Bonnie Morales
Kachka | Portland, OR
APRIL 2018
First-generation American Bonnie Morales grew up in Chicago with the food and drink of her Belarusian parents. The tiny smoked fish, the chicken liver pashtet, and the kvass, all served as comforting reminders of the far-off (now former) Soviet state. That childhood would define Morales’ adult life and mission as a chef.
After earning a traditional degree and a stint in industrial design, Morales enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America and went on to acquire an elite résumé working at such restaurants as New York’s Craft and Chicago’s Moto and TRU. In 2010, she and her husband, Israel Morales, moved to Portland to open a restaurant. In 2014, Kachka was born, telling the story of Morales’ family.
Kachka quickly gained a following and critical notices, including a James Beard semifinalist nod for “Best New Restaurant,” GQ’s “25 Most Outstanding Restaurants,” and Bon Appétit’s “Generation Next.” Morales then decided to broaden her vision and translate her take on Eastern European hospitality into Kachka the cookbook, published in 2017.
In 2018, Morales earned a StarChefs Rising Stars Award and was nominated for James Beard’s “Best Chef, Northwest.” This summer she opened a larger Kachka with an expanded menu, Russian-style service, and a deli. The old, beloved Kachka has continued with a slight name change—Kachinka—a no reservations policy, and happy hour all the time.
