Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Steadham.
Hi Brian, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up vegan, but for me, it was never just about the diet. It was a way to connect with my mom. She would put me to work in the kitchen, and cooking became a way for us to spend time together and build a relationship with food.
I started working in restaurants at 13 as a dishwasher at a high-end restaurant in New York. I worked my way up, doing the grunt work and eventually getting on the line by my junior and senior years of high school. I was exposed to the restaurant world pretty early, and I was hooked.
I went to college on a full scholarship, right next door to Anthony Bourdain’s culinary school. Between rowing and working in kitchens during school breaks, I developed a real appreciation for the craft of cooking, especially the production side of things. I eventually started experimenting with non-vegan food, which ironically helped me become better at recreating those same flavors and textures in vegan form.
I moved to Portland in the early 2000s, drawn to the punk and skate scenes and the energy of the city. After years of running kitchens, I got involved in building a food cart with a friend. Something about making sandwiches just clicked. I knew it was going to be a big part of my story.
Eventually, I went out on my own with Dinger’s, buying the recognizable white food truck and building something around the East Coast sandwiches I grew up loving. After losing my best friend, making and sharing those sandwiches also became a way to move through grief and reconnect with something meaningful.
Since then, I’ve had opportunities to step away, learn new things, and explore different kitchens and styles of cooking. Every experience has brought something new to the table, and ultimately, it’s brought me back to Dinger’s. Now, I’m getting to take everything I’ve learned and put it into something that feels like my own again, while collaborating with other people in Portland’s food scene and finding new ways to share the sandwiches I love. It feels less like starting over and more like bringing everything full circle.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. The restaurant industry asks a lot of you, and I spent years hustling hard, running kitchens and trying to keep growing. Eventually, I hit a wall and realized I need a break and a change of pace. I ended up selling the cart and giving myself room to explore other opportunities and learn from different people.
As everyone should know, the pandemic and the aftermath were also incredibly difficult for the food industry. There were a lot of changes and uncertainty, and I found myself taking a step back and figuring out what I wanted my next chapter to look like.
Even more recently, when the Uncanny closed, I found myself moving between kitchens and pop-ups, including a stint at Norah’s, where I was able to learn wok cooking techniques. That was such a great experience and a reminder that there’s always something to learn.
Through all of it, people have continued to open their doors and give me opportunities to cook. Those experiences have helped me grow and reminded me of why I love doing this in the first place. Dinger’s has evolved along with me and I think that’s part of what makes it so special.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Dinger’s is all about East Coast sandwich classics- Italians, cubanos, reuben sandwiches and the kind of familiar, fulfilling food that people already know and love.
What makes it special is the combination of my background in traditional restaurant kitchens and being able to recreate those classics in vegan form. Growing up vegan gave me a different relationship with food, and learning how to cook across different styles and techniques helped me understand how to build those same flavors and textures in new ways.
I love that sandwiches can be both approachable and really thoughtful. They don’t need to be complicated to be great. Yet there is a lot of history and technique behind a good sandwich, and I enjoy taking the time to get those details right.
More than anything, I want Dinger’s to feel like a place where people can get something familiar, discover something good and share a great meal. It’s a reflection of my experiences, the places I’ve worked, the people I’ve worked with, and the food that has stuck with me over the years.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I’ve been lucky enough to work with a lot of people who have shaped the way I cook and approach this industry. From the people who gave me my first opportunities in restaurant kitchens to the friends who helped me get into the food cart world, I would not be here without that support.
Portland has been a big part of that story. People have consistently opened their kitchens and spaces to me, given me opportunities to pop up, and encouraged me to keep going, even when this industry has been tough.
I’m grateful for the friends and collaborators who have been part of the journey, especially those who have helped me reconnect with what I love about cooking. Dinger’s has always been about more than just me making sandwiches. It’s also about the people, relationships and shared experiences that make the work meaningful.
Pricing:
- Sandwiches- $16-$18
- Sides- $6-$14
- Kids- $5-$12
Contact Info:
- Website: https://dingersdeli.com/
- Instagram: dingersdeli
