Tucked in the corner of downtown Portland, Little Bird Bistro serves delicious, inviting French-inspired food with a Pacific Northwest twist. Over the last few months, I've had the opportunity to take weekly photos of the new dishes and drinks at Little Bird for Broussard Communications. The team is welcoming and passionate about their work. From Andrew Gordon, head of lunch service who has a ready smile and smooth Southern drawl, and pastry chef Helen Jo whose desserts are simply perfection, to Michael the bartender, who offers the perfect combination of friendly chatter and serious drinks.

I love the experience of shooting in a working kitchen. There are a dozen things happening at once. Someone is putting a pan into the oven as someone else is taking a pot off the stove. Fish is being prepped and cocktails shaken. Dishes steaming with hot food rushes out of the kitchen and servers return with empty plates, ready for washing. The action is invigorating, but there are also slow periods where I have to do a bit more searching to find a shot to tell the story. This is where the ingredients, tools, and people come into the scene, shedding light on the creativity that unfolds in the kitchen.