meet the chefs
annie baker
Annie’s love for cooking started as a child in Kansas while watching OG Food Network with Emeril Lagasse and envisioning how she would act if she got to sit at the Chef’s counter. She comes from generations of amazing female chefs and entertainers.
Annie earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Service from Oregon State University and attended Culinary School at Linn Benton. She’s worked as a sous chef & line cook at restaurants, farmers markets, and events in Portland, McMinnville, Lincoln City, and spent time in restaurants and as a private chef in New York City. Annie became a Functional Medicine Health Coach in 2024.
Cooking is her love language. She’s passionate about bringing people together over a meal that makes them feel nourished and loved. Annie believes it is our responsibility as chefs and cooks to educate and provide you with food that will nurture your body. She still loves pizza though! Outside of the kitchen you’ll find her running with her dog, Blue,sitting in the backyard with her chickens, or spending time at the beach with her husband, Kevin.
annie started The Table in 2019
monica franke
Monica claims her mom to be the OG of Foodies: Driving an hour to a favorite bakery for German rye bread, the importance of Hellman's mayonnaise on a BLT, always having Haagen Daz Coffee ice cream in the freezer. The love of food was instilled very young and has never left.
To really get to know Monica, she thought it best to just list a few things that make her happy: carnitas tacos, throwing a good party, Korean BBQ, beers with friends, Pho, every cookie she’s ever met. She's still sad about Roman Candle closing and the Bacon Cheddar dip from Trader Joe's being discontinued.
Monica brings to The Table a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a degree in Culinary Arts from Western Culinary Institute, and many years of restaurant work, but most importantly, a deep love for all things delicious and an understanding of the magic of cooking and sharing a good meal and the joy it can bring.
karli espinoza
Karli’s interest in cooking started in her grandmother Grace’s Kitchen. They would spend hours working on pickling projects and prepping salsas. In her 20s, Karli relocated from San Diego to Santa Cruz to work at the farmer’s markets learning about local produce. She enjoyed returning home from the markets with a bounty of beautiful produce to use in dinner parties for her friends.
In 2012, after eating her way through Southeast Asia, Karli attended culinary School at OCI in Portland. She took what she learned there to the Oregon Coast, writing daily menus with fresh produce, fish, and meat from farms located no further than 20 miles away. With a passion for travel, she made her way to Melbourne, Australia in 2016 to help open a new restaurant.
Karli has spent time in many Portland restaurants including Irving Street Kitchen, Milkglass Market, Proud Mary, Beast, and The Nightwood Society. When she’s not cooking, you’ll find her traveling, thrifting, and spending time outdoors camping or hunting for mushrooms.
kelly towner
Kelly found her love for cooking at a young age and began exploring the culinary arts in high school. Growing up she would regularly cook meals for her family and eventually got an apprenticeship at a French restaurant in San Diego when she was 16.
Kelly has been cooking in the fine dining industry for the past 15 years, spending time in San Francisco, New York, and Portland, Oregon. Most recently she opened her own bar on South East Clinton with her partner Jamie Roy. After a fun little run, the project unfortunately came to a close, which brought Kelly to find the opportunity to join The Table!
Kelly focuses on scratch made food with great ingredients and good times! When not in the kitchen Kelly can be found out on runs, playing tennis, hanging with her wife and dog, or drinking a cold beer.