Chef Vinnie is Cooking Up a Whole New Experience in Clackamas

At our newly reopened Clackamas location, you’ll find big changes on the menu—thanks to our new chef, Vinnie Manna! Vinnie joined us just a few months ago, when we decided we wanted to offer our guests a different kind of experience at Clackamas: one where the food was next-level, to pair perfectly with the quality of the cider we’re pouring. 

Cooking is part of Vinnie’s DNA. He was born and raised in Los Angeles to Cuban and Italian parents, and learned to make pizza from his Neapolitan grandfather. His family grew a lot of the food they ate, and cooking delicious meals from scratch with fresh, local ingredients was part of everyday life. 

For Vinnie, a meal is never just a meal. “I learn so much, just by eating at a restaurant,” he said. “For me, eating is like R&D.”

Vinnie knew early that cooking was his passion, so he wasted no time finding his way into some of the most esteemed kitchens in LA for his formal training. His resume is peppered with legendary and Michelin-starred establishments, like Spago, Mélisse and L’Orangerie. When Vinnie moved to Portland, he became the pizzaiolo at Vitaly Paley’s pizza joint downtown. 

“I’ve had the privilege of living in LA, one of the best dining cities in the world, and traveling to Italy and across the U.S. I’ve worked for some talented chefs and quickly learned that the competition and talent in LA is insane. You have to be the best to survive—and I’ve always tried to win!” said Vinnie. 

So what’s different about the Pacific Northwest? “I love the seasonality of Oregon, and all the fresh food that’s at arm’s reach. I can walk around my neighborhood and come home full of berries, fruit and tomatoes. I cook with the seasons here, and the menu at Portland Cider will reflect it.”

Vinnie has been welcomed warmly into the Portland Cider family, and appreciates the trust and friendship that owners Jeff and Lynda Parrish have offered up. “Cooking is my passion. It’s what I do, along with taking care of my three beautiful daughters. Food and family are my whole life—and now the family includes Portland Cider.”

Chef Vinnie’s Recommendation: “You have to try the cider fondue, paired with the robust, dry Scrumpy cider that’s in it. I love what the cider does to the cheese flavor.”