THE HUNGRY HUSTLE
GOOD FOOD, GOOD TIMES Passion for sharing meals turns into a local tour business By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune
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n unbridled passion for well-made, delicious food and fun gatherings has set the tone for much of Melynda Cordes’s 54 years’ worth of dinners, brunches and backyard barbecues. Passionate about all things food and drink — from farmers markets and food trucks to international cuisine from the tiniest cafes — the “We have so Bay Area many wonderful native grew restaurants that up knowing the imporso many people tance of a haven’t even great meal enjoyed in heard of yet. They’re like the the best of company. unsung wonders “My favorof downtown ite childhood memories Medford.” have to do Melynda Cordes, with food. I The Hungry Hustle love food,” Walking Food Tour said Cordes, who organizes local food adventures through her business The Hungry Hustle Walking Food Tour. “I grew up in a household culture that really enjoyed family meals and gathering around the table and sharing a meal. I really missed that when we came here 20 years ago, to Medford.” Cordes has worked in various industries around the valley, but she said she knew she would 72
ANDY ATKINSON / MAIL TRIBUNE
The Hungry Hustle Walking Food Tour led by Melynda Cordes stopped recently at Bricktowne Brewing Company in downtown Medford to sample some beers and food.
eventually find a way to join the growing restaurant culture in Southern Oregon. After checking out a Portland food tour a few years ago, Cordes’s husband, Eric, gave her a nudge. “Hungry Hustle was my husband’s idea. We both really love to find new and wonderful places to eat — and I love to hear myself talk,” she teased. “We did one of the tours in Portland and it was awesome. I was like, ‘Alright, we can do this. We have to do this.” The gist of the Hungry Hustle is that Cordes meets with a group of fun-seeking foodies for a tour of local food offerings. Some tour concepts are simplistic, such as an afternoon of visiting downtown eateries and chatting about farmer’s market offerings. Others are specifically themed for holidays or types of cuisine. Think “Tacos and Tequilas,” “Breweries and Brothels” or even a historical approach packed with haunted tales. Ideas and themes are inspired by Cordes’ love of fun, and the local
ANDY ATKINSON / MAIL TRIBUNE
Seth Cordes and Lanessa Pierce bite into desserts at Caba Empanadas in Medford.
food scene seems eager to provide a steady supply of places to visit. Social distancing and COVID-19 restrictions put a slight damper on Cordes’s plans after she launched Hungry Hustle, but with more locals stuck working from home, and local restaurants clambering for support, her tours have been popular — and packed — since day one. “More and more food trucks were showing up. People were quitting their jobs and starting up food trucks, and people were sick of being home, so they were ordering takeout or dining outside,” Cordes said.
| Our Valley
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4/23/2022 12:57:14 PM
