Chefs from across British Columbia will meet in Victoria on November 19, 2015 to compete in the Gold Medal Plates for the BC spot in the Canadian Culinary Championships held in Kelowna in February.  We’re heading over to check out the event and as a prequil have interviewed the chefs. Here’s the scoop on Chef Chris Whittaker of Forage in Vancouver.

Tell us a little bit about your restaurant and/or style of cooking.

Forage is all about great local products, sustainable practices, and sharing plates and fun with friends, family and neighbours.

Where do you eat in your city?

Campagnola, Nicli, Zest

What would be your ideal food day? 

Spending all day perfecting brisket on my BBQ at home!

What trend do you wish would die?

Using forceps to plate food. Enough already.

What trend/s do you wish would be next?

I wish we could cook with wood fire in Vancouver.

What ingredient/s do you always have on hand?

Good butter, good salt, good vinegar

What’s your go-to recipe when you’re eating at home? 

Roast chicken

With the holidays coming up, could you give us something easy to prepare that would impress?

Spicebox Whiskey Cranberry Sauce (recipe follows).

What do you want for food/food equipment gifts this year?

I would love some more Finex Cast Iron. Hint, hint.

What cookbook would you suggest for a gift for your foodie friends this year?

Either Jane Mundy’s latest Ocean Wise cookbook or Jennifer Schell’s “The Butcher, The Baker, the Wine & Cheese Maker”.

Any hints on what dish you will be preparing for Gold Medal Plates?

You can’t talk with out one. 

Some of our Facebook friends posed some questions they’d like chefs to answer and here are Chef Whittaker’s answers.

If you could only have one small kitchen appliance what would it be?

Blender

Why do you cook? Fame? Love? Pleasure?

Love. Cooking is the thing I love to do most.  I never get bored. I never stop learning. And I’m always challenged both mentally and physically.

What is the one dish you never tire of making?

Gnocchi of any kind.

Spicebox Whisky Cranberry Sauce 

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
5 tbsp Spicebox Whisky
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions

Combine all ingredients except cranberries and whisky in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add whisky, cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.

Makes: approximately 2½ cups