I I think I took for granted how good Luckey's Woodsman food truck was when it was at PowderHouse. Since the truck doors closed on May 19, if you want Woodsman's special blend of hearty, healthy, foraged foods, you need to head to Along the path Kitchen at Sisters to luxuriate in food. Seriously, if you haven't had the perfectly spicy Munch Wrap Supreme (ghost pepper cheddar, campy queso, tortilla chips, pico, shredded butter sheet, and mango habanero aioli with added roasted jalapeno), then you're seriously missing out. thing. Take the short trip.
Luckey's Woodsman caters specifically to Central Oregonians with an adventurous spirit with freshly prepared hot and cold kits to take on any type of summer excursion you may consider taking. Not only is their food delicious, but they do something so specific and original that it's a wonder no one has done it before. Having the food cart and restaurant, but also providing RV kits (discounted for outdoor professionals like guides and rangers) shows the love for the outdoor lifestyle of the Oregon.
The Source spoke with Luckey's Woodsman chef-owner Jackson Higdon about his inspiration, his foraging and his future.
Source Weekly: What was the initial inspiration for Luckey's Woodsman?
Jackson Higdon: Bringing back my grandparents' legacy through my mission to bridge the gap between outdoor recreation and professional catering. At Luckey's Woodsman, we believe that by integrating the outdoors into our operations, we can use it to provide a healthier, more enjoyable work experience and potentially inspire people to cook again. It's a tough industry, characterized by razor-thin margins and high burnout rates. I have always used the outdoors throughout my career to balance myself during stressful times and to get through the chaos of peak season. I thought that if I combined my passion for the great outdoors and my love for our local wilderness areas with making people happy through food, maybe I could create a life worth living.
Jackson Higdon
Jackson Higdon strives to combine its culinary offerings with the experience of the great outdoors.
SW: Did you always want to become a brick-and-mortar business one day?
JH: Initially, when we started, I was just excited to pursue my dreams and I didn't know where it was going to take me or if I was going to achieve it. Eventually, I found myself in a position where it was sink or swim and decided I'd rather swing for the fences or go out in a blaze of glory, and that's when I opened our restaurant in Sisters on July 5, 2023. Our goal is not just to be a restaurant or a food truck. We believe in enhancing your next outdoor experience by adding convenience in the form of delicious, adventure-friendly food, and in doing so, we hope it inspires you to adventure more, to dream bigger and eat better.
SW: Much of your business is designed to take care of adventurers, guides, rangers, etc. What made you want to speak directly to this group and design not only a business model but also menus for outdoor professionals?
JH: As a local born and raised in Central Oregon, I admit I took this outdoor mecca for granted growing up. My wife is much tougher than me and taught me how to backpack years ago, and that's how I fell in love with this area again. (I still can't get over the fact that we live in an area where you can drive 30 minutes, get out and hike a few miles and find yourself in one of the most beautiful old growth forests around. There is nothing like the feeling of getting out into nature and experiencing a backcountry lake all to yourself with your family.) Connecting with adventurers, guides, and rangers directly allowed me to hear what they specifically need in the wild when it comes to food. Creating menus and cultivating food options that will truly meet the needs of people in the outdoors is very important to me. I believe the world would be a better place if we all enjoyed the outdoors a little more and I think creating ways to inspire people to recreate more can do just that.
SW: When you think about outdoor-inspired food, what does that mean to you?
JH: For me, taking inspiration from the outdoors means imagining a way to elevate the camp mac you're cooking above the fire, or maybe it's the berry you find on the side of the path that you discover is actually edible and think about how it tastes. I'm thinking about the bounty of foraged mushrooms you find, because you're all interested in this outdoor thing and just want to eat all the $50-a-pound mushrooms you can for free after you get a permit from the Forest Service . It's the feeling you get when you have a hot chocolate after an epic day in the mountains. These are ideas inspired by adventure and recreated on the plate.
SW: How do you want your customers to feel when they eat one of your meals?
JH: I want them to feel cared for, I want them to feel informed about the world of foraged foods, and I want to create memorable outdoor moments for our guests, whether in the restaurant or in the backcountry . For me, this is a great achievement as a chef: not only creating an incredible meal, but also cultivating a memory of epic proportions for our guests.
– Interview edited for space.
Luckey's Woodsman Trailside Kitchen
352 East Hood Ave. Unit B, Sisters
