Jan 16, 2024 - Food and Drink

Fermenter chef Aaron Adams shares his last meal

Meira Gebel

Photo illustration of a place setting shaped like a skull and crossbones containing a photo of Aaron Adams. — Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Christina Bluford.

Aaron Adams wants you to eat your fermented veggies — and he'll even teach you how to make 'em.

Last fall, Adams published the Fermenter Cookbook with co-author Liz Crain, inspired by menu items like koji-spiced taters, kombucha, and seed-based cheeses (to go on top of a lentil-millet tempeh burger, of course) at the namesake vegan cafe.

Now, Adams is gearing up to become a dad — not only to a little girl this spring but to a new vegan tasting-menu restaurant, Astera, which will open Thursday, taking over the Workshop space in Portland's Buckman neighborhood.

"We ran a tasting menu at Workshop for several months and worked on what we loved and didn't," he told Axios. "It really gave us the space to figure out the identity of Astera."

We wanted to know: If he had one last meal, what would he eat?

The first ingredient, he said, is "all my family and friends with lots of laughter and conversation."

Dinner: Adams' last meal would be one he's been enjoying for over two decades.

He'd head to Zien Hong and order the Ong Choy (Chinese water spinach) with garlic sauce, salt-and-pepper tofu, and the sauteed green beans.
"I can't understand how the tofu is SO GOOD, it's so simply prepared," he said.

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Fermenter chef Aaron Adams shares his last meal

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