IT’S PEAK SEASON TO FORAGE.
September is an ideal time to explore the fields and forests of BC for a bounty of tasty edibles, including wild greens, berries and, of course, mushrooms. For The Listel Hotel executive chef Chris Whittaker, however, foraging for menu ingredients is essentially a year-round commitment – one that both preserves traditional flavours and promotes the future-forward value of our regional foodshed. On that firmly grounded kitchen philosophy, Whittaker and The Listel Hotel team are pleased to announce their new Robson Street restaurant will be named forage.
forage is the product of a unique collaboration by Listel Canada with BC Hydro, LiveSmart BC, the Green Table Network and leading industry manufacturers. This innovative project, dubbed The Next Course, models the many ‘triple bottom line’ (environmental, social and economic) benefits available via the renovation of an existing restaurant around energy-efficient and low-impact technologies, from induction cooktops and demand-control ventilation to LED lighting systems and sustainable building materials. These next-step initiatives complement several other steps that have long been a part of The Listel Hotel’s eco-friendly operations, including a zero-waste program and rooftop solar water heating.
And with a smaller ‘footprint’ and sustainable design by EVOKE, forage also offers a stylish, casually intimate atmosphere…serving innovative comfort food and beverages that make the most of top-quality local products. Indeed, its new-model kitchen aims to eliminate one traditional technology – the can opener – as Whittaker uses his new gear to ‘put up’ seasonal and foraged products to flavour his menu creations any time of year.
The forage menu is exciting, mixing traditional preparation methods with innovative styling. Seasonal foods, a staple at any restaurant worth its salt, harvested at the peak of ripeness, burst with flavour, gently coaxed by the kitchen brigade. The front-of-house beverage program at forage, led by restaurant manager Margot Baloro, mirrors the kitchen philosophy: waste is being minimized with the introduction of a wine on tap program and 10 new draught taps featuring an outstanding selection of craft-brewed beers, local and premium, like most everything else at forage.
Open for breakfast, weekend brunch, dinner and noshing through the evening, forage adds a casual flair to welcome neighbourhood locals and visitors from across the city and beyond. Located at 1300 Robson Street, forage is due to open its doors in November. To learn more about The Next Course process, the forage mindset from chef, and updates on the opening date, check out www.nextcourse.ca.
