Darla Shaffer
Jacqueline | Portland, OR
JULY 2023
While living in Southern California, Darla Shaffer applied to be a hostess at Public House Bistro, but when a dishwasher didn’t show up, she stepped in and was hired the same day. Although the all-male staff gave her a hard time, she was determined not to let them run her out of the kitchen. Shaffer admired the camaraderie of the line, and began helping with prep work. She was eventually brought on as a line cook and worked her way up to sous when she was just 19 years old. Eventually, Shaffer moved up to Portland and joined the team at Ox. When tasked with making family meal one day, she made a personal favorite: a flaky-crusted chicken pot pie. She taught herself how to make the crust from scratch, and caught the pastry bug.
Shaffer was determined to teach herself everything she could about pastry. She moved to Mediterranean Exploration Company as garde manger, where she helped make desserts and learned the fundamentals of dough. She started baking at home for her friends and family more often, recreating dishes from her childhood. In 2018, Shaffer took a position at Le Pigeon, where she stayed for two years. With the pandemic hitting in 2020, and the restaurant temporarily closed, Shaffer had to pivot her plans. She started her own baking business, Mama Box, shipping baked goods out of her home. In 2022, Shaffer accepted a pastry chef position at Jacqueline. A one woman pastry team, she also makes the pasta and the occasional focaccia for the restaurant. Shaffer draws on nostalgia and the Mexican flavors of her childhood for her desserts, like her genmaicha tres leches cake with whipped cream and puffed rice, which showcase her eclectic yet cohesive style.
