Sage Restaurant Group

Ryan Bleibtrey started life already on the track of his eventual career, as the son of a military family with a passion for food and adventure.

In 2001, he headed to Charleston, SC to attend culinary school at Johnson & Wales, a move that not only provided his technical foundation, but also started opening all the right doors, including the chance to cook alongside a multitude of culinary icons like Tom Colicchio, and to cook at the legendary James Beard House in New York City.

After graduating, Ryan moved to Las Vegas to work at Restaurant Alex at the brand-new Wynn Las Vegas resort. The opening night was life-changing evening for Ryan: the chance to cook a special dinner alongside legends Alain Ducasse, Daniel Boulud, Paul Bocuse, Wolfgang Puck, Nobu Matsuhisa, Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter and Charlie Palmer.

Ready to take on new projects, Ryan picked up a second job at Thomas Keller’s Las Vegas bistro Bouchon, and later spent time at The French Laundry, before getting the urge to head to the Pacific Northwest. In 2006, Ryan followed his love of food and ingredient to Portland, OR where he served in some of the city’s finest kitchens, such as Wildwood and Toro Bravo. In the summer of 2008, he had the opportunity to open Urban Farmer Restaurant at the chic The Nines Hotel, before making the move in May 2011 to The Original to take the helm of the kitchen.

Meaghan Goedde brings more than two decades of restaurant experience to her position as General Manager of The Original in Portland, Oregon. As part of Sage Restaurant Group since 2006, Goedde has also successfully opened the Corner Office in Denver and was the opening GM of Urban Farmer in the Nines Hotel in Portland.

Goedde started, Hapa Sushi, in Boulder, Colorado in 1999. What started as an idea kicked around by a group of friends, grew into a four-unit operation. Goedde oversaw operations and helped launch the franchise business of which she was a part owner and Vice President. This experience helped her understand the complexities involved in opening a restaurant – from training the sushi chef to financial reporting. “I learned how to think outside the box and pay attention to details when I opened Hapa Sushi,” said Goedde. “I partnered with creative people who taught me the importance of assembling a great team where everyone cares about the end product.”

Growing up in a resort town in upstate New York, Goedde spent summers in restaurants as a line cook and cocktail waitress. “I was always fascinated by the people in the restaurant world – from the dishwasher who was a screenwriter to the cook passionate about mushrooms.” She is also responsible for the idea of creating “Moonshine Punch” for the menu at Urban Farmer and was recognized by Restaurant Business Magazine for “25 best new ideas in restaurants in 2008.”