A heartwarming story shared by Caught The Fire Bug is shining a well-deserved spotlight on a Prineville restaurant that went above and beyond for firefighters working across Central Oregon.

Caught The Fire Bug, a wildfire news platform created by a former wildland firefighter, provides real-time fire information while working to bridge the gap between what is happening on the fireline and what the public understands. The platform has built a Facebook community of approximately 241,000 followers and also shares wildfire news, evacuation information, firefighter stories and incident updates through its website at caughtthefirebug.com.

According to the post shared by Caught The Fire Bug, while most of Prineville was still asleep, the kitchen inside one downtown restaurant was already buzzing with activity.

Before sunrise on Thursday, July 23, the team at The Sandwich Factory was cracking eggs, assembling breakfast sandwiches and preparing enough food to help hundreds of firefighters begin another exhausting day on the fireline.

With crews responding to the Brewer, Box Springs and other fires across Central Oregon, the locally operated restaurant stepped forward to make sure the people protecting nearby communities did not begin their shifts hungry.

Chef Woody and his team cracked an incredible 400 eggs for freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches. The restaurant also packed yogurt, fruit, pastries, juice and other breakfast items for the crews.

But the delivery included more than food.

Tucked alongside the meals were handwritten letters and messages of appreciation from members of the community. The notes offered firefighters a reminder that the people they were working so hard to protect were thinking about them, supporting them and deeply grateful for their service.

For firefighters facing long shifts, heavy smoke, extreme heat and difficult terrain, a hot breakfast and a few sincere words of encouragement can mean more than most people realize.

The effort was a powerful example of the kind of generosity that often emerges during Oregon’s most difficult moments. When wildfires threaten homes, ranches and entire communities, local restaurants and businesses frequently become gathering places where neighbors find ways to help.

At The Sandwich Factory, supporting firefighters during wildfire season is nothing new.

Owner Celena Pentrack told the Prineville Review earlier this month that the restaurant has been feeding firefighters for approximately 11 years. During fire season, the restaurant remains prepared to serve anywhere from about 50 to 300 firefighters when it receives a call from Central Oregon Dispatch.

The restaurant sits at 277 NE Court Street in downtown Prineville, near the historic Crook County Courthouse. It has become a longtime local destination for people looking for a filling meal in the heart of town. The restaurant’s official website lists its phone number as 541-447-4429.

The Sandwich Factory specializes in handcrafted hot and cold sandwiches, salads and a selection of side dishes. Customers can dine inside or pick up food to take along for work, a road trip or an outdoor adventure around Central Oregon.

The restaurant’s approach is refreshingly simple: use quality ingredients, prepare as much as possible from scratch and serve food with care.

According to its official website, Chef Woody focuses on making scratch-prepared food rather than operating The Sandwich Factory like a typical fast-food restaurant.

Behind the business are Chef Woody and Celena Pentrack, whose journey together in the restaurant industry began more than two decades ago.

The couple met in Humboldt County, California, in 2002 while co-managing an Italian restaurant called Mazzotti’s.

In 2005, they moved to Olympia, Washington, where Woody worked as a sous chef at Anthony’s HomePort. Celena stepped away from restaurant work for a time to pursue her interest in training horses.

Their path eventually brought them to Central Oregon.

In 2012, Woody accepted a head-chef position at Anthony’s in Bend’s Old Mill District. Although he had built an extensive culinary career, he continued searching for a smaller business he could call his own.

That opportunity arrived in November 2015, when Woody purchased The Sandwich Factory and Landmark Catering. He and Celena have continued operating and building the businesses, with Celena helping manage staffing, organization and bookkeeping.

Through Landmark Catering, the team can prepare lunch or dinner for gatherings ranging from approximately 10 to 500 people. Chef Woody works with customers to develop menus suited to everything from small gatherings to large events. The catering operation can also provide a full bar and experienced bartenders.

That experience preparing food for large groups was certainly put to good use as the team assembled hundreds of firefighter breakfasts before dawn.

The early-morning effort was part of a tradition The Sandwich Factory has continued for more than a decade.

Celena told the Prineville Review that the restaurant keeps additional supplies available during fire season and sometimes makes extra trips to Bend when more ingredients are needed. Breakfast orders for firefighters can include sausage, egg and bagel sandwiches, yogurt, juice and pastries, while lunches may include sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, fruit and other sides.

The restaurant also works to accommodate dietary needs, including gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and paleo meals.

It is easy to overlook the amount of work involved in preparing a meal of this size.

Cracking 400 eggs is only the beginning. Each sandwich must be cooked, assembled, wrapped and organized. Fruit, pastries, yogurt and drinks must be gathered and packed. Everything has to be ready on time so firefighters can eat before beginning another demanding shift.

The restaurant’s staff completed all of that work while much of the surrounding community was still waking up.

For anyone traveling through Prineville, The Sandwich Factory offers an opportunity to support the same people who have worked so hard to support Oregon’s firefighters.

The restaurant is located at 277 NE Court Street, Prineville, Oregon 97754.

Its currently posted hours are:

Monday and Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wednesday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

Because restaurant hours can change, customers may want to call 541-447-4429 before making a special trip.

During a frightening and uncertain wildfire season, stories like this offer something communities desperately need: a reminder that even the simplest acts of generosity can make a meaningful difference.

A hot sandwich cannot extinguish a wildfire. A handwritten note cannot remove the danger firefighters face.

But together, they can tell the people heading toward the flames that they are not doing it alone.

To Chef Woody, Celena and everyone at The Sandwich Factory who worked before sunrise to support Oregon’s firefighters: thank you. Your generosity represents the very best of Prineville and the community spirit that makes Central Oregon such a special place.

And thank you to Caught The Fire Bug for sharing the story and continuing to highlight the firefighters, businesses and communities affected by wildfires across Oregon and beyond.