Summer Chefs Collective Dinners 2024!
As you may of heard, these evenings are a spectacular combination of a five-course dinner, an intentional wine pairing, and the company of guests and community.
We welcome everyone at 5:45pm with a complimentary sparkling wine with seating at 6pm.
We accommodate food allergies only, not personal food preferences-sorry!
(We will not be offering refunds in case of cancellation 14 days or less prior to the event. )
Below you will find our chefs bios, dinner themes, links to our music compilations and TICKETS.
(Limit of 2 dinner events per household)
We ask your support of 20% gratuity in appreciation of our team and everyone’s hard work.
Our Chefs Collective Dinner Series is an opportunity for local and visiting chefs to create an inspired five-course dinner to share with our guests and community! A specially curated wine pairing is available to compliment your dinner.
IMPORTANT- We are VERY dependent on our WAITLIST due to last minute cancellations. Please email rubyjuneinn@gmail.com with “waitlist” in the subject line, include your cell phone, the number in your party and dinner/chef/date preferences…we will get you in to a dinner!!
Book a Room!
We hold (2) tickets per guest room should you choose to stay with us for a special dinner experience.
Chef Bios & Tickets for the Chefs Collective Summer Dinner Series
John Helleberg has over 25 years experience cooking professionally. His cooking style can be best described as classic and simple, where each ingredient shines. John’s style was influenced from working with Jimmy Sneed at the The Frog and the Redneck in Richmond, Virginia, where he learned the art of classical French cuisine. Skiing and fishing brought him to Telluride, Colorado, where became chef and owner of 221 South Oak. After selling 221. In LA, he cooked at the Michelin-rated restaurant Melisse, refining his skills and furthering his passion for cooking.
In 2003, John made Hood River, Oregon, his home and since made his mark as the Executive Chef or Chef de Cuisine – Con Gusto, Celilo, Brian’s Pourhouse, Solstice, and most notably as the chef and owner of Sophie’s Restaurant, named after his daughter. Nowadays, he spends his free time hanging out with his family, teaching his kids – Sophie and Jack – all the sports he loves and cooking them amazing dinners at home.
Kathy Watson is the former chef and owner of Nora’s Table, a beloved Hood River institution. She was coached to love food at an early age by her old-country grandparents, Max and Rose. She roamed their small farm on the Monterey Bay in California, learning to love apricots, Gravensteins and loganberries in their season. She fished on the bay with Max, and sat in the shade of Rose’s pole beans, eating tomatoes and cucumbers.
She cooked her way through high school and journalism school at the University of Oregon. But she lived another life for 25 years as a journalist and public relations consultant before saying to hell with all that and returning to her first love: locally sourced and imagined food. Nora’s Table, which she owned with her husband Stu, was known for its strict adherence to local food and wine, crafted with the flavors and techniques of cuisines from the Mediterranean, India and Mexico.
Since selling Nora’s Table in 2015, she’s been teaching cooking. She also created Super Club, serving dinners over three summers at what is now Ruby June Inn. That project was the inspiration for Chefs Collective. She is the author of a memoir, “Last Morning at Nora’s Table” and is writing a novel, “Orphans of the Living.”
Anthony Dao is a Pacific Northwest native and Gorge local. Anthony’s career in food began in New York City where he worked at Michelin-starred restaurants such as The Nomad Hotel, The Finch and the storied Casa Mono. Feeling satiated by city living, he and his partner decided to go rural and interned at different farms and vineyards in Western and South Australia, learning about sustainable agriculture and winemaking. Upon returning home, he worked at Seattle’s beloved Vif and The London Plane. During the height of the pandemic, he started the highly regarded Seattle pizza pop-up, Romeo, in an effort to support local farmers and purveyors, and raise money for mutual aid. Most recently, he played a pivotal role in the hospitality program at James Beard nominated Hiyu Wine Farm in Hood River, where he was the sous chef for 3 years.
Chef Angela Krause began her culinary journey at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, under the expert guidance of renowned chefs Jacques Pepin, Alain Sailhac, and Andre Soltner. Eager to further refine her skills, she honed her craft at the prestigious two-Michelin-starred Charlie Trotter restaurant in Chicago, IL.
Angela then took charge of the pastry kitchen at Cafe Absinthe in Chicago and in 2000 moved to Portland under the guidance of Restaurateur Bruce Carey and Chef Kenny Giambalvo at Blue Hour. It was her seven-year tenure as the head chef at Caffe Mingo where she found her true culinary groove. Here, Angela infused her dishes with love, using only the finest ingredients to create wholesome and mouthwatering traditional Italian cuisine that became a favorite among the loyal locals.
Angela's passion for working with local farmers and artisans was a driving force behind her culinary creations. Her French training and Michelin star-quality skillset were beautifully complemented by her heart-centered approach to cooking.
Krystyna Livingston recently took a job as a Culinary Instructor at Skagit Valley College.
Before her new role, she ran the pastry and savory program at White Salmon Baking Co. for
three years.
Her culinary experience ranges from Orcas Island to San Francisco. Her previous eight
years’ experience includes a year at Michelin-rated Manresa restaurant in Los Gatos, CA.
She received
her culinary training at Napa Valley Cooking School and she also has a degree in
environmental studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She brings her training in
classical French and Japanese technique to the plate, married with her love of local produce,
meat and fish.
Elise Landry is the chef and owner of acclaimed Chicory Restaurant in Olympia, WA. Elise was born and raised in Kansas City with an upbringing celebrating her Cajun heritage. She spent her childhood around barbecues, jambalaya, and crawfish boils. Wanderlust and a passion for cooking has ushered her all over the world, accruing techniques, traditions, and food philosophies along the way. Over the past decade Elise has composed a cooking style that focuses on her love for seasonality and sustainability within our food systems. The lush ecosystems of Western Washington drew Elise in immediately, and Olympia is where she has decided to put down roots with her husband and business partner, Adam Wagner. Awards include winner of the Chopped Next Gen competition.
Colby Richards and Hady Coxen met 3 years ago at Ruby June Inn while Colby was prepping for a Chef’s Collective dinner. They reconnected down the road and jumped in a van to Mexico together, sharing their love for eating great food with friends. They have both run successful private event businesses, curating beautiful meals for everything from weddings to remote fly fishing trips. Colby worked at Ava Gene’s and Nevør, both with hyper-local and technique forward menus. Hady started as the sous at Heirloom Cookshop, a collaborative culinary hub in Washington, where the offerings changed with the seasons. Now engaged, they’re excited to come full circle and bring their talents to this summer series.
Chef Avery Adams is both chef and owner of Matia Kitchen on Orcas Island. He is nominated as Best Chef in the Northwest by the James Beard Foundation for 2024 (winners will be announced in June) and was a finalist for the same award in 2023. The restaurant was named to the Best Restaurants in Washington State for 2022 and 2023 by Seattle Met, and as one of the 50 best restaurants in the US by the New York Times in 2022.
Chef John Helleberg on Saturday, June 22nd & Sunday, June 23rd
Modern French Bistro Cuisine: A modern twist on the classic dishes from the bistros of Paris. Simple, hearty, elegant, and unpretentious.
Chef Anthony Dao on Saturday, June 29th & Sunday, June 30th
Dao Fresco: Wallow in a midsummer celebration of the solstice à la Southeast Asia highlighting the season's peak ingredients and soulful cooking primed by Anthony’s multi-cultural upbringing and curiosities.
Chefs Colby Richards & Hady Coxen on Saturday, July 6th & Sunday, July 7th
Northern Coastal: Foraged, fermented, and preserved. This meal will showcase the bounty and richness of the coastal ecosystem throughout the seasons.
Chef Angela Krause on Saturday, July 20th & Sunday, July 21st
Une nuit d'été à la mediterranéenne: French and Italian Mediterranean inspired dishes using the finest bounty of ingredients from the Pacific Northwest.
Chef Anthony Dao on Saturday, July 27th & Sunday, July 28th
Plants on a Pedestal: “Showcasing a strictly vegetarian* offering. Indulge in a feast of summer's local bounty with deliciousness inspired from around the globe.
*Please note that the menu will also feature dairy and eggs.”
Chef Krystyna Livingston on Saturday, August 3rd & Sunday, August 4th
American Classics Re-imagined: A playful, modern and fresh approach to classic dishes you know and love! Let's celebrate the melting pot of the US with an emphasis on seasonally focused local produce.
Chef John Helleberg on Saturday, August 10th & Sunday, August 11th
Out our Back Door: The Pacific Northwest is renowned for superior ingredients. An evening inspired by those ingredients at the peak of their bounty, mid August.
Chef John Helleberg on Saturday, August 17th & Sunday, August 18th
Southern Supper: Growing up in Virginia, I’ve long appreciated the melting pot that is southern cuisine. Unique ingredients influenced by the cuisines of Europe and West Africa create one of the most satisfying and comforting food regions in the US.
Chef Kathy Watson on Saturday, August 24th & Sunday, August 25th
It's a sweet life, baby: When fruit, chocolate and other sweet things collide with savory duck, lamb and seafood, don't you think maybe you should give it a try? (With lyrical help from Carole King.)
Chef Angela Krause on Monday, September 2nd
Fruits of our labor: Elevated cuisine using traditional recipes from regions of El Norte Mexico with ingredients sourced from our local farmers, the backbone of our agricultural community.
Chef Avery Adams on Monday, September 16th
Flavors of the San Juans: A tour of the most exciting ingredients from Washington's San Juan Archipelago at peak harvest season. Enjoy a bountiful meal focusing on world class seafood, seasonal produce of the San Juans, wood fire grilling, and the prolific larder of Orcas Island's Matia Kitchen.
We are so very grateful to all of our guests that make these events possible!
A huge amount of gratitude to Kathy Watson, our fearless Chef leader, for bringing her talent, work ethic, mentorship, and humor to all aspects of the Chefs Collective Dinner Series.
Our Music Playlists (Spotify)