With the coronavirus outbreak dealing a serious blow to restaurants, Gregory Gourdet, one of Portland’s most acclaimed chefs, was already dealing with stress. Now, as the killing of a black man named George Floyd in Minneapolis has sparked dramatic protests around the country, including in Portland, Gourdet says he has often felt “overwhelmed by sadness.”
The pain that Gourdet, who is black, has been feeling is reflected in the nationwide protests, with demonstrators condemning the country’s history of racism, a pattern of police misconduct, and calling for change. Floyd died on May 25, after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. The officers involved face charges including second-degree murder.
In a phone interview ostensibly about making it to the ranks of five “Top Chef” finalists during the All Stars Season 17, Gourdet readily talked about a less happy subject, the distressing reality of the news.
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Asked how he’s doing, Gourdet says, “I don’t feel great,” adding that since Floyd was killed, “I’ve been crying every day. It’s hard not to think about the image,” as Gourdet says, of the 46-year-old man being held down as he cried out for help.
Like many others, Gourdet is also thinking about Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old black man who was shot and killed by two white men in late February while Arbery was out for a jog in Georgia. And of Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old black ER tech who, in March, was shot and killed in her home by Louisville police.
“I’m trying to follow the news, to stay informed,” Gourdet says. “I don’t want to be hopeless. I know that I’m fine physically, I’m fine mentally. Emotionally, I’m pretty wrecked.”
Gregory Gourdet says his plan to open a restaurant of his own in Portland may now involve doing some pop-up restaurant dinners. (Photo: Beth Nakamura/Staff) Beth Nakamura | The Oregonian/OregonLive
Gourdet is director of culinary operations and the former executive chef at Departure, the restaurant located in The Nines hotel in downtown Portland.
“I appreciate living somewhere like Portland, where I think we have a good point of view,” says Gourdet, who adds that he’s been doing some marching in local protests. “I’m nervous about COVID,” he adds, and how the virus might be spread in crowds, including the thousands of people who have participated in Portland protests.
“So, I march, and then I go home,” Gourdet says. “It’s important to be a part of it, though there are some people who are there for racial protests, and some people who are angry at the police, and I feel like those are the people that are staying a bit later, and being a little more aggressive.”
“It’s just a lot,” Gourdet says. “And through all of this, I think, fewer people are supporting restaurants.”
As did many other establishments in Portland, Departure suspended operations in mid-March, complying with Oregon Gov. Kate Brown’s rules that banned sit-down dining in restaurants.
Brown announced Thursday that 26 Oregon counties will soon move into a second phase of reopenings, which will, among other things, loosen some restrictions on gatherings, and allow restaurants and bars to stay open until midnight. Other guidelines require restaurants to observe social distancing for diners, along with other rules for operation.
The contemporary crises of protests, and the difficulties restaurants face in the coronavirus era, stand in contrast to what should be a time for Gourdet to celebrate.
On “Top Chef,” he’s one of five finalists who, in the episode that airs Thursday, June 4, arrive in Italy for a series of challenges which will determine the winner of what has been a wonderfully entertaining All Stars season. In addition, Gourdet has been nominated for a coveted James Beard Award, as best chef from the Northwest and Pacific region.
Gourdet has also been writing a cookbook, “Everyone’s Table: Global Recipes for Modern Health,” and had been planning on opening his own restaurant, with food inspired by the cuisine of his family’s homeland of Haiti.
A few weeks ago, Gourdet turned in the manuscript for his book, and the editor “loved it,” Gourdet recounts. "And that’s the one bit of good news I got this week.” For now, Gourdet is still doing some editing, and testing recipes.
Even in lockdown, Gourdet has been staying busy, cooking meals for those in need at Blanchet House, and working with the Independent Restaurant Coalition, a national organization that advocates for local restaurants and workers that have been impacted by the pandemic.
Of the “Top Chef” experience -- Gourdet finished second in “Top Chef” Season 12 – he says it was challenging to go through it again, but he decided to return for the All Stars season to test himself. “The fun part of it is being able to watch it, and share it with people,” now that the Season 17 is airing on Bravo, Gourdet says.
Traveling to Italy was “extremely interesting,” Gourdet says. The “Top Chef” trip, which happened before Italy was caught in the grip of its own terrible coronavirus outbreak, reminded Gourdet of how complex authentic Italian food can be.
While viewers tune in to see him on “Top Chef,” Gourdet is, as he says, staying as active and involved as he can. And he’s trying to remain optimistic, even as the U.S. is forced to contend with a legacy of racial injustice and a pandemic, all at once.
“I feel like we’re at a turning point in American history, and there’s an opportunity for us to learn from this, and look back, and feel like we were part of something that changed the face of our country,” Gourdet says. “It’s a time for listening to the black community, and a time to protest against police brutality and systemic racism in America. And we’re still fighting for American restaurants, and we still need to keep each other from getting sick. There’s a lot of work to do.”
More of our coverage:
- Portland’s Gregory Gourdet says being on ‘Top Chef’ helps us remember ‘what restaurant culture used to be like’
- Portland chef Gregory Gourdet will compete on ‘Top Chef’ All Stars edition
- Portland is home to two of America’s best new restaurants, James Beard Awards say
-- Kristi Turnquist
kturnquist@oregonian.com 503-221-8227 @Kristiturnquist
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