Chris Cooper: Oral History Interview

This interview is with Chris Cooper of Quaintrelle Restaurant. In this interview Chris speaks about how working in a restaurant early in his life led him to a career in the wine industry. After meeting Brian O’Donnell of Belle Pente winery while working in a restaurant in Chicago, he was convinced to work his first harvest in Oregon. Chris speaks of deciding that the hospitality part of the industry appealed to him more than production. He goes on to speak of how he ended up at Quaintrelle Restaurant and how his role has evolved over the years. Chris talks of his philosophy of a wine list being based on food, and pairing delicate, acid driven wines with many of the dishes served. He walks through how he builds a good wine list, and works with small wineries and distributors. Chris gives his take on how he thinks the restaurant industry will respond to COVID-19 and what the future will bring for the wine industry. This interview was conducted by Rich Schmidt at Quaintrelle Restaurant on June 22, 2020.