About Flying Fish

Lyf Gildersleeve is second-generation fishmonger with significant experience in aquaculture, aquaponics, advocacy and public speaking, and well, fishing. He actively promotes and protects sustainable use of our seafood resources, and as such aligns with the most sustainable fishermen and farmers in the Northwest, and only the most certifiably trusted sources around the world. He’s pictured here with his wife Natalie, their kids Juniper and Miles, Hazel the Dog, and two family chickens.

We love and value our team of dedicated chefs, prep cooks, shuckers and servers. Big shout to our crew for all their hard work to make the customer experience at Flying Fish Company everything it is: Alex, Ashton, Brandy, Cooper, Dan, Danny, Erik, Jesse, Joby, Jonathan, Julia, Kevin, Lena, Neebs, Ryan P, Ryan S, Sam, Sarah, Sequoyah, Stacy, Zeph, and Brad. 

Executive Staff

• Lyf Gildersleeve: Owner & Chief Fishmonger
• Erik Englund: Culinary Director
• Danny Atkins: Sous Chef
• Jonathan Meckstroth: General Manager
• Julia Mueller: Shift Lead
• Sam Moser: Oyster Lead
• Alex Longovia Stephen: Bar Lead

Craig and Sandy Gildersleeve opened the first Flying Fish Company in Sandpoint, Idaho in 1979 — the year before their son Lyf was born. Lyf, now president of Flying Fish Company, has spent his entire life around fish, including an aquaculture education at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University.

Flying Fish has three locations: Sandpoint, Idaho; Durango, Colorado; and Portland, Oregon. The Portland location opened in late 2010 as a food cart at the D Street pod on Division Street. In 2011, we opened the fish shack on Hawthorne Boulevard. In 2016, we moved into a stand at Providore Fine Foods on Sandy Boulevard. In February 2020, we opened our standalone location on East Burnside, adding a restaurant, oyster bar, and beer garden to our fish market.