Customer profile: Ken's Artisan Bakery

Ken’s Artisan Bakery and Ken’s Artisan Pizza both strive to use the finest sustainably grown ingredients possible from local farmers and growers. At the bakery, located in northwest Portland, owner Ken Forkish offers rustic French breads and baguettes, along with buttery croissants and breakfast pastries, seasonal fruit tarts, cakes and homemade soups, salads and sandwiches.

Across the river, Ken’s Artisan Pizza boasts a wood-fire oven with a pizza menu that includes the classic margeherita to the spicy soppressata, as well as seasonal favorites like spring onion and fennel. A popular roasted vegetable plate also changes with the seasons, as do salad and dessert selections. The restaurant’s casual, rustic ambience features a wood-beamed ceiling, communal farmhouse tables and a bar crafted and recycled from old-growth fir once part of The Big Dipper roller coaster at Jantzen Beach.

Q: Why did Ken’s decide to purchase renewable energy?
A: “I am a firm believer in giving back to the environment any way we can-from using local ingredients to purchasing renewable energy,” says Ken Forkish, owner of Ken’s Artisan Bakery and Pizza. “As an affordable choice, renewable energy should be a must for every resident and business.”

Q: What are some of your other “green” initiatives?
A: “At the bakery we use sustainable flour purchased from Shepherd’s Grain in eastern Washington. I made the choice to switch from organic to sustainable flour so I could partner with a locally owned company. My chefs and bread makers all work with as many local family farms as possible throughout the Pacific Northwest. When you add in our commitment to renewable energy, we feel as if we are doing our best to make a difference in our community-and for the environment.” For more information, including locations and hours, visit www.kensartisan.com.