News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
John Price, second from right, is passionate about food and about his new position at Brand 33.
"I love what I do; it's not just a job to me."
So says John Price, the new chef at Brand 33 Restaurant at Aspen Lakes. Price's passion for his work is evident. His eyes light up and he breaks into a big grin when he talks about adding new Italian dishes to the menu or using beef produced by the Cyrus family's own ranching operation.
"For a guy coming from where I'm from, being somewhere where they provide their own protein is mind-blowing to me," he said.
Where he's from is Washington State, where he cooked in some well-regarded restaurants like Chandler's Crab House in Seattle and Spazzo's Italian Grill & Wine Bar.
In addition to tapping Brand 33 beef and pork, he plans to benefit from the Cyrus' connections with Newport fishermen for fresh seafood.
"Given time, I'm going to exploit all that," he says with scarcely contained enthusiasm.
Price's enthusiasm extends to the new setting in which he works. Working in an urban environment, he notes, you forget that there's a natural world out there. It's something he appreciates a great deal.
"Driving here this morning and seeing all the snow on the mountains, I thought 'Wow, it's pretty neat to live here,'" he said.
Like so many, Price's decision to move to Sisters Country was prompted by a visit.
During a family camping trip at McKenzie Bridge with wife Stacey and two young boys, Lincoln and Harlan, "we decided to come over to Bend to rejuvenate," Price recalled.
They really liked Central Oregon and particularly Sisters.
"My wife said, 'There's no better place to raise your kids,'" Price recalled.
The die was cast.
For Brand 33, the timing was perfect, as their chef had just decided to take a position with St. Charles Medical Center.
Pam Mitchell said she's excited by Price's enthusiastic leadership in the kitchen and his rapport with diners.
Price is at ease with his staff and with his clientele - mainly because he's just happy to be doing what he does.
"I want you here," he says. "I want to cook for you. And you'd rather eat here than eat at home and clean up the dishes."
Brand 33 is located at Aspen Lakes on Camp Polk Road off Highway 126. For more information call 541-549-3663.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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