A Life in Food
Hi, I’m Michael Henry. I’ve spent more than 30 years in the restaurant world here in the Pacific Northwest, just south of Seattle. Cooking and writing recipes have been part of my life as long as I can remember, and today I share that passion as a healthy recipe creator. In 2020, I picked up a camera and started capturing the process, and what began as a hobby quickly grew into a new way to share my love for food.
From Restaurants to Recipes
I’ve worked just about every role in a restaurant, from the kitchen line to the front of the house, and now I manage a high-end steakhouse south of Seattle. Food has always been my world. For a couple of years, I sold exclusive recipes to other bloggers, but in 2025, I finally decided it was time to create my own space to share my work and my story.
Two Passions, Two Projects
That’s where my two projects come in. I run M. Henry Photography, a food photography business where I get to partner with restaurants, brands, and bloggers to bring their dishes to life. And then there’s The Good Portion, my personal corner of the internet. It’s where I create and share recipes built on the belief that great food starts with great ingredients. I look for organic, high-quality staples, and I take the time to do things right, whether that means roasting, infusing, fermenting, or simply letting something rest a little longer. To me, that’s how you turn a good recipe into something unforgettable.
My photography style is simple and honest. I want food to look the way it feels when you sit down to eat it: inviting, real, and full of flavor.
A Health Journey That Changed Everything
But the bigger story behind my cooking and this blog is my health journey. Over Christmas of 2023, my Apple Watch notified me that I was in atrial fibrillation 100% of the time. By March 2024, I was officially diagnosed with Persistent Atrial Fibrillation. After 2 cardioversions, I had my first cardiac ablation that August, and even after that, I was still struggling. That’s when I started paying closer attention to how food affects my body.
A Viome test provided me with insights into which foods might be fueling inflammation, and it changed the way I approach eating. I don’t just want food that looks beautiful on a plate. I want it to fuel healing. That’s where my passion lies now: making flavorful, satisfying meals that are also deeply nourishing. In August 2025, I had a second cardiac ablation, and I’m continuing to pursue health one step, and one meal, at a time.
The Good Portion
At the core of everything I do is my faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ. The name The Good Portion comes straight from Luke 10:42: “But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” That verse reminds me that while food is good and worth celebrating, it’s not the ultimate thing. I’ll admit, I often get caught up in the cooking, the flavors, and the photography, but what matters most are the people gathered around the table, the conversations, and the fellowship that lasts long after the plates are cleared.
Beyond the Kitchen
Outside the kitchen, I’m an outdoorsman at heart. Hunting elk and deer or spending a quiet day fishing, that’s where I find my rest and reset. Those moments outdoors keep me grounded and remind me that food isn’t just about taste, but about God’s provision and the way He sustains us.
So that’s me: a food photographer, healthy recipe creator, believer, and outdoorsman — chasing after good food, good fellowship, and the good portion that will never be taken away.