Hi! I’m Sherri. And I admit I’ve been a food lover since I could walk! Although my appreciation for fresh ingredients and healthy eating did not develop until I moved out West in the mid 90’s. I personally am inspired by the ingredients that are at my fingertips. And I also love to see and taste what edgy food others are devising.
For decades, I’ve immersed myself in gardens, the woods, the kitchen, the pantry and in restaurants. In the more recent years, I’ve traveled abroad to learn about other cultures’ cuisines and food customs. Always with a exuberance for leading a healthy and sumptuous life. And when I am not immersed in food tours, I can be found cooking, eating, working out and pursuing a wide variety of outdoor activities.
Guests often ask how I got started giving Portland food tours. Well, in 2018, I created Portland by Mouth to share my love of ingredients, eating, nutrition, cooking, honoring experimental and creative chefs, culture, travel & creating community around food. Some of my most favored activities!
Our guides are the best (I know, I’m a little biased, but still, I believe this to be true). And we all LOVE to share our beloved city with visitors and locals alike. It’s because of our guests enthusiasm for food, fun and a discovery of what makes Portland special – that we love our jobs so much!
Born and raised right here in Portland, after college at American University in Washington, DC I needed a job post haste and, following the normal progression for a Political Science major, landed in kitchens. One thing led to another and 5 years later I’d been lucky and privileged enough to hone my craft under several James Beard Award Winners including Vitaly Paley and Greg Higgins. My most profound mentorship however, was under the tutelage of John Conlin, formerly of Roe and Tercet, who instilled in me a passion for ultra refined, ultra elemental food, crafted with the most seasonal and local of ingredients.
Life had other plans though, and after a teensy bit of a global pandemic I ended up stepping away from kitchens to find something a bit more stable. The problem of course, is that … I really love food, and before I knew it I was hungry (yes this pun is intentional … you animals) for an opportunity to be a part of the industry again.
Currently I work as a Tour Guide for Portland by Mouth in the Bustling Buckman neighborhood where we sample some of Portland’s most award-winning and critically acclaimed restaurants. When I’m not chatting tour guests up at one of the multiple James Beard Award Winners on our circuit, you can find me shooting as a freelance photographer and social media manager.
Salud
I am born and raised here in Portland and have had an amazing life thus far exploring this great city and state!
I attended Lincoln High School and Oregon State University. And raised 2 awesome daughters in the suburbs of Portland and they both attended Oregon universities as well.
I’ve spent many years as a fitness instructor and personal trainer. And I have an amazing poodle named Maggie Mae!
I feel lucky to call this home and look forward to sharing my love of the city, state and all of our great food and quirky traditions.
We love to support our community!
Portland by Mouth is committed to being an extraordinary civic citizen. Because we love the city of Portland, and want to see it thrive. And, well, as they say – you need to be in the world what you want to see in the world!
We provide a competitive pay to our guides. In fact, we pay 28% more than what is currently considered a living wage in Portland. This way, our guides are happy and excited to lead you on a fabulous food tour.
Our restaurant partners are small businesses and always locally owned. Portland has so many innovative and enterprising restaurateurs. And we proudly promote them.
Some food tour companies negotiate prices at restaurants they visit. Portland by Mouth considers our restaurants to be our partners and we pay full price and tip the servers 20%. When we visit local shops and give guests an opportunity to pick up a souvenir, we never receive a kickback. We simply love to show them our support.
Portland by Mouth donates 1% of our pre-tax profits to Transition Projects, who for the last 53 years, has fulfilled its mission to help individuals experiencing homelessness, transition to being housed. We also donate food tours to a broad array of auctions that support all types of local causes.
Thank YOU for participating in our tour, and supporting the local community while you taste and learn, and traveling in a responsible and sustainable way!