Katherine Chew Hamilton came to Portland Monthly in the summer of 2020; previously, she was the restaurant critic at the East Bay Express, an alt-weekly newspaper in Oakland. Find her at a taco cart, ice cream shop, or eclectic pop-up researching stories about Portland’s food scene, with particular emphasis on BIPOC makers. 

Top Chef

‘Top Chef’ Season 18 Finale Recap: A Winner Is Crowned, but the Ending Is Complicated

With a winner chosen, I hope Bravo has more to say.

07/02/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Recipe

Make Andina Chef Alexander Diestra's Cebiche Carretillero

This Callao-style cebiche is just what you need on a warm summer night.

07/01/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Top Chef

‘Top Chef’ Season 18 Semifinal Recap: Crabby Is a Good Thing

Our three remaining cheftestants pay homage to foodie and Portlander James Beard on the Oregon coast.

06/26/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Food

Three Sisters Nixtamal's Marvelous Masa

A good taco needs good tortillas. Here’s why a tortilla made with freshly nixtamalized corn is hard to beat.

06/23/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Top Chef

'Top Chef' Season 18 Episode 12 Recap: Cheesin’

Our chefs visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory to get that cheddar.

06/21/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Breaking News

Feast Portland Will Return This Summer

Rather than flying in chefs from across the country, the smaller scale Feast Portland is all about showcasing local talent.

06/21/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Food News

YāYā, A New Micah Camden-Backed Joint, Will Bring Cantonese Barbecue to NE Alberta

Camden and Chinese American former journalist and barbecue enthusiast Steve Chin plan to open the restaurant June 23.

06/15/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Bakeries

Our Top 6 Chocolate Croissants, Ranked

Two of our editors share a particular fondness for this pastry. We undertook some research to find the city’s best.

06/11/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Top Chef

'Top Chef' Episodes 8-10: Another Mega-Recap

We've got so much to catch up on.

06/08/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Beer

Portland's Must-Try Micheladas

Do you like yours with candied bacon, shrimp and mango, or dried beef?

06/04/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton Illustrations by Hawk Krall

Eat & Drink

These Tacos and Beer Pairings Make for a Perfect Portland Summer

We scoured the whole city, including Gresham and Beaverton, for the best tacos around.

06/03/2021 Edited by Katherine Chew Hamilton By Tuck Woodstock and Katherine Chew Hamilton

Recipe

Savor Chef Jessie Aron's Pan-Roasted Walnut-Chile-Coffee-Cheddar Artichokes

Unleash Malka's summer-ready chaos on your kitchen.

06/02/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Dessert

Cool Off with These Icy Treats Now

Some of Portland’s best ice creams and frozen pops are hiding in chocolate shops, pizza parlors & pop-ups. Here are some to seek out.

05/29/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Restaurant Review

At Nightingale, Chef Luna Contreras Celebrates Mexican Street Food While Championing Identity and Community

The menu hearkens back to happy memories of Contreras's grandmother, with antojitos like flautas and gorditas at the center.

05/27/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton Photography by Thomas Teal

Top Chef

Born-and-Raised Portlander Gabriel Pascuzzi Talks ‘Top Chef’

The chef-owner of Mama Bird, Stacked Sandwich Shop, and the soon-to-come Feel Good talks about life on reality TV.

05/24/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Top Chef

Sara Hauman Dishes on Her Time at 'Top Chef' Portland

One of our local cheftestants kissed a lucky fish, won over judges with eggplant yogurt, and shared her dreams of opening a boutique seafood cannery.

05/21/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Top Chef

‘Top Chef’ Season 18 Recap, Episodes 5–7: Playing Ketchup

A quickfire recap of the past few episodes.

05/19/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Eat This Now

6 Must-Try Corn Quesadillas

The criteria: handmade corn tortillas, mouthwatering fillings, tongue-tingling salsas.

05/19/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Coming Attraction

Nico’s Ice Cream Blends Up New Zealand-Style Real Fruit Ice Cream

Nico Vergara, a former manager at Zeds Ice Cream, is going solo—with fun collaborations with local businesses and nonprofits.

05/13/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton

Breaking News

Smith Teamaker’s New Cafe Will Serve Masala Chai Morning Buns and Rose-Pistachio Rubble

With tea-infused Grano Bakery pastries, breakfast cups, bowls, and cookies, culinary consultant Karl Holl wants to create “a new tea time.”

05/12/2021 By Katherine Chew Hamilton