Chef Ian Riddick: New Menu a Pacific Rim Showcase
Chef Ian Riddick is excited to tell the story about Long Beach Lodge Resort’s new menu, new dishes and the extraordinary ingredients.Released prior to the annual maintenance closure the second week of December 2014, Chef Ian anticipates a great reception for the regionally-focused, kitchen-and-client inspired fare on the Long Beach Lodge Resort's Winter 2014-15 menu.
Born and raised in Willowdale, Ont., Ian arrived at Long Beach Lodge Resort after decades with the Delta-chain in Whistler, Kannannaskis, Bow Valley Alberta and Sun Peaks Resort.
While schooled along the rigid strictures of culinary management embraced by most successful, highly-regarded chefs, Ian says he has developed his own management style, interacting with both guests and staff in a more personable and open manner.
“I like to tell the story behind the menu, behind each item,” explains Ian. “Each menu item has ingredients and has a supplier that takes pride and who cares about their products. This influences the menu. I try to include their story in each dish and you can read about the suppliers on the actual menu.”
View the menus here
Among the “influencers” in the latest menu are First Nations and sustainable fisheries; local growers; and a forest-to-table experience with wild, foraged fare.
Ian is careful to note that the new menu was collaborative.
“I only write a new menu after consulting with all stakeholders and I need buy-in from all cooks.” Adds Chef Ian, “Without a belief in the menu and each item, I cannot create and capture the enthusiasm and passion required to produce brilliant, memorable food.”
Ian says customer feelings, opinions, pointed questions, and feedback are highly regarded: “I always write the menu as a team with my staff but with special care to recognize customer feedback,” adding, “I never write a menu in isolation.”
Chef Ian says the new menu is not meant to “shock and awe” diners. While cognizant of new products, trends and influences in the larger culinary world, he remains committed to the rich and varied products on Vancouver Island and producers of “the highest quality” to underpin Long Beach Lodge Resort’s offerings. Over the course of a season, Ian says he will introduce feature items and gauge their reception and customer and staff feedback. “This [feature items] is how I perform my research and development.”
And from this gastronomic laboratory of sorts, memorable regular-menu items such as the rib eye (with red onion compote, butternut squash puree and mushroom cream) and tuna and scallop duo (with purple-beet cream and bacon and root vegetable fricassee) emerged.
Asked to share the story behind different menu items, Chef Ian’s excitement is almost tangible. “Crab from the Tofino-area fishery; the hardy winter greens from Nanoose Edibles; the sweet and briny Qualicum Bay scallops with their ivory and pinkish white meat, these are some of the best quality ingredients in the world. I work hard to present these ingredients in a manner that will allow them to shine. The menu is not built to be pretentious or luxurious, it is built to be comfortable and to be true to the ingredients.”
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