Lalo Camarena, executive chef of República, recently stopped by the STEELPORT Knife Co. factory to take a tour, put his new STEELPORT 8” Chef Knife to work, and talk with us about the importance of intentionality in creating the best products.
As he chiffonades cilantro leaves with precision, Lalo laughs, “I have to bring up my cilantro tattoo. It was my first tattoo when I was 17. My parents didn't think it was great. They were like, ‘You got a tattoo, sure, but it's such a stupid tattoo,’ but I responded ‘It's a good garnish. I garnished my body.’ My poor parents, with a 17-year-old who's too quick for his own good.”
Lalo’s approach to cooking is all about respect—for ingredients, for technique, and for the process. His commitment to using what others might consider scraps aligns with STEELPORT’s own philosophy of intentionality. “I don't think I've ever seen or heard of a knife company that is this intentional about why they do everything that they do. I mean, from the pre-patina to the wood for the natural handles that are all unique, there's nothing that is truly like this. The curiosity that you have in approaching every knife as an individual and how you can make it better, rather than just staying with the same-old style of knives. It's admirable.”
He continues, “I mean, I feel like everybody's already said all the things that I'm saying: it's like a Japanese knife and a German knife came together to be this knife, right? But it's true. It's just a perfect knife, a perfect combination of everything, without a doubt, great. Knocked out of the park.”
If you’d like to try making fish skin chicharrón the way Lalo does, you can order your own STEELPORT 8” Chef Knife. As he says “Using this knife has been a real treat! You have made a remarkable knife that makes me smile every time I attack my prep with it!”
And don’t forget to RSVP for his Fish Breakdown Demo at STEELPORT on Saturday, February 22nd, at 11 AM, where you can learn a few more expert techniques to elevate your cooking.
República: A Mexico-Forward Culinary Experience
República is a refined yet welcoming restaurant where food takes center stage. The space is simple and elegant – featuring an open kitchen which brings diners closer to the craft behind every dish. Recognized by national and local outlets, including the James Beard Foundation, Bon Appétit, Eater, The Infatuation, and Portland Monthly, República has established itself as one of the most compelling dining experiences in the city. At the heart of República is its guiding philosophy: Mexico-Forward. Every dish tells a story, honoring the country’s indigenous roots and global influences. The restaurant offers an immersive tasting menu, with guests choosing between a seven-course or extended 10-course experience. As Lalo explains, “The longer one is roughly, like 12 courses by the end of it. 10 big courses, but then we end up sending a bunch of snacks, some to take home, like little treats, some Mexican candies.” We couldn’t help but comment that a menu like that must take an extraordinary amount of work. “It is a labor of love. I mean, just like what you guys do here at STEELPORT, all the intentionality ends up showing in the final product. It takes a lot of planning,” Lalo says.Putting the STEELPORT 8” Chef Knife to the Test
During his first visit to the STEELPORT factory, we gave Lalo a tour before handing him his 8” Chef Knife—and he immediately put it to the test. “I mean, I didn't know that everything could cut like butter, which is nice. The weight of this knife is really freaking balanced. It's a heavier knife, but feels so light at the same time.”
As he chiffonades cilantro leaves with precision, Lalo laughs, “I have to bring up my cilantro tattoo. It was my first tattoo when I was 17. My parents didn't think it was great. They were like, ‘You got a tattoo, sure, but it's such a stupid tattoo,’ but I responded ‘It's a good garnish. I garnished my body.’ My poor parents, with a 17-year-old who's too quick for his own good.”
Lalo’s Journey to Executive Chef
Lalo’s passion for cooking started young—he knew he wanted to be a chef at just eight years old, inspired by watching the women in his family cook. When he moved to Portland at 15, his culinary career began in earnest, working as a dishwasher at a brewpub before steadily climbing the ranks. Determined to refine his craft, he enrolled at Oregon Culinary Institute, balancing school with hands-on experience in the kitchen. He went on to work at respected Portland-area restaurants such as Cena and Elements before finding his home at República, where its Mexico-Forward philosophy deeply resonated with him. Now, at just 24 years old, he leads República’s kitchen as executive chef, fostering a culture of learning and teaching his team the significance of every ingredient.Breaking Down Sablefish with STEELPORT
Currently, República has sablefish on the menu, and Lalo used his STEELPORT 8” Chef Knife to prep it for service. “The lack of resistance when I’m cutting is concerning. This knife is just so freaking sharp.” Seeing our puzzled faces, he clarifies with a grin, “Concerning in a good way!” As he expertly breaks down the sablefish, Lalo shares a technique used at República to make fish chicharrón. “This process that we do at the restaurant to make fish chicharrón, yeah, you just clean all the sinew off of the fish skin. So like, this is where a sharp knife is best, just pressing and getting all that tissue off there. Then if you dehydrate it just like that and fry it, it puffs up exactly like chicharrón does, it’s nuts.”
Lalo’s approach to cooking is all about respect—for ingredients, for technique, and for the process. His commitment to using what others might consider scraps aligns with STEELPORT’s own philosophy of intentionality. “I don't think I've ever seen or heard of a knife company that is this intentional about why they do everything that they do. I mean, from the pre-patina to the wood for the natural handles that are all unique, there's nothing that is truly like this. The curiosity that you have in approaching every knife as an individual and how you can make it better, rather than just staying with the same-old style of knives. It's admirable.”
He continues, “I mean, I feel like everybody's already said all the things that I'm saying: it's like a Japanese knife and a German knife came together to be this knife, right? But it's true. It's just a perfect knife, a perfect combination of everything, without a doubt, great. Knocked out of the park.”
If you’d like to try making fish skin chicharrón the way Lalo does, you can order your own STEELPORT 8” Chef Knife. As he says “Using this knife has been a real treat! You have made a remarkable knife that makes me smile every time I attack my prep with it!”
And don’t forget to RSVP for his Fish Breakdown Demo at STEELPORT on Saturday, February 22nd, at 11 AM, where you can learn a few more expert techniques to elevate your cooking.