ETHICAL GOURMET / Remind me to Tell You About the Time I Looked in the Heart of an Artichoke

The Kitchen Brigade at Restaurant Ninety-One: BACK ROW: Sous Chef Joshua Blackmore, Hannah Mach, Kyle Newman, Pastry Chef Jordan Walsh, Dennis Davidson FRONT ROW: Executive Chef Angela Murphy, Sous Chef Kris Simmons Windermere Manor Lemon-Ginger Pickerel with new parsnip and carrot preparations, lemon dust, edible blossoms, black sesame vinaigrette L Windermere Manor’s Restaurant Ninety One launched in the late spring. Situated on a secluded acreage, in a building that formerly housed Windermere Café, the venue has been extensively remodelled, and blends the allure of a century old manor house with contemporary style and modern amenities. A natural refuge, roaming wildlife, including deer and wild turkeys, is a common sight on the grounds. Executive chef Angela Murphy explores the concept of Modern Canadian Cuisine with the culinary brigade, and the menus reflect the significance of the appellation. The charming and hospitable general manager,

For some years now chefs across the country have been redefining Canadian cuisine. Chef Arron Carley is one of them. At The Bruce Restaurant in Stratford, Carley celebrates the food and ingredients of Canada every day. Chef uses the moniker New Canadiana to describe his evolving cuisine. He notably served as a sous chef to Jason Bangerter at Luma before Bangerter became executive chef at Langdon Hall. For three months Carley interned with René Redzepi’s team at Denmark’s famed Noma. On his blog,  The Noma Intern , Carley says, “The knowledge you gain from staging at a restaurant like Noma will last you for the rest of your life and is easily worth three months of commitment.” Returning to Ontario, he worked as a sous chef under John Horne, executive chef at Toronto’s Canoe restaurant, before accepting the executive chef position at The Bruce Hotel in June last year. Carley is, no doubt, acutely aware that Stratford is a town that can be very critique-heavy. He boldly ven

BY BRYAN LAVERY When dining in Stratford, I can’t help but be drawn to restaurants that authentically support farmers, vineyards, and food purveyors by featuring quality local ingredients and products. I also like to take note of the ambience, whether the cutlery is polished, and the wine and food knowledge of the service staff. Great restaurants give a lot of thought and attention to their wine and cocktail lists and, most importantly, to genuine hospitality. Bijou For many years the culinary opus at Bijou has been a front-runner in Stratford for inspired, locally-sourced cuisine. The bistro has built a following as a destination restaurant for providing a good local taste experience. Mark and Linda Simone purchased the legacy restaurant last year and added a new entrance on Wellington St. and a small bar in the front area. Chef Max Holbrook has moved on to Downie Street Bakehouse and Dion Lach is the new chef. The farm-to-table inspired blackboard p

Here is the digital version of London's Local Flavour Culinary Guide: https://www.yumpu.com/en/embed/view/m4zwc2YLiuGWrCS3

Anita Stewart Food Day Canada (FDC) is an annual mid-summer celebration, always held on the Saturday of the August long weekend, when we share Canada’s rich culinary heritage and our delicious northern bounty. FDC will be held this year on Saturday, July 30th. “It is a chance for all Canadians to join hands in one massive celebration in praise of our farmers and fishers; our chefs and researchers…and, above all, our home cooks,” says, founder Anita Stewart. TOOK (The Only on King) celebrates its favourite area farmers and producers with a “Food Day Canada” menu. It runs Tuesday July 14th–Saturday August 1st and is $35.00 for a delicious three-course menu.  Abruzzi is partnering up with Growing Chefs! for Food Day Canada. Chef Dave Lamers is offering a three-course menu from July 18 to 30th, which will feature all the local suppliers and farmers’ he collaborates with every day. For each guest that orders the Food Day Canada menu, Abruzzi will donate $5.00 to Gro

BY BRYAN LAVERY Photos by Terry Manzo Used by Permission  The relaunched Mercer Hall has changed its name to Mercer Kitchen, Beer Hall, Hotel.  Mercer bills itself as a one-stop location to explore the world of craft beer and one of the best beer bars in Ontario. They  offer fifteen draft lines, Stratford’s only cask engine, and have crafted a rotating list of over 120 brands including international award-winners, and hard to find one-offs that rotate very quickly. Over half the bottles are Ontario brews.  A lex Kastner, Director of Food and Beverage, at both Mercer Hall and The Prune Restaurant,   started his career in 2005, as a runner at the former Church Restaurant. He has his finger firmly placed on the Stratford culinary pulse.  “There are so many Stratford restaurants that have excellent wine lists,” says Kastner, “Yet there was no one in Stratford who really tapped into the pulse of the craft beer movement in Ontario. There really is something for eve

BY BRYAN LAVERY Solo on Main is a family run business with chef Lauren Van Dixhoorn at the helm, twin brother Paul on the bar and working the floor, and their sister Lyndsay, handling the restaurant’s business affairs. Port Stanley's new culinary hot spot is located in the heritage home previously occupied by the former Mickey’s Boathouse.  In seasonable weather there is a beautifully appointed patio and front porch that offers alfresco seating and great harbour views. Inside, there is a smart walnut bar in the lounge which is topped with quartz and has comfortable seats. The tasteful white linen dining room with its original hardwood floors is decorated in warm gray tones. The cooking at Solo on Main is refined and the presentation modern and accessible. Van Dixhoorn and sous chef Brooke Cowitz are both alumnus of Niagara College's Canadian Food and Wine Institute in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The pair worked together later at Queen’s Landing. The

Culinary innovator and food entrepreneur Dave Cook continues to renovate the former Merv’s Variety at 874 Dundas Street. The revamped premises will be home to a restaurant, patio, craft beer pub and Fire Roasted Coffee offering. Cook is also establishing a food incubator in the 14,000-square-foot Somerville Building at 630 Dundas St. He is developing a shared space where culinary entrepreneurs can set up and grow, in much the same way vendors can get their start at his Farmer s’ & Artisans’ Market at Western Fair. In the first stage of this project Cook is creating space for small businesses incubation and food start-ups, a Fire Roasted Coffee café and roastery, and a grocery store. The grocery store is a joint initiative with ATN Access. This project was prompted by the need for a new roastery for Fire Roasted Coffee, which has outgrown its home at the Farmers’ and Artisans’ Market at Western Fair. The Somerville Building will have a large patio facing Dundas Street with fo

BY BRYAN LAVERY A recent road trip consisting of a meandering but scenic drive through Oxford County, Punkeydoodles Corners, Kitchener-Waterloo and the towns and hamlets in and around the Grand River, would eventually bring us to Paris, Ontario, for a two day reunion with long-time friends from London, Toronto and Parkhill. We were looking for a new and top-notch culinary experience, and had been anticipating chef Jonathan Gushue`s return to the culinary scene. Our host/organizer made reservations at The Berlin in Kitchener, well in advance. The Berlin was already making a name for itself as a culinary destination. It was a given that we would be dining there. Jonathan Gushue is the Newfoundland-born chef who was instrumental in Cambridge`s Langdon Hall receiving a coveted Five Diamond Award, and also being named the 77 th  best restaurant in the world on the S. Pellegrino list several years ago. The Berlin, which opened in December 2015, is named in