Moxy Portland Downtown and Graves Hospitality announced their search for local chefs to launch their Food Cart Alley. In a neighborhood long known for its food trucks, Food Cart Alley is designed to permanently incorporate local purveyors into the hotel, allowing guests to have access to a variety of culinary options while simultaneously opening up to Alder for a street connection. Positioned to compliment the lobby bar, the space also features a canopy to welcome both hotel guests and pedestrians regardless of the weather.
To heighten the search, Iron Chef Winner and Top Chef competitor Justin Sutherland will serve as the chief collaborator for Food Cart Alley. Sutherland will work in tandem with the hotel team to find the best in local talent and act as a mentor to those launching new concepts.
“We respect the vital role of food trucks in shaping local identity,” said Benjamin Graves, president and CEO of Graves Hospitality. “By incorporating a food hall experience like Food Cart Alley in Moxy’s lobby and creating a direct integration with the streetscape of Alder, we are committed to showcasing local talent.”
The Graves Hospitality team created Food Cart Alley at the Moxy Portland Downtown to serve as a new home and support system for chefs that may have struggled to get through the pandemic or for chefs looking for a space to launch an innovative concept. Allowing them the space to get creative in a guaranteed location, Food Cart Alley is a place where both seasoned and up-and-coming chefs are encouraged to bring their new ideas to fruition.
The street-level dining destination is positioned to mesh the lobby bar with a “patio-inspired” indoor space. Offering seating and designated areas to play group games such as giant Jenga and garden-size shuffleboard, Food Cart Alley is a space to engage and unwind. Designed to draw in guests and encourage passersby to experience a local taste of Portland, Food Cart Alley not only reflects the surrounding cultural liveliness but also magnifies it.
