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FOOD Ashland chef aims for statewide honor Omar's James Williams takes skillet skills to Bite of Oregon in Portland By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 7, 2015 @ 10:09 am By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 7, 2015 @ 10:09 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> James Williams, the chef at Omar’s Restaurant for 17 years and the Top Chef winner at last year’s Ashland Culinary Festival, this weekend seeks to catapult that honor statewide with a win at Bite of Oregon in Portland. With his son Skyler Golden as sous chef, Williams will be given a spread of surprise ingredients and told to cook up a masterpiece for judges in 30 minutes. The secret ingredient last November was a pork rack, but the pair say they’re ready for anything. Both started at Omar’s Seafood & Steaks as teenagers and are used to creating a big daily specials sheet — eight to 12 items — using what’s local, fresh and available. “I think we’ve got the skill to bring this trophy back to Ashland,” says Williams. “Skyler and I together are pretty unstoppable.” “We’re definitely up against the most talented chefs in Oregon,” says Golden. The other competitors are the 2014 winner, Travis Taylor, executive chef at Sunriver Resorts; Sean Whittaker, executive chef at Astoria Coffeehouse & Bistro; Jonathan Hoffman, a private chef with Chef's Table; and Anh Luu, executive chef at Tapalaya, Portland. “It’s a bit of pressure, but it’s fun,” says Williams. “We love working together, putting up good, tasty food. A lot of people may think it’s stressful but we do it every day.” “It’s just another day to us,” says Golden. “In the kitchen, if I’m reaching for something, Skyler is already handing it to me,” says Williams, who became a part-owner in 2004. If Williams is victorious, it automatically puts him in Bite of Oregon next year, defending his title. Omar’s next year will celebrate an astounding 70 years in business, having started in the same building on Siskiyou Boulevard near Ashland Street, right after World War II. What's the key to thriving so long in one of the restaurant meccas of the West? “We don’t get caught up in the glitz of downtown,” says Williams. “We’re anything but trendy. This is an old place. People come in and it looks the same as ever. We concentrate on good value and quality food. You know what you’re going to get and that you won’t be gouged.” Williams shows last night’s specials sheet, featuring halibut, steak, duck breast, albacore tuna and a Tuscan fisherman stew with fish, clams, mussels, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. “We’re known for our fish preparation, never overcooked and some grilled, sautéed, poached,” says Golden. The two note they enjoy working with meats and love to get creative with the organ meats: heart, liver, tongue, sweetbreads — and, in the Ashland competition, included pork heart tartare. That’s raw, finely chopped, with vinaigrette and mustard. The event is fashioned afert the Iron Chef TV series. The pair compete at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7, in Portland’s Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The semifinals and final are Saturday. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 7, 2015 @ 10:09 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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