Bluehour appoints Kyo Koo as executive chef

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ­– Bluehour, a modern, fine dining restaurant located in the heart of the Pearl District in downtown Portland, Oregon, gains new momentum naming Kyo Koo as Executive Chef. A native Oregonian, Chef Koo took the boldest step in his career and moved to Spain to work for chef Andoni Aduriz at the internationally regarded Mugaritz in the Basque country. Here he learned revolutionary techniques that focus on labor-intensive preparation with a high standard for bright flavor, simple tastes and evocative textures. In 2009, he returned to Portland to work at Clarklewis, a restaurant gem in Southeast Portland with French and Italian influences where he eventually became Executive Chef. At Bluehour, Chef Koo creates inspired menus with elevated and ingredient-driven dishes that showcase his composed techniques and celebrates the bounty of the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to Chef Koo’s inventive menu changes to the a la carte menu is the introduction of a five-course tasting menu that will change often with the seasons. From the hand-selected cheese by the in-house Fromager, Jesse Seratt, to the inventive desserts created by Pastry Chef, Salina Rubio, Bluehour offers one of Portland’s most elegant dining experiences. The extensive wine program curated by Erica Landon, Wine Director & Advanced Sommelier CMS with Peter Cranz, Sommelier CMS, includes a keen focus on Pinot Noir’s from Oregon among an unmatched selection of old and new world wines from the most celebrated wine regions around the world.

The atmosphere at Bluehour is stylish and sophisticated with a modern dining room that was designed by renowned architect Brad Cloepfil, who also conceived of the adjacent Wieden+Kennedy headquarters. The space affords intimacy and conviviality in a labyrinth of corners created with 16-foot tall drapery panels that move and change according to the desired mood and time of day.

New menu items include:

• Potage of Sweet Corn with pickled chili, burnt shallot and dried cornflower
• Handmade Orzo with Amarillo ros peppers, heirloom tomato, pine nuts and Parmesan
• Dayboat Albacore Tuna with pocha beans, basil, yogurt and cucumber
• Crispy Surf Smelt with chrysanthemum emulsion and fried peanuts

About Bluehour

Bluehour is a modern, fine dining restaurant from restaurateur Bruce Carey. Executive Chef Kyo Koo creates inspired and ingredient-driven menus that draw on the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. From the hand-selected cheeses by the in-house Fromager, Jesse Seratt, to the seasonal desserts dreamt up by Pastry Chef, Salina Rubio, Bluehour offers an elegant dining experience, including a thoughtfully composed five-course tasting menu. Located in the heart of the Pearl District in downtown Portland, Bluehour is one of Portland’s most celebrated restaurants earning many accolades and honors for over a decade. For more information on Bluehour, please visit www.bluehouronline.com, on Twitter @Bluehour & Facebook.

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PR Contact

Olivia Flynn, Little Green Pickle – (503) 894-8695, olivia@littlegreenpickle.com