John Williams was raised in Minnesota, where "if three or more people showed up, you brought out a hot dish and gathered 'round." His grandmother, a big baker, always won the county fair with her entries, and one of John's earliest food memories is being in her kitchen, collecting her pastry dough and apple scraps to bake his own mini-pies in single-serving tins.

A sometimes rancher, and now an avid mushroom grower, fermenter, and booze infuser, John considers sourcing, creating, and sharing a good meal to be the fundamental centerpiece in building relationships and community. Travelling the world for decades as a consultant and an engineer for the Unites states government expanded his culinary palate. Wherever he went, he saw that how we dine and who we dine with is vitally important to health and happiness. 

According to John, the three ingredients of a perfect restaurant experience can be summed up as follows: From a meal he ate in Paris, of perfectly cooked skate paired with a simple lemon and caper sauce - taste. From a restaurant in Athens, though he doesn't remember what he ordered, he does remember the view of the Acropolis and the atmosphere. And finally, dining in Instanbul al fresco on a summer evening, he had the indescribable experience of dining with the right person.

John's decision to open a restaurant in Port Angeles, Washington stems from his creative drive and love of place. But more importantly, he hopes to build upon the budding network of food and beverage loving individuals across the Olympic Peninsula, and to make amazing restaurant experiences - like the ones he has been fortunate to have -accessible to more people.

Native Floridians Erich Corbin and his wife Melissa were longtime fans of Washington State, but before packing up their car and driving west, they had been to Port Angeles only once. For someone who likes being on his feet and listening to people tell stories, his position behind the bar at Sapor is the perfect fit. Erich says, "I love learning how ingredients in a cocktail play together." Most at home in an understate but vibrant environment where "every day is different," Erich sees his new role, in his new town, as the perfect place to keep on growing and experimenting.

Growing up, Chef Rickie Porter spent weekends at the family cabin on American Lake, fishing with his parents, grandfather, and cousins. Cleaning and cooking their catch, he developed a taste for fresh straight-to-the-plate seafood. At home and at larger family gatherings, for as far back as he can remember, he has always been known as “The Chef.” Rickie started his career in the restaurant business like many do, as a dishwasher; but when one head chef noted his instinctual passion for cooking and his potential for creativeness, he took him under his wing.
Rickie relished being mentored: “Someone saw my potential and encouraged me to take what I loved most—making meals that bring people together—to the next level. I’m thankful.” Chef Rickie moved to Port Angeles from Tacoma in 1996. He looks forward to sharing his culinary creations with the patrons of Sapor, and takes pride in each and every dish he creates. “I’m part of a young and gifted team, and I see us all rising together to make people happy.”