DARIN BRESNITZ

Darin (right) and his twin brother Greg are the duo behind the Dinner With The Band television series, Snacky Tunes radio program, Summer BBQ Blowout events, and several other food and music projects.

What was the food highlight of your year? 

Greg and I had traveled to Skiathos, Greece and on our last day there, our friends took us to the oldest city, Kastro, for our final meal.  We ate at a shack that the propietor built herself and only served Greek Salad, french fry omelets and locally made pork sausages.  We finished the meal with Greek coffee and she read our future in the grounds.  

What was the music highlight of your year?

When the Japandroids played the Music Hall of Williamsburg this summer, their new album, Celebration Rock, was just breaking.  The place was packed to the walls and going nuts, one of the best times this year. 

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way? 

We had to tear down our culinary studio this year, so in celebration we threw one last pot luck.  Before everyone came over, I spent the morning prepping my Grandmother’s cauliflower soup and listening to the last LCD Soundsystem concert.  It’s a Saturday I won’t soon forget.

TOMMY HABETZ

Tommy Habetz is co-owner of Portland’s Bunk (multiple restaurants, one bar/music venue, and a truck) and Trigger. His take on the cuban sandwich is the subject of many a television show, magazine article, and road trip.

What was the food highlight of your year?

Wow! Is it the end of the year? What a weird, anxiety ridden, fun, delicious year it’s been. We started a mobile Bunk Truck, opened up Trigger (our new Tex Mex place) and I became a father (again) to the most beautiful baby girl, Vivienne.

The food highlight for me was probably going to NYC for the Oregon Bounty Food Assault, a precursor to our Portland Feast inaugural event. I got to see first hand that people really do dig what we’re doing in Oregon. I also got to eat at Roberta’s in Bushwick, which was pretty mind blowing. I also got to meet Danny Bowien and watch a bunch of famous chefs and food media folks devour a sheet tray full of Doritos and Fritos chili pie, made at the hands of Danny.

What was the music highlight of your year?

My favorite musical moment has got to be The guys from Built to Spill surprising us with a free show at Bunk Bar. It was crazy, packed to the gills and filled with friends that I have never seen smile so much. What a great band.

Was there a moment when food and music came together in a memorable way?

Sitting at a table at Bunk Bar, talking with John Reis from Hot Snakes, Drive Like Jehu, Rocket From The Crypt, etc. about Tex-Mex food. He couldn’t understand why we were opening up a Tex-Mex place, because he thought Tex-Mex sucked. But, of course, he’s from San Diego. I knew what he was talking about, though. He and his band mates had had many many bad experiences eating at bad Tex-Mex places. And, oddly, that’s what’s been inspiring me lately. It’s been fun to tackle the opposite of haute cuisines, get in there and find the sweet spots. To me, it’s endlessly more fascinating than seeing a grape deconstructed, then reconstructed as a grape.

All in all, a beautiful and inspiring year. I look forward to eating Jimmy Albee’s Queso Deluxe in the post-Apocolyptic, hopey changey, zombie wasteland of 2013!