dream up whatever he wanted was special.

Rose trained in some of Los Angeles’s most iconic kitchens, including Spago’s, Campanile, and Les Deux Cafés, under legendary chefs like Wolfgang Puck, Nancy Silverton, and Suzanne Goin.

At 21, she moved to Paris and began working her way across Europe for over four years in restaurants, bars, hotels, and even a fashion house. Her experience culminated in the kitchen of Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, under Massimo Bottura—later ranked the world’s top restaurant.

Back in the U.S., Rose held roles as a pastry chef, catering company founder, and Culinary Director at a cooking school. In December 2022, she returned to hands-on food creation with the launch of the Luscious Supper Club—a sold-out monthly series of seven-course fine dining events. Leading a team of seven women, Rose brings her global culinary background to intimate, unforgettable meals that celebrate bold flavors, seasonal ingredients, and community around the table.

Joolz was a Middle Eastern restaurant located in downtown Bend, Oregon, at 916 NW Wall St. It was known for its unique menu that combined traditional Middle Eastern flavors with a Southwestern twist. 

If you have been in Bend a long time, you will know that this is really special. Joolz was a town favorite for years before they closed during Covid.

This is your chance to taste chef Ramsey’s cooking again!

Jordan has spent over 25 years in the hospitality industry running fine dining restaurants to gastropubs, authoring cookbooks and years of consulting on a variety of projects. Currently channeling creativity through innovative culinary events at his successful 14 year old business, Stag Dining Group.

Working under Michelin starred chefs like Daniel Humm, Christopher Kostow, Wolfgang Puck and Dominique Crenn has enriched Jordan with a wide breadth of culinary knowledge. 

Mark continued his love for cooking following culinary school in San Francisco, working for great chefs like Jan Birnbaum, Melissa Perello, and Wolfgang Puck. His talents landed him at the helm of The Front Porch restaurant, specializing in regional Gulf Coast cuisine, food he grew up with. 

During the pandemic, Mark decided to venture home to Houston and hone his skills in butchering and smoking meats. He quickly became, and is currently, pitmaster at Loro restaurant, the brainchild of Aaron Franklin and Tyson Cole.

One of the courses will be designed, prepped, and served by the students of the Cascade Culinary School!

This is an opportunity for some of the most talented students to showcase their skills!

CCI offers a range of degrees and certificates that are accredited by the American Culinary Federation Foundation. Student learning at CCI is grounded in a competency-based curriculum that combines lectures and demonstrations with applied learning activities and instructional assessments. Our talented CCI faculty deliver an integrated approach to sustainability from both operational and instructional perspectives.

Chef Eric Gitenstein is a trained chef with 2 decades of experience. He and his wife, Nicole, started MF Tasty as a secret supper club in 2010. Back when you’d have to give your credit card number over the phone to reserve your spot. Friends allowed them to use their restaurants, food trucks, coffee shops, and, one time, even a dance studio. The two-person team did the entire setup, service, and teardown in one night, bringing everything from plates to trash bags. After moving to Portland, they started MF Tasty food cart offering a unique new menu every week. It was treated as a restaurant, with real plates and local beer and wine offerings. The cart maintained a 5-star rating for its 7 years in operation. The two also released a book called Portland, Oregon Food Crawls: Touring the Neighborhoods One Bite and Libation at a Time. Once they began growing their family, they moved to Ben,d where Eric is currently doing private catering and meal prep. Think of a home (or at a vacation rental) steakhouse-style meal for a special occasion. Maybe an office lunch drop off. Pre-packaged meals like bone broth soups or high protein/low carb offerings with heat-up instructions. 

After visiting Central Oregon multiple times over the years, John and his wife, Amanda, resolved that it would be their five year plan to relocate to Bend and become part of a growing culinary community. As luck would have it, opportunity came much sooner and John joined the team at Drake in 2014 on downtown’s most iconic corner. In 2017, John led the opening of Drake’s sister property, Washington Dining and Cocktails in the Northwest Crossing neighborhood of Bend’s westside. He continued to offer culinary expertise, by consulting on projects such as the re-branding of Cascade Lakes Brewery and the opening of Walt Reilly’s as well as assisting in culinary operations at Bend’s former Southern neighborhood gem, Meadowlark. 

In the summer of 2022, one of the most amazing retail spaces became available and John and Amanda seized the opportunity to begin a new life chapter and culinary journey, beginning with brainstorming, demolition, design, and a vision from which Lady Bird Cultural Society was born.

Chef Adrian Carpenter is a firm believer that food should be an adventure. His style blends strong European techniques with a natural sensibility, developed over decades of culinary exploration. From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to the vineyards of Southeast France, truffle fields of Northern Italy, and bustling kitchens in Aspen, San Francisco, and Charleston, Adrian’s journey has shaped a philosophy rooted in seasonality, locality, and a respect for letting each ingredient speak for itself.

He has worked alongside some of the most respected names in the industry, including Traci Des Jardins, Michael Mina, Philippe Padovani, and Frank Lee, and has played a key role in launching multiple restaurants from concept to opening day. Adrian’s expertise extends beyond the plate—designing kitchens for efficiency, curating menus that tell a story, and sourcing the best local ingredients from trusted farmers and purveyors.

In Central Oregon, Adrian has shaped menus at Brasada Ranch and Domaine Serene Wine Lounge, always championing seasonal produce and cultivating meaningful relationships with area growers.

Now based in Bend, Adrian is leading the culinary vision for Soul Fire Kitchen, a new concept blending his signature European‑meets‑local approach with bold, seasonal flavors. Drawing on decades of fine dining experience and a passion for crafting memorable dining experiences, he’s building a destination where community and cuisine come together.