Kokanee Café takes the title at Bite of Bend

Kokanee Café took top honors at the Bite of Bend on June 20-21.

During a weekend of festivities celebrating Central Oregon's rich legacy of local foods and fine dining, executive chef, Roscoe Roberson, and sous-chef, Dan Debates, created artfully crafted dishes that showed their ability to create a memorable culinary experience in an hour's time.

In the final round, the secret ingredient was foie gras. Roberson's appetizer could be summed up as foie gras meets peaches-and-cream. He used poached peaches in chamomile hibiscus syrup to balance out the foie gras. He finished with a cumin crema similar to sour cream.

"The appetizer was a lot easier to come up with than the main course," said Roberson. "Foie gras as a main dish just doesn't happen, it's just too rich."

With less than an hour to prepare the meal, Roberson began making pasta but soon realized the heat of the day made completing the dish impossible.

"I went back to the fridge and saw some shrimp," he said.

Roberson rendered the foie gras and infused the prawns with it. To complete the dish he finished with a fuseli pasta with smoky tomato broth and drizzled it with the emulsified sauce.

Roberson is always eager to get the word out about Kokanee Café.

"We make three to four specials every day, crafted with local and global ingredients that typify our Metolius River Cuisine," he said.

Roberson came to Kokanee Café four years ago. He began his career at Kokanee as the sous-chef for two years, then was promoted to executive chef by owners Denise and Paul Mercer.

The Mercers came to Central Oregon by way of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and prior to that, England. With a corporate advertising background, the couple chucked their business suits and headed to snow country.

"We fell in love with Bend," said Paul. Soon after, they bought The Victorian Café, their first entry into the restaurant business.

"How hard can it be to run a restaurant?" said Paul, laughing as he remembered their naïve approach to the new business venture.

Paul's choice in employees has made his jump into the restaurant business a success. The quality, creative people he brought on board proved invaluable as he and Denise embarked on the new adventure.

"The key," said Mercer, "is to surround yourself with people who know what they're doing."

Five years ago, Paul and Denise sold The Victorian Café and bought The Trout House in Sunriver, and in 2002 they bought Kokanee Café. Between the two restaurants, Paul manages 60 employees. The arrangement works because Kokanee Café is closed six months of the year.

"The Trout House is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so I spend all my time there from October to May," said Mercer.

With Kokanee Café open from May to October, Roberson has six months to travel and explore new culinary ideas. Like any inquisitive, talented artist he spends his free time working with other chefs who inspire and challenge him.

"I'm planning a trip to Spain this year," said Roberson. When asked where he planned to work, his answer showed his sense of adventure, "I'll just knock on back doors until someone invites me in," he said.

The Kokanee Café team will compete in the Iron Chef Oregon competition, August 7-8, against other restaurants from across Oregon.

Mercer hopes the Bite of Bend victory will entice people to drive to Camp Sherman and experience the cozy cottage nestled in the pines, with the soft murmur of the Metolius River accompanying award-winning food.

Kokanee Café is located about 20 minutes from Sisters in Camp Sherman. For reservations call 541-595-6420 or visit their Web site at http://www.kokaneecafe.com.