Chef Merlyn

Born and raised in Minnesota his cooking career started, as a child with his mother as his first teacher.

Later Merlyn pursued the his fascination with the many foragable foods of Minnesota and finally 35 years ago, while he was still in High School worked in a local fast food restaurant.

From there he worked at a number of dining clubs in the Midwest learning cuisine of the region.

Post high school Merlyn attended a tech school offering a quantity foods education.

He received his degree, worked for a local country club, and a large catering business then set off in travels to experience the foods of many regions of North America. 

Traveling to the Painted Canyon of North Dakota, the mountains of ski country in Colorado, the Smoky Mountains, the Caribbean, California, Seattle, Florida, Islands of the Pacific NW, Alaska, the Great Lakes Region and finally settling in the great state of Oregon. 

After Working with many chefs from all over the world, and pursuing an in-depth experience with the world of seafood, Merlyn finally settled in peaceful Northeast Oregon to share his craft and flavors using the wonderful local fare of the region.

  For the past 12 years Merlyn has co-owned and operated Foley Station, as well as produced his personal blends of spices under the label Merlyns Mystic Seasonings. 

Foley Station’s menu serves “Northwest Cuisine with International Flare”. 

In addition Foley Station is known for wonderful annual culinary events, Zerba Wine Dinners, Oregon Bounty and Union County Farmer’s Market Harvest Dinners, Terminal Gravity Brew Master’s Dinner and the annual recreation of a Titanic Dinner.

The flavors I like to use originate from the far corners of the world, with good reason “what is food with out flavor, every bite should make you wish for more”

The abundance in Oregon is so great to have in our own “back yard” and the diversity of both products and cuisine in our state is something for which every contributor, farmer, rancher, gardener, cook, chef and diner should take a bow.