Catching Up with Chef Geoff Gunn of Oregon’s Bridgewater Bistro By Mary Farah
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ecause I’m gluten-free, road trips can be tricky. While I’ve certainly had some misses, I’ve had many more hits. A highlight will always be my trek through the Oregon coast into Washington. Oregon is an eclectic, hip state with several menus listing where your dish was actually sourced. A perfect example of a restaurant dedicated to meeting your needs is Astoria’s Bridgewater Bistro. I arrived in Astoria eager to find the filming locations of Kindergarten Cop, one of my favorite movies from the 1990’s. Little did I know I’d leave with a new favorite place to dine. Overlooking the water and stunning AstoriaMegler Bridge, Bridgewater Bistro was born over 15 years ago. At that time, the quaint port town was a bit down on its luck. Fishing had gone to Alaska, and there was not much livelihood left in Astoria. That is, until the bi-centennial of the Lewis and Clark expedition. The excursion that had found the explorers heading from St. Louis to the center of the Columbia River, which just happens to surround Astoria. Bistro owners, Tony and Ann Kischner, knew an opportunity had knocked. With nearly a million visitors expected to hit town from 2004 to 2007, the culinary husband and wife duo knew those coming to town would want more than just a fast food burger. Thus, Bridgewater Bistro was born. ,Ann an accomplished pastry chef, was shocked to discover that ongoing digestive issues were being caused by gluten. Instead of hanging up her
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apron, she got to work creating a remarkable menu of gluten-free dishes at the bistro. While many restaurants offer gluten-friendly options, common “off limit” items like clam chowder and decadent desserts are solely available gluten-free. Bridgewater Bistro’s chef, Geoff Gunn, works closely with Ann to deliver the dynamic dishes the bistro is famous for. I was thrilled to catch up with Chef Geoff and learn more about him and his path that led him to Astoria.
