Three Rivers Casino hosts Native American cuisine cook-off | Arts & Culture

The Oregon coast is abundant with culinary delights, from delicate mushrooms to savory seafood and delectable game. Its original inhabitants were glad to take advantage of such abundance, and how they prepared their food influences our eating habits to this day. For many Native Americans, the coast and food are entwined by their very existence.

Celebrating this age-old connection is the third annual Taste of Native America & the Oregon Coast, to be held at Three Rivers Casino & Hotel Friday, Nov. 4. The event brings together chefs from tribes throughout the Oregon coast for competition, sampling and demonstrations.

Participating tribes this year include Warm Springs from the Kah-Nee-Ta Resort, The Siletz from Chinook Winds Casino, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Spirit Mountain Casino and, of course, the Confederated Tribes of the Siuslaw, Lower Umpqua and Coos representing Three Rivers Casino & Hotel.

On Friday, following a reception for the chefs and vendors, the Three Rivers Events Center will host the Tribal Casino Team Competition. In this event, a private session held in the early afternoon where each tribal team will prepare a selection of dishes including an appetizer, entree and soup or dessert, for judging by a distinguished panel.

Included on the panel will be: Marcel Lahsene, a renowned restaurant and food service management consultant, Chef Greg A. Taylor, C.E.C. whose background includes fine dining restaurants, exclusive clubs, upscale retirement communities, casinos and experience as a culinary director, and Anthony Dana, CEC, AAC, Executive Chef at Edgewood Downs Retirement in Beaverton. He currently serves as president of ACF Chefs de Cuisine Society of Oregon.

At 4 p.m. on Friday, the doors open to the public. Admission is two cans of food or $5 to benefit local Food Share program. During this time, Tribal Casino Chefs will offer demonstrations of both traditional dishes and special Native American dishes using coastal ingredients. Local wineries and breweries will also have booths for sampling and demonstrations. Visitors will be able to interact with the chefs and vendors and explore the many booth displays.

A specially-designed trophy will be awarded at 7 p.m. to First through Third place winners, recognition will also be given for the People’s Choice award and an award for the best booth display.

The Taste of Native America was created by the Oregon Tribal Tourism Working Group and has among it’s many objectives to encourage the new and innovative use of traditional Tribal foods and flavors, as well as to build connections with Tribal and Indian food suppliers throughout Oregon and the Northwest. The entire event is a benefit for Food Share, which has provided assistance to those in need in western Lane County and the coastal area.