Vancouver is home to some of the best chefs in the world, many have worked for the top chefs and restaurants around the world as well as around the city. Dishing with the Chefs is a series of Interviews with some of the top chefs in and around Vancouver.

My parents were in the restaurant business and owned Bisaro downtown Vancouver. Then they opened the Dundarave Café in West Vancouver. When I was 11 years old I started working as a dishwasher, then worked my way up to a line cook. When I was 16 years old I worked at the Cactus Club nights and weekends as a line cook. At 19 I moved to Kelowna and worked at some of the vineyards cooking, moved back to Vancouver. I then worked for the Glowbal Group for 4 years as a Sous Chef, and then I started at Brix as the Executive Chef, a year later they opened George Ultra Lounge and I have been the Executive Chef of both of these restaurants ever since.

Was it expected for you to go into the restaurant industry?

My dad liked the idea, my mom didn’t.

What challenges you as a chef?

Every day I learn something, surrounding myself with people who teach something. It`s about creating creativity and the challenge of the challenge.

How did you end up being creative from the get go at Brix?

Getting pushed into comfortability and woken up by a loud alarm clock.

What do you want your chefs to learn from you in the kitchen?

To be better and that is my common goal. Whether its patience or butchery.

The First Dish:

Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops

Bbq duck fried risotto

Japanese radish sprouts

What was your inspiration behind this dish?

Marrying Italian with Asian influence just like my life.

What is your favourite food?

Thai and Japanese food

What are your favourite restaurants outside of the one you work at?

• Baoqi
• Alpha Sushi
• Le’do on Hastings
• Come Along Seafood
• Golden Harvest
• Motamachi on Denman

What are your favourite 5 ingredients in your restaurant kitchen?

1. Chillis
2. Pork belly, my own bacon
3. Japanese mayonnaise
4. Sriracha chili sauce
5. Housemade pickles/kimchi

The Second Dish:

Grilled Humbolt Salad

With lemongrass, ginger, lime, chili, sautéed gailan, pickled jalapenos

What was your inspiration behind this dish?

Ode to Chef Sean Riley

What do you do in your off time?

• Play with my 3 dogs
• Watch football
• Shopping with my wife

What sparks your creativity?

For liquor dinners (spirits and wines)

You have to taste the product to design the dishes.

We want to have a proper representation of what we do, tweak here and there. Disecting on will it kill it, match it or symmetrical. I am not symmetrical.

The Third Dish:

Cherry and Coffee Braised Shortrib

With caramelized cauliflower puree, foie gras terrine

What was your inspiration behind this dish?

Winter – warm, cozy, filling

Who are your mentors?

• Mr David Cheng of Momofuko
• Vikram Vij

What has inspired your lately?

Hopefully one day this whole city’s tastebuds will catch-up.

Stay tuned for the next chef in the Dishing with the Chef series.

By: Richard Wolak