Staying ahead of the culinary curve in Tofino
Unique culinary challenges on the Pacific RimAsk Ian Riddick what the biggest challenge is to producing world-class cuisine in an isolated surf mecca on the edge of a Canadian island in the Pacific Ocean and he pauses for a moment. He grins and then thoughtfully offers, “staying ahead of the curve.”
Not a likely answer from a chef tasked with not only enticing the best culinary staff to a relatively small, sea-side destination four miles by car from the provincial capital Victoria, but also charged with developing, budgeting and producing a menu that requires reliable and consistent overland delivery of fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses and beverages.
“We are in a unique situation,” explains Riddick. “While we are isolated and delivery of supplies is more expensive and time consuming, creating scheduling and budgeting issues, we also live on an island which has some of the best farmers and growers anywhere. Through cooperation and careful sourcing, we have been able to secure the best-quality, freshest, unique ingredients anywhere. And now the task becomes; how do we turn out the best dishes possible with these marvellous items, how do we create original dishes which are ahead of the culinary curve?”
Respect for the ingredients, origins and customs is paramount for Riddick who arrived at Long Beach Lodge Resort after a circuitous educational and training road. He completed his formal culinary training in Toronto at George Brown College and counts the King Edward Hotel’s renowned Chef John Higgins as an early mentor. He says it was the Delta Hotels chain and a move to Whistler that informed his culinary style which he has honed since taking over the Resort’s kitchen in 2013.
“We can be a little smug here on the west coast,” explains Riddick. “We are getting the first-of-the-season nettles, morels and elder flowers in all of Canada while the rest of Canada is still freezing. How do we best use these beautiful ingredients, do them honour, while still being original and creative?”
Riddick says there was a time when he looked to his extensive collection of cookbooks for inspiration. New trends, methods and ingredients were noted and adopted and adapted. He was aware of what was hot in Los Angeles, New York and Paris culinary circles and he sought to remain relevant on a seasonal basis. Now, with the explosion of online culinary news, recipe, menu and gossip sources, relevancy is monthly and “staying ahead of the curve” means standing out from an ever-increasing and readily-apparent culinary crowd.
“This is a challenge many Tofino chefs and kitchens are facing,” says Riddick. “We all recognize the uniquely beautiful produce, meat and cheeses we have on the island, but we have to ensure consistent, reliable delivery, within a budget, while doing these items justice with unique offerings.”
This is where the Tofino sense of community is writ large.
Recognizing that food costs were higher because much of it had to be trucked in and couriered in, securing consistent quality and quantities of island-grown food was difficult. In response, regional restaurants and resorts created the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild. The Guild hired Bobby Lax to not only arrange regular delivery of supplies to member businesses from points all over the island, but Lax was also tasked with researching and sourcing the best island-grown ingredients. From strawberries to beef to lamb, asparagus, butter lettuce, chard and chicken: Lax negotiates purchase agreements with island growers and farmers (in some instances a farm’s entire output is purchased by the Guild) and he loads up the goods and delivers them to Guild members in his trademark bright-red delivery van.
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Riddick says the Guild has helped him present a consistent, quality menu while controlling “centre-of-the-plate price pressures,” long the bane of chefs everywhere.
“The days of 20-ounce-steaks are over,” explains Riddick. Now, the central ingredient on the plate is significant for its quality and pedigree rather than its size or mass. For example, the Resort uses island beef sourced by the Guild from the Quist family farm in the Cowichan Valley which uses no added hormones, antibiotics or animal by-products.
“Nanoose Edibles and Katie Farm Strawberries in Duncan supply the absolute best quality, uniquely island produce which many restaurants and resorts in Tofino use,” says Riddick. “Visitors have grown accustomed to this quality and consistency and as a result, Tofino is now known as a culinary destination which offers uniquely Tofino and island fare.”
Fare, which, one might say, is definitely ahead of the curve.
