Kitchen Witch, Chef Hillary Gillis

10/31/2024

It was a particularly carnivorous October. Halibut with white bean stew and fresh herb gremolata, rosemary and seared leek chicken quarters, duck with cornbread crumble and persimmon apricot glaze, smoked trout pâté with sage crackers, bbq brisket…🔥

10/31/2024

Good morning from the warmth of the Kitchen Witch oven on a rainy Samhain/Halloween/Diwali morning. It’s finally the last day of harvest lunch deliveries and starting to plan winter holiday winery events and private parties. I don’t know about you, but if I’m going to stand over a six burner range or open fire all day, I’ll take overcast with a light drizzle over 100 degrees and humid aaaaaaaall day.

10/29/2024

I’m not trying to jump the gun, and you know with a business name like Kitchen Witch I’m not trying to skimp on Halloween, but the holidays are fast approaching and booking requests are coming in. I love, love, LOVE the holidays and would love, love, love to help your group celebrate. DM, email, inquire through the website (link in my bio) to sn**ch your preferred date and let’s talk customized menu.
[email protected]
www.kitchenwitchcooking.com

10/26/2024

Scarlet couldn’t give one single turd that I managed to pull off a makeup/hair/outfit hat trick before 9am on a Saturday. Scarlet just wants to gooooo.

10/26/2024

The color of October is Orange.
Fuyu persimmon salad with goat cheese, hazelnut, and fermented lemon vinaigrette
Butternut bisque with duck broth and compound butter

10/25/2024

German style warm potato salad with dill, fresh leek, and lardons. Back on the tasting room delivery lunch menu 11/01/24, or by request for your next private dinner or event.

541-223-3329
[email protected]

10/25/2024

Everyone gets to have their favorites, and the exterior of might be mine 😍🍇🥂

10/23/2024

Excellent wine, last minute grape stomping, four courses of Kitchen Witch, and the host with the most. Dinner last night at Ricochet was a RicoSlay.

Ok, bad mom pun, I’ll see myself out.
Cheers! 🥂

10/19/2024

Event today at Résonance that involved me breaking down lobster for forty Chardonnay lovers. Harvest lunch deliveries for my clients still working away at Domaine Drouhin, dinner at Ricochet on Tuesday, and a private group in Dundee flying in from Texas on Friday. If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times: my job does not suck. 🥂

10/13/2024

Busy, busy, busy at Springhill Cellars yesterday. Harvest and processing through the night (them), fundraiser dinner (me), and of course we must make time for mustache twirling

10/12/2024

One of five courses coming at the dinner group of fifty at Springhill Cellars tonight.
Toasted golden beet, root vegetable and green bean salad with hazelnuts, Gorgonzola, and maple vinaigrette.

10/08/2024

Work weekend photo dump: Chanterelle gnocchi plating, some of todays harvest lunch, exterior of The Preserve aka the location of the first Indie pop-up wine dinner coming January, Mr Host with the Most being hammy at Left Coast, and the Left Coast gardens trying to convince me to have another glass and take a stroll.
Gnocchi handmade by moí, chanterelles courtesy of my mushroom guy who contact info I keep to myself because I’m selfish and don’t want my fall foraged goods getting bought out from under me right before a month of events. 🤷🏼‍♀️🍇🍲

10/07/2024

The plan was Brooks for lunch, and then a few stops after. Instead it was Brooks for lunch and then three hours at Ricochet. Hey, if you’re having fun where yoou’re at, whaddayagonnado? Leave?? 10/10, would do again, no notes.

10/06/2024

10/05/2024

Two quarts of beef stock and bone broth reduced to about a pint of syrupy Meat Honey™️. Let’s get saucy.

10/05/2024

Toasted quinoa and roast Brussels salad for twelve: an origin story.

10/04/2024

🍷🍇🥂Organizing menus for the next couple of months and going through my 2024 event folders because sometimes I just need to see it spread out in front of my face like a serial killer detective board. Private vacation groups, micro weddings, workshops/classes, and, most of all, my favorite: winery events. Lots, and lots, but I’ll happily take twice as many. It’s hard to believe that this is just nine months into the year, and I’m pretty sure I can think of another half dozen hiding somewhere in my email threads. Ready for the rest of harvest, holidays, and the weeklong vacation I just booked in a moment of Treat Yo’ Self weakness. Psh, I deserve it. WE deserve it. 🍇🥂🍷 And after we rest…here comes 2025.

10/03/2024

🍇 Lamb, pork belly, and grass fed beef meatloaf, fried leek, warm German potato salad with bacon apple cider vinaigrette, roasted beet ketchup.
beef and pork
lamb
and produce
Pairing with .oregon 2022 Grenache 🍷

Let’s eeeeeeat!

10/03/2024

It’s the Up At 6AM, First Dibs at the Thursday Farmer’s Market life for me. I’m lucky to have long relationships with the same growers who were suppliers in my restaurant owner days. It makes being up at before the sun thismuch more tolerable.

10/03/2024

Everybody wants the potatoes, but nobody wants to sieve the potatoes.

10/02/2024

Coconut Thai chili cod test run before Saturday’s private wine group. 10/10, worth getting up at 6am and a nice off-menu surprise for harvest lunches today. Cheers! 🥂

10/01/2024

This week’s work views: 🐐🌳✨🍇

09/29/2024

Couldn’t have asked for a better work week, couldn’t ask for a better bottle to cap it off. A thank you present from the super awesome Bjornson’s after a dinner a couple of months ago. I’ve been waiting for a good day and an open afternoon, and I do believe today is just such an occasion.

09/29/2024

Fun friend group and warm hospitality at for a private dinner at Saffron Fields on Friday. Big, big ups to Megan for her florals and table settings, and thank you to the rest of the helpful staff and hungry birthday celebrators. See you next time! Cheers 🥂
*Smoked Sturgeon and Sage Pâté
*Dungeness Crab Bisque with Caviar
*Root Vegetable Salad with Cracked Rye and Fermented Lemon Vinaigrette
*Fire Charred Squash Trio and Toasted Portobello
*Late Stone Fruit Braised Duck with Pork Belly Apricot Jam

09/26/2024

Ribbon cutting lunch at DDO Rose Rock today. Some of my favorite repeat clients, and I’m delighted for the expansion. Hungry wine people, sunny day, seasonal local produce, gorgeous views. See you again tomorrow, literally, actually.