Catching Up With Victoria’s Chef Takashi Ito
On Thursday nine of British Columbia’s top chefs will head to Victoria to compete in Canada’s Great Kitchen Party, the regional qualifier for the Canadian Culinary Championships. We’re learning a little bit about them before they compete. Here we throw a few questions out to Victoria’s Chef Takashi Ito
Tell us a little bit about your restaurant and/or style of cooking.
Uniqueness of the menu offering, one of the best waterfront view in the city.
Where do you eat in your city?
AURA … of course. “You won’t find the dishes at AURA anywhere else”.
Fishhook serves Indian- and French-influenced seafood. The Vin’daloo’d Seafood Hotpot is wonderful
Nubo Japanese-Korean tapas, inspired by Izakaya dining, and very modern and beautifully presented.
Kid Sister Ice Cream Everything that goes into Kid Sister’s ice cream is locally sourced, which of course is very important to me.
What would be your ideal food day?
Everyday us a food day for me. I don’t want to waste an opportunity to eat good food. Right now, it’s Banh Mi @ Alysa’s, one to eat in & one to go.
What ingredient do you always have on hand?
Soy sauce
What’s your go-to recipe when you’re eating at home?
Japanese style pork curry – a childhood favourite
Any hints on what dish you will be preparing for Great Kitchen Party?
I’ll be focusing on the unique combination of seafood while calling upon flavours & techniques that I remember from my childhood.
Who is coming with you?
The “A” team from AURA waterfront restaurant + patio – a combination of leaders, apprentices and students
Meet Takashi Ito
Since 2011, Executive Chef Takashi Ito has led the culinary teams at Inn at Laurel Point and AURA waterfront restaurant + patio. The food philosophy throughout the Inn focuses on using sustainable, local and seasonal ingredients. AURA, known nationwide for its culinary dream-team and unique Pacific Rim menus, offers dining far beyond the norm.
Previously, Ito worked as Executive Chef for The Fairmont Empress in Victoria, B.C. as well as Calgary, Alberta’s Fairmont Palliser. It was here he developed a unique style of Japanese‐influenced cuisine focussing on celebrating the true flavours of fresh, local ingredients.
Born in Sendai, Japan, Ito was introduced to complex and delicious foods at a young age by his father, who had an appetite for both travel and cooking. During his childhood, Ito spent long, joyous hours in the family kitchen, listening to his father’s stories of exploring North America and Europe sampling delicacies like foie gras, blue cheese and pâté (foods that were practically unheard of in 1960s Japan).
In his early 20s and halfway through Law School at Tohoku Gakuin University, Ito reawakened his passion for all things culinary by enrolling in classes at the local cooking school. After Ito graduated in 1980 with a law degree and a diploma in cooking, he packed his bags and headed for Canada with hopes that he would achieve his dream of becoming a chef.
Now an active member of The Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks (since 1985) and La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs (starting in 1995), Chef Ito worked hard to get where he is today. Ito started his Canadian career at the Ottawa Radisson Plaza, where he mentored under Frits Marechal – a passionate chef who emphasized the importance of developing strong leadership skills in order to lead a solid culinary team. It was during this time that Chef Ito also discovered his passion for ice carving, a technique popular in Japan that hadn’t yet hit the North American marketplace. Ito created his first sculpture – a swan, and was instantly hooked. This passion led to Ito representing Canada twice at the Olympics, once in Nagano (1998) and then in Salt Lake City (2002).
Today, Ito remains passionate about creating exquisite culinary offerings with the utmost of care. His unique passion for mentoring and supporting his team, has played an immensely important role in creating the dynamic team at AURA. Most recently, Ito helped prepare cook Joseph Tran for the International Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs Competition in Taiwan in September, which Tran went on to win.
