Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster of Tournant Chef Mob Spotlight


Mona and Jaret are the founders and stars of Tournant.

Tournant is an open-fire cooking and events company based in Portland, OR, owned by partners Mona Johnson and Jaret Foster. Their seminal farm-to-fire approach to cooking is guided by the seasons and their meals, often served outside in nature, connect guests to time, place and purpose.

I've been enamored with the work that Mona and Jaret were doing long before I had the pleasure of meeting them. The thoughtfully curated events that they put together have long served as inspiration, so meeting them for our California harvest party and cooking with them was thrilling, to say the least. Their lamb dish they brought to the table was an absolute knock out and was the perfect main course to highlight some beautiful robust EVOO.

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Biggest non-culinary inspiration?

Tom Waits

Favorite Cookbook?

Larousse Gastronomique

Weirdest Hobby:

Don't know about weird but I make leather kniferolls and sheaths from scrap leather and cowhide rugs

Favorite Mushroom?



Sweet or savory breakfast?

Savory. Always.

What's your happy place?

Gazing out at the Bay of Banderas in Mexico with a tequila in one hand and a taco in the other.

If you could pick one superpower...

Being able to cover any dish in melted cheese at the tap of a finger.

Beach house or mountain cabin?

Both, obviously. Then my Libran scales would balance and life would be complete.

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