#goldmedalplates

Where did you first learn to cook?

At Noga Hilton in Geneva

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

In Lucerne, Switzerland

Where has been your favourite place to work to date and why?

At Suvretta House in St. Moritz, because we just had the newest equipment to work with. And the mountains

Who in the industry taught you the most? 

Peter Johner and Fritz Grossert

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

I like chinese

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

Salt and Pepper

What are the most essential tools for cooking?

Knife

Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Cheese

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

Seafood, I’m allergic

What is your most prized possession?

My cookbooks

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

Learn the basics

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Anything italian like pizza and pastas

What’s your favourite cocktail?

Rye and coke

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

candy

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

Good company ( Wife, Family ) a great bottle of wine

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

Movies

How do you unwind after service?

I like to have a pint of Keiths and relax with my wife and cats

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

Police officer or firefighter

What would you eat at your last meal?

Cheese fondue

Who are you dream dinner companions?

Family, wife, roger federer

What do you do in your off time? Where do you eat in your city when you are not working?

I like to change it up

What is the dish/dishes your restaurant is known for?

Prosciutto wrapped prawns, lemon pizza

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

Secret

Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

It complemented our dish

Who have you brought with you to assist?

Jesse Morrison and Ben Pallete

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

I will do something I have done before.

What challenges do you have to face as your travel to another destination to cook?

Different kitchen setup or equipment plus finding all the food I need.

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

Everyone will be tough.

What was your first food memory?

Trying to make ‘pudding aux chomeurs’ on my own because I loved it so much

What was in your elementary school lunch kit?

Lots of peanut butter and jam sandwiches

Where did you first learn to cook?

 At home

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

 2 years at Canadore College in North Bay and 1 year at George Brown in Toronto

Where has been your favourite place to work to date and why?

Atelier because it’s mine

Who in the industry taught you the most?

Jean-Marc Dubois from Huntsville, not only about food but about professionalism

What is your favourite style of cooking?

Modernist

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

Italian or Japanese

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

 Fresh herbs, roots, wild foods

What are the most essential tools for cooking?

 The internet, a really good blender, sharp knives

Do you have an unforgettable taste combination?

2 actually: Passion fruit with tonka bean, and lilac with popcorn

Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Turnip, grapefruit

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

Worms

What is your most prized possession?

My Thermomix

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

Creme Anglaise, consommé, genoise

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Risotto, curry, sushi

 What’s your favourite cocktail?

Gin and tonic

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Potato chips

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

Any meal out with my wife

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

Wine.

How do you unwind after service?

Wine.

Most overrated food trend?

White Balsamic vinegar

Favourite culinary destination?

Chicago

Most memorable meal last year?

A 16-course Eleven Madison Park tribute dinner put on by Murray Wilson, one of my kitchen staff

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

Photography or music

What would you eat at your last meal?

Pudding aux chomeurs

Who are you dream dinner companions?

Oasis, the rock band

What do you do in your off time?

Play with my kids

Where do you eat in your city when you are not working?

Everywhere

Are there some regional dishes your city is known for? 

Beaver Tails

What is the dish/dishes your restaurant is known for?

It’s always a surprise menu, we have no signature dishes

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

Qualicum beach scallops with potato, chorizo, celery, truffle, fennel, bacon, lemon

Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

Because this Chardonnay was rich enough, but still had enough acidity

What ingredients have you brought with you?

Many of those needed for our dish

Who have you brought with you to assist?

My sous-chef Jason Sawision and Murray Wilson

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

Large aromatic influence in both plates, and clean flavours

What challenges do you have to face as your travel to another destination to cook?

Working in a kitchen that is not as well equipped as we are used to

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

Everyone, but especially Montreal I guess as they’ve won the past 2 years

What was your first food memory?

Linguini and clams

What was in your elementary school lunch kit?

Peanut butter and jam

Where did you first learn to cook?

With my father

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

Georgian College

Where has been your favourite place to work to date and why?

London, just an amazing city, whatever I wanted in the way of food I could have it or find it.

Who in the industry taught you the most?

Frank Dodd

What is your favourite style of cooking?

Modern

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

Japanese

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

Cold Pressed Canola Oil

What are the most essential tools for cooking?

Misono Carving knife

Do you have an unforgettable taste combination?

Sea Bouckthorn and Dark Ale

Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Sea Buckthorn

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

Pink Peppercorns

What is your most prized possession?

My family

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

Ham and parsley terrine

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Tart flame

What’s your favourite cocktail?

Champagne, just champagne

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

French Cheese.

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

Alone at La Grenouillere

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

Morbier

How do you unwind after service?

I don’t. Work stays at work.

Most overrated food trend?

Fluke

Favourite culinary destination?

France

Most memorable meal last year?

Noma

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

Photographer

What would you eat at your last meal?

Champagne, caviar, bread and butter

Who are you dream dinner companions?

Marco Pierre White, John Boham and Ricky Gervais

What do you do in your off time?

Time with kids and family.

Where do you eat in your city when you are not working?

Little Korea

Are there some regional dishes your city is known for? 

Pig tails, whoopie pie, sauerkraut and smoked pork

What is the dish/dishes your restaurant is known for?

 There are none.

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

Not telling

Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

I had no choice.

What ingredients have you brought with you?

Secret

Who have you brought with you to assist?

Matt and Brendan

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

Praying

What challenges do you have to face as your travel to another destination to cook?

The unknown

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

Michael Decker

What was your first food memory?

As a child I called it ball soup, an ultra rich clear chicken stock that mom had simmered all morning.  Mom would scoop out some stock with little bits of vegetables and chicken and cook these little pasta balls in it. She always served it with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. (I now I know those balls by their real name, Acini Di Pepe) The smell of that chicken stock filling the house would always make me hungry!

What was in your elementary school lunch kit?

Very standard for the most part, except for the occasional Nutella sandwich before anyone had heard of Nutella.

Where did you first learn to cook?

Although only a few of my parent’s friends when I was growing up were Italian, the ladies were all unbelievable chefs! We would go to dinner parties and I would sit in the kitchen and just watch with amazement as they effortlessly produced fresh pasta, gnocchi, lasagna, ravioli, stuffed artichokes and tender veal scaloppini to name a few. They were always animated and often spoke in an unfamiliar language, but I could tell this was not a job for them but something they loved and took great pride in. That’s where I learnt to cook!

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

Yes I went to Winnipeg’s Red River College Culinary Arts School.

Who in the industry taught you the most?

I have had several mentors I could mention that were all chefs, but I would have to say my current boss Doug Stephen President of WOW Hospitality has taught me the most. He taught me what effusive hospitality means, attention to detail and most of all integrity.

What is your favourite style of cooking?

BBQ anything!

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

Although I love all Asian cuisines in general, I have to say my absolute favourite is Italian.

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

Garlic and chilies.

Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Vine ripened tomatoes from my back yard!

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

Can’t think of one.

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

Beef stew is a good one; if you can make that, it’s easy to alter ingredients and proteins to come up with brand new dishes using the same basic technique.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Homemade waffles with butter, whip cream and maple syrup, great smoky bacon and fresh fruit to round it out!

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Yes…..

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

One I did not have to cook, accompanied by a nice glass of wine.

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

Entertain at home, what’s that?

How do you unwind after service?

My drive home listening to music usually does it.

Most overrated food trend?

Using chemicals that you can’t pronounce.

Favourite culinary destination?

Italy definitely.

Most memorable meal last year?

Christmas dinner with my entire family together in Winnipeg wins by far

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

I would love to have been a photographer.

What would you eat at your last meal?

Terrine de Foie Gras on brioche toast, fresh oysters, lobster and Champagne.

Who are your dream dinner companions?

Ghandi and Salma Hayek

What do you do in your off time?
I have a cottage by Lake Winnipeg my wife Holly and I love to spend time at. We also love to golf together.
Are there some regional dishes your city is known for? 

Perogies are a great heritage comfort food, as well as very tasty smoked Goldeye. Goldeye is a very regional fish mostly from Lake Winnipeg that is lousy fresh, but becomes fantastic when it is hot smoked over an oak fire.

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

It will be representative of great things Manitoba has to offer, with our fresh water fish front and center.

Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

The clean crisp Brut Rose seemed a perfect balance to the light fish.

Who have you brought with you to assist?

Two very talented chefs from our WOW Hospitality group, Simon Resch and Tristan Foucault

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

Just don’t try to get over complicated, its only 1 hour!

What challenges do you have to face as your travel to another destination to cook?

Working in a strange kitchen and getting all the food there safely are the biggest challenges.

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

These are all great Chefs , all formidable challengers.

What was your first food memory?

Eating my Oma’s fresh made raisin bread with fresh melting butter!

What was in your elementary school lunch kit?

Chicken noodle soup, or if mom didn’t listen a bologna sandwich with mustard and relish (still makes me cringe)

Where did you first learn to cook?

Watching my mother and Father cook

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

SAIT Polytechnique here in Calgary

Where has been your favourite place to work to date and why?

Rouge, working with incredibly talented cooks creating inspired cuisine

Who in the industry taught you the most?

Chef’s Simon Dunn, Georg Windish and Vincent Parkinson, couldn’t have asked for better guidance

What is your favourite style of cooking?

Simplistic flavors with strong technique

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

Japanese

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

Salt, olive oil, butter and Foie Gras

What are the most essential tools for cooking?

A strong palate, sharp knives and an open mind

Do you have an unforgettable taste combination?

Bee pollen and foie gras

Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Olive oil

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

Raw garlic

What is your most prized possession?

My wife and Kids

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

A Choux Paste

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Dried Pork Sausage

What’s your favourite cocktail?

Scotch…

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Pain au chocolat

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

Well seasoned, Loved food with the people I care about

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

A Grocery store two minutes away…

How do you unwind after service?

My twenty minute drive home with my thoughts

Most overrated food trend?

Gluing meats together that nature didn’t intend!

Favourite culinary destination?

Cayman Islands!

Most memorable meal last year?

Tasting menu at Rush here in Calgary, tasty food

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

Retirement

What would you eat at your last meal?

A whole Roasted lobe of Foie, sea salt, quince jam and about three baguettes from Paris

Who are you dream dinner companions?

My wife and family

What do you do in your off time?

Off time?

Where do you eat in your city when you are not working?

Muse, Rush and The Blind Monk here in Calgary

Are there some regional dishes your city is known for? 

We are know for our Elk, Bison and beef

 What is the dish/dishes your restaurant is known for?

I think we are known for our tasting menu, eight course of delicious creative food.

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

I’ll be cooking a Blackened Butter Milk Catfish, with Aged Cheddar Biscuit and Grits

 Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

We think it’s tasty.

What ingredients have you brought with you?

Too many

Who have you brought with you to assist?

John Paul Pedirney and Darren Deberg, Two hard core cooks

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

COOKFAST

What challenges do you have to face as your travel to another destination to cook?

I don’t think I have enough space, it’s always a challenge going into unfamiliar kitchens

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

Everyone of the Chef’s coming, we all played hard to get here.

Tea for two on Feb 11 or 12 $40 gift certificate to Tracycakes Bakery Cafe as part of a Valentine’s Day promotion – redeem for 2 for “My Love and Me High Tea” at any of the cafes Feb 11&12th or for Valentine’s Day cupcakes.

1) Leave a comment on this post naming one of the Tracycakes locations.

2) Follow @goodlifevan on Twitter

3) Post the following to Twitter 

My Love and Me High Tea at Traceycakes Bakery Cafe

Tracycakes Bakery Cafe is hosting a special high tea for friends, family and couples. The annual My Love and Me High Tea will take place on February 11th and 12th at the White Rock and Fort Langley cafes, and on February 11th at the Abbotsford cafe.

The My Love and Me High Tea will feature sandwiches, scones, dainties, chocolate dipped strawberries, Valentine’s Day cupcakes and tea or coffee for $40 per couple.

Treat Your Sweetheart to an elegant Valentine’s Day High Tea at Tracycakes Bakery Cafe!

Menu

Finger sandwiches

Heart shaped scones

Devonshire cream

Preserves

Assorted dainties

Chocolate dipped strawberries

Valentine’s Day cupcakes

loose leaf teas or artisan roast coffees

$40 for two

Fort Langley

February 11 (10am-5pm)

February 12 (11 am – 5pm)

White Rock

February 11 (10am-5pm)

February 12 (10 am-5pm)

Abbotsford

February 11 (10 am – 5 pm)

Space is limited and reservations are required.

In addition to the Valentine’s Day High Tea, Tracycakes is also featuring a selection of Valentine’s Day cupcakes in flavours like Sweet Heart, Red Velvet, Girlicious and For My Valentine and special coffees like Cinnamon Swirl and Cinnamon Heart. 

 About Tracycakes

Tracycakes Bakery Cafe is a chic and cozy cafe that specializes in more than 40 varieties of signature cupcakes and a scrumptious selection of home style lunches. Now with three locations, each cafe is a charming place to connect with friends, family and colleagues over breakfast or lunch, tea or coffee, and most importantly, a sweet treat. At Tracycakes, “every bite is an occasion”! www.tracycakesonline.com. 

Tracycakes White Rock      Tracycakes Abbotsford       Tracycakes Fort Langley

15015 Marine Drive                 101-2636 Montrose Ave.         23170 96th Ave.

         White Rock, B.C.                     Abbotsford, B.C.                      Fort Langley, B.C.

Tel: 604-541-4668                    (604) 852-1904                        (604) 888-1984

]]> http://goodlifevancouver.com/giveaway-tracycakes-valentines-day-hightea-for-2-feb-11-or-12/feed/ 30 http://goodlifevancouver.com/giveaway-chocolate-for-v-day-300-value/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=giveaway-chocolate-for-v-day-300-value http://goodlifevancouver.com/giveaway-chocolate-for-v-day-300-value/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:05:54 +0000 cassandra http://goodlifevancouver.com/?p=14402 Whether you have a sweetie or not doesn’t matter for this giveaway, you just have to have a sweet tooth!  This package includes a Chocolate Buffet for 2 at Sutton Place Hotel, Chocolate 101 Class for 2 at XOXOLAT,  Mink Chocolate Fondue Set and Fondue,  Chocolates from Daniel’s Chocolates, Cocoa Nymph, Hagensborg and Urge Chocolates, Heart Cookies from Terra Breads and $50 gift cert from Terra Breads too!

1) Leave a comment on this post naming one of the chocolate gift suppliers

2) Follow @goodlifevan on Twitter

3) Post the following to Twitter 

1) Chocolate Buffet for 2 at The Sutton Place Hotel

2) Cocoa Nymph Perfume Chocolates

3)Urge Chocolates

4) Daniel’s Chocolate Heart

5) Terra Breads Heart Cookies AND $50 gift cert

6) Mink Fondue and Fondue Set

7) Chocolate 101 class for 2 at XOXOLAT

XOXOLAT Chocolat Vodka

9) Hagensborg Chocolates Sweet Pea

What was your first food memory?

Sneaking peanuts in the shell from the huge bulk bin at Knob Hill Farms shopping with my mother.  They were delicious!!!

What was in your elementary school lunch kit?

Peanut butter and jam sandwich and an apple.

Where did you first learn to cook?

My first job in high school was in a bowling alley and I made burgers and fried food.  While it wasn’t that particular food that inspired me… I think it was the joy of feeding people that got me hooked.

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

George Brown in Toronto

Where has been your favourite place to work to date and why?

Having our own business is an incredible experience.  We’ve been open four years now and we have such a wonderful clientele… they have become family.    Being able to create food for people, hear instant feedback, and see cleaned plates coming back to the kitchen… that’s why it’s wonderful to be a chef!

Who in the industry taught you the most?

Charlie Hansji – he was the executive sous-chef at the Four Seasons Inn on the Park in Toronto when I was an apprentice.   He was hard-core, an incredible chef and taught me the discipline of being a chef.

What is your favourite style of cooking?

Nothing beats fresh, local and seasonal.  I prefer complexity of flavour over complexity of the plate.  Tasty food, focusing on local, innovative but with a nod to the traditional food of Newfoundland.  That’s what we do.

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

Hard to pick one… but probably authentic Chinese.  So much variety!

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

Butter!  We have the most delicious butter made here in Newfoundland – must be something about the terroir.  It’s called Spyglass, and it’s full of flavour with just the right amount of salt.  Scruncheons run a pretty close second – that’s salted pork fat, rendered out to be salty crispy nuggets.  And third, probably chile flakes.  So versatile – they add a little background of piquancy to any dish without overtaking it.

What are the most essential tools for cooking?

A good, sharp chef’s knife will do practically any job.  And a good pair of tongs become an extension of your hands.  A heavy-bottomed pot and a good non-stick pan for omelettes and you’re set.  Oh – and I do like to have a decent fine mesh strainer around.

Do you have an unforgettable taste combination?

I love the classic combination of rosemary and lamb with grain mustard.

Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Garlic.  It’s the foundation for everything!

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

Funny – I love all sorts of food but just don’t enjoy olives.  I love all kinds of olive oil, even some tapenades, olive bread, just not olives.  Wish I did because my wife loves them and I feel I’m missing out!

What is your most prized possession?

It would have to be my restaurant.  It’s a dream come true.

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

Soup is a fantastic place to start.  Making a delicious pot of soup offers the chance to really understand the layering of flavours.  How sautering onions or browning mushrooms tastes so different from just throwing them in boiling liquid.  How a stock enriches the flavour.  How cooking out dry herbs and spices in the oil distributes the flavour.  How simmering changes things.  The acid-sweet-salty balance.  Viscocity.  Soup tells a lot about a chef.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

I really love a feed of fish’n’chips ‘deluxe’ which means with gravy and savoury dressing – made with Newfoundland summer savoury, a culinary staple here.  Home cut fries, probably fried in lard, battered fresh cod.  Malt vinegar.  Breakfast of champions!

What’s your favourite cocktail?

Screech and coke.  Really.  I know you probably expected something more exotic.  The delicious caramelly flavour of the dark rum with lots of ice and not too much coke (don’t want to drown it!)  A slice of lime of I’m feeling fancy.

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Tiramisu.  And homemade cookies.  My wife, Andrea, makes all our desserts at the restaurant.  When I need a sugar fix, I ask her to make me some cookies – I love anything with chocolate.

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

One I didn’t have to make!  People think chefs are picky and are nervous about cooking for us.  But for me, the pleasure of sitting down to a homemade meal with family or friends is perfection.

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

We don’t get much chance to entertain – we have Mondays off but we usually have a nice meal at home.  My wife, Andrea, is a good cook too.  She loves a well-stocked pantry so we have all kinds of olive oils, vinegars, pastas, rices, spices and herbs, ethnic sauces and seasonings, dried mushrooms and chiles, etc.  With just a few fresh ingredients, we can whip up a fabulous meal any time.

How do you unwind after service?

We live in Petty Harbour, a 15-minute drive from the restaurant in St. John’s.  The scenery is breathtaking.  The moon over the water as I drive around the harbour.  Behind our house, there is a waterfall.  After the beautiful drive and then the first sound I hear out of the car is the running water.  If there’s a clear sky, I take a look up at the night sky away from the city lights, on my way in the house.  I’m pretty much unwound by then and then I sit in my recliner chair, the TV on, and I fall asleep almost instantly.

Most overrated food trend?

Molecular gastronomy.  Adding chemicals seems counter-intuitive to me.

Favourite culinary destination?

Hard to pick just one.  Newfoundland has an amazing and growing culinary scene.  But if we’re thinking about travelling…  New York City offers everything you could think off – all within a subway ride.  France is incredible – go twenty minutes into a neighbouring town and find yet another local specialty!  Spain has to be the most food-centric culture, though.  Tapas is practically an Olympic sport.  We were in Barcelona year before last for three days and we went three times to La Boqueria – a market with what seems like hundreds of food counters, each one with its specialty – from the gorgeous Iberico ham to fresh fruit or vegetables to bread.  There were several stands that sold nothing but salt cod – in all its different cuts and forms.  Amazing!

Most memorable meal last year?

Bouillabaisse in Marseille.  We were staying in Cairanne, northern Provence, and drove down to Marseille to stay the night and have authentic bouillabaisse at Chez Fonfon, famous for it.  The way they do it, it’s almost like a ritual.  We got to chatting with this lovely local couple at the next table.  At the end of the meal, the server wheeled out an enormous cheese display on a marble slab – I’ve never seen so much variety all in one spot.  It was raining cats and dogs outside and we were sitting in a window overlooking the water and all the little boats, bellies full of warm soup.

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

I really love music.  Probably a musician.  I played trombone in highschool!

What would you eat at your last meal?

Cantonese chow mein – something about the crispy noodles, wok-charred vegetables and the wonderful variety of meats and seafood!

Who are your dream dinner companions?

I really enjoy a night off, dinner at home with Andrea and our dog, Lola and cat Maximus.  They have their dinner when we do.

What do you do in your off time?

There is very little of that because we own the business – we serve lunch or brunch and dinner every day except Mondays.  But we live in beautiful Petty Harbour (about 15 minutes from St. John’s) so walking the East Coast Trail or down to the beach with our German Shepherd, Lola, and picking berries in season is wonderful.  We hardly ever get a chance to go to the movies so that’s a great treat!

Where do you eat in your city when you are not working?

We mostly cook at home on our night off… Andrea and I enjoy the chance to cook together, chill out with a great bottle of wine and spend time with our dog and cat.  When we go out, there are a bunch of places we like.  We try to support the restaurateurs who also dine with us.  It’s a nice network.

 Are there some regional dishes your city is known for? 

Newfoundland has a traditional cuisine with plenty of traditional ingredients.  Jiggs Dinner is salt meat and root vegetables cooked in a big pot with pease pudding (yellow split peas cooked down to mush and seasoned with butter and pepper).  Served with the “pot liquor” and a sweet-sour vegetable relish known as sweet mustard pickles. Cod tongues are a local delicacy.

What is the dish/dishes your restaurant is known for?

We do an innovative interpretation of Newfoundland cuisine.  The Jiggs Dinner Cabbage Roll is our appetizer-sized version of the traditional NL meal.  Our salt cod fritters with lemon-green pepper corn aioli might be our most popular appetizer.  Probably the caribou medallion with partridgeberry sauce is our most popular main course.

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

It’s a tasting of Newfoundland Goat.  We recently hooked up with a farmer who raises goat and a young chef here recently started making goat cheese.  The dish is goat meat four ways: seared loin, panko-crusted rillettes, pickled tongue, brain mousse, crumbled goat-cheese sablé,  saffron goat milk pudding, turnip Parisienne, petals of Brussels Sprouts, partridgeberry & Pinot Noir demi.

 Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

We chose the Pelee Island Pinot Noir Reserve from Ontario.  Goat and goat cheese have a gaminess that is echoed in the wine.  Tanginess of the cheese and the bright acidity of the wine are a natural pairing.  Also the lightness of the meat matches the medium body of the wine.  It works!

What ingredients have you brought with you?

All the important Newfoundland ingredients!  The meat, cheese, turnip and partridgeberries.  Brussels sprouts are out of season now so we will get those in Kelowna.

Who have you brought with you to assist?

Our sous-chefs Ivan Kyutukchiev and Matt McDonald.  And my wife and business partner, Andrea Maunder.  (She is a wine expert.)

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

From what I understand, timing is the most challenging factor.  We will try to make dishes that are executable in the timeframe but will be tasty for the judges.

What challenges do you have to face as your travel to another destination to cook?
For us, it’s one end of the country to the other!  There is a 4½ hour time zone difference and lots of connecting flights.  Packing all our ingredients, too.  We will be quite the spectacle at the airport toting our three huge coleman coolers on wheels instead of suitcases!

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

To be honest, we haven’t really had time to look up the other chefs.  I know that Rob Feenie has competed in the championships a couple of times, and being from the area, he will have the advantage of familiarity.  Mostly, I’m looking forward to meeting the other chefs and seeing what they do, seeing what trends are happening in their necks of the woods!

#GoldMedalPlates

What was your first food memory?

As a kid, it was looking forward to my mom’s turkey stuffing every holiday.  She was not a flashy cook, but she cooked with a lot of love, and that is the best ingredient of all, but especially for comfort food, which was her forte.

 What was in your elementary school lunch kit?

Peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese sandwiches, fruit and a juice box.

Where did you first learn to cook?

I first learned to cook during a high school exchange program when I was 17.  When I was 20, I attended the Dubrulle Culinary Institute in Vancouver.

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

See above

Where has been your favourite place to work to date and why?

I really couldn’t pick a favourite – each of my experiences molded my career and who I am today, but I do have a soft spot for the time I spent learning in the kitchens of my mentors – including in Alsace with Emile Jung at Au Crocodile, and Johnny Letzer at his family’s inn, in Chicago with Charlie Trotter, and of course, right here in Vancouver with Michel Jacob at Le Crocodile.

Who in the industry taught you the most?

Michel Jacob, Charlie Trotter, and Johnny Letzer.

What is your favourite style of cooking?

Right now, I am really loving Italian, but of course, I will always love and appreciate French techniques.

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

Japanese

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

Mushrooms, Butter, Cheese

What are the most essential tools for cooking?

Love and a passion for what you do will take you further than any gadget.

 Do you have an unforgettable taste combination?

Champagne and caviar – it’s a lux combination and makes special occasions even more memorable

 Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Tomatoes

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

I am not a big fan of horse meat.

What is your most prized possession?

It’s not really a possession, but my family is what I value most in the world.

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

Mac n’ Cheese, BBQ’d anything!

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Pizza – a traditional Napoletana pizza

What’s your favourite cocktail?

Negroni or Manhattan

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Sour ju-jubes from Superstore

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

Surprisingly enough, I think a perfect meal starts with good company, great wine and zero stress.  Regardless of what you are eating, these are key.

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

Tomato sauce and pizza dough

How do you unwind after service?

David’s Tea is always a good start, I love the organic crème brulee tea.  I also love reading cookbooks and watching movies.

Most overrated food trend?

Nothing is overrated if people enjoy it. 

Favourite culinary destination?

Japan, France, Spain.

Most memorable meal last year?

The steak tartare at Nota Bene, David Lee’s restaurant in Toronto.

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

Golf – it’s my thing right now!

What would you eat at your last meal?

A 1.5 kg jar of caviar, a litre of crème fraiche and at least 50-60 warm bellini pancakes, polished off with and a double magnum of vintage Krug champagne.

Who are you dream dinner companions?

Bono – he is an incredible musician and I respect what he has done to make the world a better place.

Bill Clinton – he is such an inspiring leader and intelligent guy.

Pierce Brosnan – he’s an interesting actor and a fellow Irishman.

What do you do in your off time?

Spend time with my family, golf and cycle.

Where do you eat in your city when you are not working?

Le Crocodile and Cioppino’s

Are there some regional dishes your city is known for? 

Seafood dishes with Ocean Wise fish are a must in Vancouver!

What is the dish/dishes your restaurant is known for?

At Cactus, the tuna tataki and the butternut squash ravioli are our most popular dishes and which I am very proud to have developed for our restaurants.

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

That’s top secret – you’ll just have to find out when you’re there!

 Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

We chose the Haywire Pinot Noir.  We used the Pinot Gris for our dish in Vancouver and wanted to do something a bit different.  BC isn’t known for its Pinot Noir but this is a fantastic wine.  Christine Colletta has done amazing work to promote BC wineries and develop the VQA program.  She has a brilliant palette and I really admire her.

 What ingredients have you brought with you?

Again – you’ll just have to be there!

 Who have you brought with you to assist?

Matthew Stowe – an incredibly talented chef who I work with here at Cactus Restaurants in Vancouver and who I teamed up with for the Vancouver event.

And we are being joined by Jason Streefkerk – the amazing head chef at our Cactus Restaurant in Kelowna.

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

You’ll just have to check out the competition to find out – that’s the fun of this event!

What challenges do you have to face as your travel to another destination to cook?

It’s going to be the same challenges for all of us – not knowing the local area and what is immediately available.  Though I am from BC, the coast is far different from the Okanagan so it should be a ton of fun.  I also really hope my loaded down van makes the long drive over the Coquihalla!

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

Everyone!  I am really proud to be representing BC with this group of chefs.  They are all incredibly talented and events like Gold Medal Plates are a chance for us to celebrate Canadian culinary talent! This competition has really grown in recognition over the past few years and as such, so does the benefit for Canadian athletes.   I am proud and excited to take part in such a worthwhile event. 

Chef Feenie’s Gold Medal Plates Winning Dish

What was in your elementary school lunch kit?

Lunch was served at school

Where did you first learn to cook?

The Green Man Inn, a pub and fine dining restaurant in the UK

Did you attend culinary school – if so, where?

Yes, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK

Where has been your favourite place to work to date and why?

There have been many, including on private luxury yachts- but that was more because it was great to be on the ocean with lots of sun. My current job here at the Saskatoon Club is fantastic, lots of freedom, and I also get to enjoy quality family time.

Who in the industry taught you the most?

Pretty much self taught

What is your favourite style of cooking?

Honest cooking.

What is your favourite ethnic cuisine?

Thai

What ingredient(s) can’t you live without?

Fresh herbs, garlic

What are the most essential tools for cooking?

Sharp knives

Do you have an unforgettable taste combination?

I love the flavour we achieved with the morel mushroom, fois gras and black truffle coated with ground late summer corn, this was part of our winning dish- amazing taste.

Ingredient you can’t get enough of?

Can’t reveal as it’s in my final dish

Ingredient that will never touch your lips?

Kraft Dinner

What is your most prized possession?

My family

What basic recipe/s do you advise for cooking novices to learn as a starting point?

A great soup

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Sausage and mash

What’s your favourite cocktail?

Gin and tonic (discovered the Victoria Gin at last year’s event- beautiful, think I prefer it over Hendricks)

Do you have a guilty pleasure?

Foie Gras

What’s your definition of a perfect meal?

Cooked with care, and properly seasoned

What do you always have on hand for last minute entertaining at home?

Cheese, gravlox

How do you unwind after service?

There is no real unwind after my day, as its usually doing something with the kids as soon as I walk in the door. When my wife anf I get a chance we will sit and chat, share a bottle of wine.

Most overrated food trend?

Foam

Favourite culinary destination?

The lake, open fire cooking every time I’m there.

Most memorable meal last year?

The suckling pig i did over the open fire at the lake last summer

If you weren’t a chef what career would you have pursued?

Carpentry

What would you eat at your last meal?

Roast prime rib, crisp roast potatoes

Who are you dream dinner companions?

My wife, Marco Pierre White, Michael Ruhlman, Thomas Keller, Anthony Bourdain.

What do you do in your off time?

Crossfit, soccer, sail, and of course spend time with my family- Hockey with my 6 year old Jacob

Where do you eat in your city when you are not working?

Typically home. Truffles Bistro, and Weczeria are places doing food I enjoy

Are there some regional dishes your city is known for? 

Using Diefenbaker trout, Northern pickerel are popular choices

What is the dish/dishes your restaurant is known for?

Good quality local, pretty much everything is made in house, even cured meats.

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What dish will you be cooking for Gold Medal Plates?

A delicious Gold Medal winning one!!

Why did you choose the particular wine/beer pairing for the dish?

Because it works

What ingredients have you brought with you?

The ones I need to win

Who have you brought with you to assist?

Lorenzo Brazzini, Darren Craddock

For the black box competition are there any strategies that you will employ to succeed?

Yes. Clear head, speed and big time focus for one hour

Who do you see as the toughest competitor this year?

You don’t get to compete at this level because you suck; everyone has some amazing talents to bring.

James Chatto attended the Saskatchewan Competition and described the winning dish as follow:

http://www.goldmedalplates.com/c_saskatoon.html

“Chef Anthony McCarthy from the Saskatoon Club won bronze last year; this time he vaulted over Ryan Marquis to bring home the bacon – or, more precisely, the foie. Chef McCarthy had been planning this dish for the best part of a year, so when the morels were in season last spring he bought a thousand of the biggest and best and froze them with all the care and precision afforded to Walt Disney’s head. He thawed them for us and filled them with foie gras and a brunoise of black winter truffle and coated them in a superfine grinding of last summer’s corn before cooking them off. I loved the texture and the flavour of the morels and the way the molten foie gras squirted out into my mouth. Beside this superlative treat was a sort of agnolotti made with a dense gnocchi-like pasta and filled with slow-braised organic beef, slutted up with some of that creamy, sweetly blue cambazola cheese that had melted and oozeditself in and amongst the forked meat. There was a swipe of supersmooth squash purèe and a token salad-moment of embryonic broccoli and radish microgreens, a stripe of finely minced parsley in oil and a classic demiglace so perfect it would have made Escoffier reach down from heaven and pat Chef McCarthy on the toque, had he been wearing one. The wine was an unusual blend of cabernet Franc and Syrah from Nichol Vineyards in Naramata – a wine I really enjoyed, especially since it scored a bull’s eye matching with the braised beef and the demiglace. Great work.”