Today we’d like to introduce you to John Bissell.
Hi John, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been cooking professionally for most of my life. I think a lot of people who cook professionally dream of one day opening their own restaurant, and for me, the timing and circumstances presented themselves to do just that last year. My wife and business partner (Jessie Levine) has been with me every step of the way, and we combine our energies to make this thing work.
I’ve lived and cooked in many different cities – for Michelin-starred restaurants and James Beard Award-winning chefs – and it’s challenging work, but I find it very rewarding and full of opportunities to learn and grow.
We opened Dream Deli in November 2025, and it brings together a lot of my culinary skills like curing meats, whole animal butchery, bread-making, and pastry, in a more casual setting that made sense to us for where the industry is at these days.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Smooth road? We’re talking about the restaurant business here, ha!
It’s been full of bumps and challenges, of course. The first year in business is tough because you’re flying blind without historical sales data and trends to build your plans on. Business goes up and down like a yo-yo while you’re still trying to establish yourself. It’s not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but we’re committed to enjoying the journey as much as we possibly can.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m the chef-owner of Dream Deli, alongside my wife and business partner Jessie Levine. I come from a background of cooking in upscale kitchens for most of my career, and I love applying that same rigor and artistry to a more casual, accessible concept like Dream Deli. Some of the areas of cooking I enjoy most are sausage-making, meat-curing, full animal butchery, baking, and fermentation projects.
I think/hope people associate us with our values – that is, sourcing high quality ingredients from local purveyors to support a healthy local food system and thriving community. I’m really proud of how we’ve been able to stick to our guns with sourcing – it’s not the easy path, but I believe it’s the right one. That level of dedication to quality local ingredients really sets us apart.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Hard work for sure is important to success, especially in the restaurant industry. But beyond that I think you have to be just a little bit crazy – that is, highly risk-tolerant and open to adventure. A sense of humor is key.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dreamdelipdx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamdelipdx/
