‘Vegetable-centric’ eatery coming to Camas

A chef who earned a Michelin star six times for serving unique, creative and delicious cuisine, and a restaurant consultant are combining their talents to open a vegetable-centric eatery in downtown Camas.

Peter Rudolph and Don Riedthaler plan to open Hey Jack, a restaurant, at 401 N.E. Fourth Ave., during the first week of May.

During a recent interview with the Post-Record, Rudolph explained the business’ name Hey Jack to be more of a greeting.

“It is a welcoming message,” he said. “Come on in.”

Riedthaler agreed.

We want folks to feel super comfortable,” he said.

They want to complement other restaurants in the Camas-Washougal area, including Roots, Feast 316, Three Sixty Kitchen, The Hammond Kitchen & Craft Bar and OurBar.

“We want to provide another option to the neighborhood,” Riedthaler said.

He added that Rudolph’s attention will be on fresh, locally sourced vegetables, seafood and meats, with a seasonal focus.

“This will not be a steakhouse,” Riedthaler said.

The menu will be “vegetable-centric,” and highlight flavors of the Pacific Northwest, according to Rudolph.

“I am excited to work with Reister (lamb) Farms, (of Washougal),” he said.

Rudolph looks forward to developing relationships with other local farmers.

“My passion is to create good food,” he said.

This is the first time that either Rudolph or Riedthaler have owned a restaurant. They became friends while working together for five years. Riedthaler provided restaurant equipment and supplies, and Rudolph, a former chef at Madera, in Menlo Park, California, was one of his accounts.

One of Riedthaler’s friends invited him to visit Camas in March of 2017, and he, his wife Janell, and their daughter moved from Santa Cruz, California, to Camas, four months later. At that time, Miss Nola’s Cafe was open in the future Hey Jack location.

After Miss Nola’s closed in September of 2017, Riedthaler contacted Rudolph about the opportunity to open a restaurant. Rudolph, who had previously visited friends in Camas and Portland, moved with his wife, Kristie and their son from the San Francisco Bay area to Camas two months ago.

The 12 Hey Jack employees will include three or four full-time cooks and eight or nine part-time servers.

Riedthaler said the restaurant will provide a “high caliber level of food and service in a comfortable, neighborhood setting.”

Starting in May, Hey Jack will be open for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., for Sunday brunch.

For more information, visit Hey Jack Kitchen on Facebook.