Chef/Owner Machado Takes Over Nel Centro’s Kitchen
Portland, Oregon — February 5, 2010
On February 1st, Portland restaurateur and chef David Machado took over the kitchen reins at his new downtown restaurant, Nel Centro. He replaces opening chef de cuisine, Paul Hyman.
Machado praised the departed Hyman saying ,“Paul is a great guy, a hard worker and a seasoned culinarian. But eight months after a promising opening we weren’t where we needed to be. We had some winning dishes but the food was inconsistent. I could hear the criticism and I tasted it myself. I take responsibility for this situation and I have stepped in to correct it.”
During the next six months, chef Machado will be behind the line for both lunch and dinner working to hone Nel Centro’s seasonal menu offerings as well as writing creative daily specials. “Our focus is the faithful execution of the cuisine of the Italian and French Riviera. There is boundless potential that we have yet to tap. My expectations are that each dish is delicious and that every dining experience is memorable.”
Machado’s other restaurants; Lauro Kitchen and Vindalho, both located on Portland’s eastside are stable and doing well at the moment. He adds, “being back in the kitchen at Nel Centro, working hard and leading a team of young cooks is the best thing for me and the business right now. I’m much closer to the creative process and I love it.”
About David Machado:
Chef/owner David Machado is one of Portland’s most lauded chefs. For nearly twenty years he has created and led a number of Portland’s most enduring and successful restaurants, including Pazzo Ristorante and Southpark Seafood Grill and Wine Bar. Venturing out on his own as an independent in 2003, he created Lauro Mediterranean Kitchen and Vindalho (www.laurokitchen.com, www.vindalho.com) igniting the “eastside-dining craze.” In 2009 he was lured back downtown to open Nel Centro (www.nelcentro.com) adjacent to the Hotel Modera in the heart of Portland’s Arts & Culture District. Mr. Machado was recently named Oregon’s Restaurateur of the Year for 2009 by the Oregon Restaurant Association.
