Chef Merlyn, working under international chef all over America, eventually became the Executive Chef of Jake's Famous Crawfish in Portland, OR. Discovering the Grande Ronde Valley made it easy for Merlyn to leave the big city. Moving to beautiful Northeast Oregon, 25 years ago, was the first step to making La Grande his home. The second step was to become a part of the community. Opening Foley Station Restaurant made him a contributor to the community and the region. Foley Station was a much loved eatery and a dining destination oasis for locals, tourists and travelers. Running successfully for 15 years it is still a much remembered dining icon of our communities history. Merlyn's Catering opened in 2015. Chef Merlyn continues to offer a variety of dining experiences to groups large and small, from cooking classes, to large wedding receptions, from corporate luncheons, to local fundraisers and personal chef dining at a location of your choice.
Our focus is on ingredients that are as locally sourced, non GMO and as organic as possible. We live in this area because we want to be here, we love it here and it is our home. We feel that using fresh, local and organic is good for the local economy, good for us, and good for you. And, it tastes better.
As people have learned of Merlyn's Catering, it's been fun to hear the stories of their visits to Foley Station. Most tell us of their favorite preparation from Foley, and how they wish they could have it again. We're pleased to say that now you can. And we're happy to do it. Now, a 50+ year career lays behind Chef Merlyn yet he still shares his culinary creativity through the many services of Merlyn's Catering, Chef Merlyn's Bakery and Merlyn's Mystic Seasonings