Photos: Fishing Vessel Fantasy, Port Orford (left), charred cabbage and dulse salad with seared albacore by Chef Zach Nielsen of Takibi (middle), Haley Byer of Alea Bakery serving seafood bites (right).
SOLD OUT - Albacore on the Line
A Winter Waters culinary gathering for food professionals
Sunday, February 1, 2026, 11am-1pm, Portland, Oregon, $5-$15 sliding scale event!
Albacore on the Line brings food professionals together for a casual, chef-led tasting of thoughtfully prepared dishes highlighting Oregon-caught Albacore tuna.
This Winter Waters gathering is designed for professional cooks, servers, seafood market staff, distributors, and restaurant owners to dive in to the world of Oregon Albacore. Connect directly with Oregon fishermen, buyers and processors and taste albacore across a range of applications and cooking styles suited for real working kitchens.
Whether you’ve worked with Oregon Albacore for years or are new to this premium fish, come join us! It will be a great opportunity to join the Oregon Albacore community, share knowledge and hopefully learn something new. Plus, what a delicious way to spend a Sunday afternoon in Portland and kick off the Blue Foods Forum!
Chef Lineup
Chef Jeff Kim of Aji Fish Butchery
Chef Jeff will prepare a dry-aged albacore bresaola with citrus jam.
Jeff Kim is the Executive Chef at Zilla Sake and the founder of Aji Fish Butchery, a specialty retailer focused on dry aged fish.
In 2017, Jeff moved to Portland to become the first Chef de Cuisine at Bamboo Sushi, overseeing both kitchen operations and the sushi bar. There, he repeatedly heard the same question from guests and cooks alike: where can I get truly sushi grade fish? That persistent gap between curiosity and access ultimately inspired the creation of Aji Fish Butchery, a business designed to bring transparency, technique, and exceptional fish directly to the community.
Alec Hess & Olivia Starkie of Merrow
Chefs Alec and Olivia will prepare a fresh albacore carpaccio w/ canned tuna belly tonnato, ponzu, purple dulse, lemon zest, horseradish.
Alec Hess and Olivia Starkie are a chef team behind Merrow, a pop-up project that features local seafood and produce in Portland, OR. Having both trained in New York kitchens with a strong emphasis on seasonality and relationships with farmers and seafood purveyors, Olivia and Alec work with an ethos of trying to get to know who is growing and catching their food, and working within their local food system.
The culinary students and tribal members of the Siletz Valley School
Students at the Siletz Valley School in Siletz, Oregon are gaining real-world culinary skills while also connecting deeply with Indigenous food traditions and community identity. The school’s hands-on culinary program was created in response to student interest in career technical education and is taught by culinary director Patrick Clarke.
Jasper Kosokoff of Chefs’ Warehouse
Jasper will serve a Charcoal Grilled Albacore Winter Salad: Charcoal grilled Albacore Tuna Loins tossed with crispy winter celery, radish and herbs, dressed in a citrus and cherry blossom vinaigrette.
Jasper Kosokoff grew up cooking and eating in Portland, Oregon. After years farming in the Willamette Valley, he moved into restaurants, cooking at Nostrana and other Portland kitchens. Grounded in seasonality, he hosts intimate events on a third acre in NE Portland and manages special events along the Oregon Coast. After a decade in kitchens, Jasper now works as an Account Manager at Chefs’ Warehouse, focused on bringing new ingredients to Portland chefs and solving distribution challenges, inspired by Oregon’s bounty and timeless flavors.
Brendan and Haley Byer of Alea Bakery
This duo will serve a Nicoise Toast, with Oregon Albacore Tataki, Fermented Tomato Aioli, Cured Egg Yolk, Radish, Herbs, Potato and Olive Crumb on their Olive Tapenade Sourdough.
Founded by Brendan and Haley Byer, chef and baker, co owners, and husband and wife, Alea is shaped by more than a decade of experience across fine dining, artisan baking, and small business ownership. Brendan’s background includes kitchens such as Single Thread and his role as opening Chef de Cuisine at Ōkta, while Haley’s path spans Bouchon Bakery, Della Fattoria, and leading wood fired bread programs rooted in farmer relationships. Together, their work is driven by craft, cultural tradition, and a shared belief in food as a meaningful expression of place and care.
This event is hosted by Winter Waters, with support from the Oregon Albacore Commission, Oregon Ocean Cluster, and Chefs’ Warehouse. It’s an auxiliary event which will kickoff the Blue Foods Forum. Learn more and get tickets to the Seafaring Speakeasy of the Symposium HERE.
Oregon fishing grounds offer the best wild albacore
Oregon fishermen target albacore when the schools move close to shore during their summer migration, a moment that aligns perfectly with peak eating quality. At this stage in their life cycle, albacore have been feeding heavily on oil rich anchovies and sardines concentrated by coastal upwelling. That diet translates directly to the plate, with firmer texture, cleaner flavor, and higher levels of naturally occurring oils that carry both richness and nutritional value.
Combined with careful handling and rapid chilling at sea, Oregon caught albacore is a premium, versatile protein that meets the standards of high volume service while still offering the integrity and flavor expected in top tier culinary settings.
Members of our Oregon Albacore fishing community feel personally accountable for the wholesomeness of the fish, the long-term sustainability of the fishery, and the health of our oceans. In the same way that local farmers and ranchers strive to deliver the best fresh vegetables and meats, local Oregon fishermen deliver the very best albacore, whether fresh, frozen, or micro-canned in small batches.
Upholding high standards and sustainability in fishery management
The fishing practices of the Oregon Albacore fleet are a source of pride for Oregonians. These high standards have been commended by leading environmental groups.
Ranked a Best Choice by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. This ranking is the highest global standard. One of only four super-green seafoods on the MBA Seafood Watch Super Green List.
Certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as caught by sustainable and well-managed methods.
KEX Portland (near the venue in Portland) is offering 20% off rooms for Blue Foods Forum and Albacore on the Line attendees 1/30 - 2/6. Use the code WATERS2026 when booking.