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Only three weeks to go, regional Gold Medal Plates winner at Oz Kafé feels pressure of the national stage

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Ottawa chefs plan 2nd “Weekend Takeover” event to keep Elgin Street resto open four days during big competition

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Surely to be hot tickets, “Takeover” reservations
now open for Feb. 6, 7, 8 and 9

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JAN 13 13 – 10:30 AM — Less than a month before the big, potentially career-changing party in British Columbia, Ottawa chef Jamie Stunt, 32, chef for eight years at the unassuming Oz Kafé on Elgin Street, is starting to feel anxious, a bit nervous, and indeed more than a little pressure at being among 10 Canadian regional Gold Medal Plates finalists to compete in the ultimate Canadian Culinary Championships this Feb 8 and 9.

Right, chef Jamie Stunt is starting to feel the heat of competition coming in less than a month.

That’s three gruelling cooking events involving a secret wine pairing, a mystery black box of ingredients, and a finale dinner for 600 people where Ottawa’s contestant, who is not formally trained in the ways of a kitchen, will find himself pitted against some of the brightest stars in Canada’s culinary firmament.

“Yeah, I would say I’m nervous,” Stunt confides, in a brief chat about his plans for competition.

And he especially appreciates the moral support at home where 20 volunteers among Ottawa’s close cheffing community are once again stepping up this year to keep the café lights on while the home team is off to the Delta in far-away Kelwona trying to bring back gold — for the second year — to the nation’s capital.

“I looked at the calendar and it’s a month away, but I feel we are where we should be as far as planning and organizing …

“But serving 600 people on the other side of the country and trying to make the best dish of anyone in Canada is maybe the craziest thing I’ve ever done. Literally. On top of the other competitions you’re thrown into — there’s three competitions over two days — that’s pretty crazy,” Stunt says.

Off to Kelowna, L-R Oz Kafé owner Oz Balpinar, executive chef Jamie Stunt, sous chef Simon Bell.

Recall many of the same volunteer chefs organized last year by chef Matt Carmichael staged what they dubbed a “Weekend Takeover” of tiny Atelier restaurant on Rochester Street so that chef/owner Marc Lepine, 37, and his staff needn’t worry about the home fires as they were off to the grand championship in Kelowna. Fact is, compensation by Gold Medal Plates organizers is not overly generous — it being a series of culinary contests to raise money for Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes, after all — and the cost of staging a competition on the other side of the continent can easily ring upwards of $10,000 in lost revenue not counting hotel rooms, wages, airfare, and surcharges for the inevitable excess baggage to lug no end of secret ingredients and perhaps special gadgets to the contest.

Above, top winners at the regional Gold Medal Plates in Ottawa last November,  from left chefs Jason Duffy of Arc Lounge.Dining (silver medal), Jamie Stunt of Oz Kafé (gold), and Jonathan Korecki of Sidedoor Contemporary Kitchen and Bar (bronze). All three were newcomers to the regional competition. As top winner, Stunt moves on to the Canadian Culinary Championship in Kelowna in less than one month, while the cheffing community in Ottawa rallies to keep Oz Kafé open four nights.

In that light, you can appreciate the gratitude Lepine felt last year to know his restaurant in Ottawa was in good hands, and that revenue would be coming in while he and staff were away. (Of the $150 ticket price in 2012, $50 went to the food bank. This year the price is a more modest $80, which includes $20 for the Ottawa Food Bank.)

As it turned out, Lepine was indeed successful at the finale contest and came home with the coveted Canadian Culinary Champion title.

“I know how he feels because I remember last year thinking it’s incredible that all these chefs I respect so much will be working in my kitchen,” Lepine recalls.

“Apart from that, I remember wishing that I could attend. It was such a cool dinner I just wish I could have eaten here on one of those nights because it was a pretty special thing.”

Above, chef Jamie Stunt’s winning yak dish served in November at the regional Gold Medal Plates in Ottawa.

Ironically, even though Lepine stepped in to organize the takeover nights this time around he won’t be able to attend any at Oz Kafé because, as last year’s big winner, he’ll be serving guests at receptions and meals in Kelowna next month.

“I met with Jamie yesterday morning and he had a lot of questions,” Lepine says. “I told him how we packed all our food in Styrofoam boxes and taped it up, and made sure things were vacuum-packed so they wouldn’t leak. I actually kept celeriac chips on my lap the whole way as carry-on because I didn’t want them to break. And it was expensive to pay for all the extra luggage — we each went with three checked pieces.”

This year Stunt expects to take with him Simon Bell, his sous chef, and cook Michael Bednarz, as well as café owner and enthusiastic supporter Oz Balpinar. Sommelier Alex Scott will remain behind to mind the restaurant as other chefs take over four nights.

Above, chefs in February 2012 toast a job well done as they volunteered to keep Atelier open through “Weekend Takeover” in solidarity with chef/owner Marc Lepine and his staff, who brought home top honours from Kelowna at the Canadian Culinary Championship.

Although Stunt isn’t giving away his entire battle plan, he does allow that his proposed plate for the finale will be a variation of the seared yak from Tiraislin Fold Farm in Maberly, Ont., prawn pickle, crispy tomatillo, smoked boar vinaigrette, herbs, citrus and spice that won him first place in Ottawa. Again, it will be paired with special brew created by Ashton Brewing Co., a brewpub in nearby Ashton, Ont. (Stunt also used some of the spent grains from the beer in his breading for the tomatillo.)

“Most say it’s wise to make the same dish, but because a lot of stuff we used the first time were seasonal we felt to try and recreate the same using out-of-season ingredients may actually produce a worse dish than we made in Ottawa. So our plan is to be even better by changing some ingredients to keep them seasonal while retaining the same idea.”

Left, Atelier chef/owner Marc Lepine wins the Canadian Culinary Championship in February 2012.

As of this writing (details may change), here’s the guest chef lineup each day at Oz Kafé. Reservations ($80 + tax + tip, includes $20 donation to Ottawa Food Bank) for this hot ticket are available by calling 613-234-0907. Limited to one seating of 50 tickets nightly:

Wednesday Feb. 6 – Marc Doiron, town; Jason Duffy, Arc.the hotel; Jonathan Korecki, Sidedoor; Chris Lord, Union Local 613; Jon Svazas, Fauna; Simon and/or Ross Fraser, Fraser Café; Caroline Ishii, Zen Kitchen.

Thursday Feb. 7 – Charles Part, Les Fougères; Clifford Lyness, Brookstreet hotel; Yannick Anton, Le Cordon Bleu Signatures Bistro; Trish Larkin, Black Cat; Cesare Santaguida, Vittoria Trattoria; Michael Farber, Farb’s Kitchen.

Friday Feb. 8 – Matt Carmichael, El Camino; Arup Jana, Allium; Marysol Foucault, Edgar, Odile; Michael Moffatt, Beckta, Play, Gezellig; Chloe Berlanga, The Whalesbone Oyster House; Ben Baird, The Urban Pear.

Saturday Feb. 9 – Chris Deraiche, Wellington Gastropub; Michael Hay, Back Lane Café; Michael Radford, Izakaya; Murray Wilson, The Courtyard; Michael Blackie; Pat Garland, Absinthe; Peter Robblee, Juniper Kitchen.

“This is a huge deal for us and we’re very excited,” says Oz Balpinar, owner of the cafe.

“It’s a lot to wrap our heads around in terms of organizing, from travel arrangements to accommodations, to just being supportive for Jamie and Simon.

“And the support of other chefs helping out makes a huge difference in us actually being able to pay our bills the following month,” Balpinar says.

“Four busy days covers your rent, hydro, payroll … If we had to close those four days I think it would be really hard to afford this event so far away from home, to be honest. So it’s amazing the restaurant community is stepping up and Marc Lepine is heading it. It’s amazing the restaurant community is so close-knit in Ottawa, where everyone wants to help out.”

Says Stunt: “Oz has been absolutely unbelievable, she’s spared no expense. She’s given us total freedom to spend and do what we want, so we’re trying to be responsible about that. We’re had very good help with Canadian caviar donated from Northern Devine, but nonetheless this is still a very expensive undertaking for us.

“But Oz has total faith in us, which makes things a ton easier to try and bring home a gold medal to Ottawa for the second year in a row.”

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Twitter: @roneade

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“Pickled eggs and beer just don’t pay the bills”

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MAR 07 13 – 10:15 AM — A thought that occurs as I cross a side-door threshold at the Hintonburg landmark, Elmdale Tavern is, “Gee, when was the last time I saw a Ladies and Escorts entrance to a public beverage room?” At the risk of dating myself, I’m recalling the days of 20-cent draught — when it used to be spelled like that — dispensed in tall skinny glasses, on a tray with 20 or so at a time.

Inside, the second thought that pops to mind is, “Holy cow, what an absolutely gorgeous bartop!” made with reclaimed wood that’s been milled, stained and preserved under a layer of epoxy buffed to high lustre. It’s a large, 28-seat wrap-around eye-catcher made from bits of whatever old wood someone found laying around, some soft and some hard, but definitely none of it weathered or crusty barn board. The effect is both elegant and rustic, unique but unpretentious. It is a commanding surface of compelling natural beauty that wants a beer, or plate of fish, or chowder on top of it — now!

Which pretty much strikes me as the look and feel new owners Joshua Bishop and Peter McCallum of The Whalesbone Oyster House are going for when they bought the Elmdale lease in November, pumped with ambitious plans to keep the ambiance of live music, pickled eggs and beer by the quart — but add their own dimension of good, at times rustic family style eats and the kind of sustainable seafood Whalesbone is noted for.

Recall the Whalesbone guys created something of a stir in November when it sort of leaked out on social media the 77-year-old tavern owned by Nathalie and Bruce Myles, who had the place five years, had changed hands. In fact, it was Natalie Myles who posted the bulletin on Facebook, saying the place has new tenants as of Jan. 1 and it would no longer be a live music venue. The Whalesbone fellas have a 10-year lease with a 10-year option — so they’re in for the long haul.

While Natalie and Bruce Myles still hold title to the building, the Whalesbone crew in January began extensive renovations to add a kitchen (previously, only a microwave) and interior touches, like the bar I just gushed about, above. (Asked how much everything costs, Bishop says wistfully, “More than a thousand, less than a million.” Guess so …)

The food operation will be overseen by Chloe Berlanga, executive chef at the new Elmdale Oyster House & Tavern as well as the existing and long-standing Whalesbone Oyster House on Bank Street. Joining Berlanga at the Elmdale will be Phil Denny as chef de cuisine, formerly of Izakaya Asian Kitchen and Bar on Elgin Street (incidentally, chef Michael Radford has also left Izakaya to be chef de cuisine at Whalesbone on Bank Street).

Berlanga has been with the Whalesbone almost three years, starting as a prep cook, then working her way to lunch cook in 2010. Self-trained, she’s been executive chef about 18 months.

I caught up with Bishop, McCallum and Berlanga at the Elmdale on Tuesday afternoon, when they gave me a better idea of plans, focus, and what folks may expect as they walk through the door. Right off the bat, Bishop made it clear the plan is to have it open for St. Paddy’s Day on March 17 with live entertainment during the day by Mike Belajac, with Irish folk music, and the popular band The Fiftymen by night. (Check opening updates on Twitter @thewhalesbone)

Top L-R: Josh Bishop, Chloe Berlanga, Peter McCallum. Bottom, the guys switch places. Check the cool bartop!

“There won’t be much regular entertainment at the beginning, although we do plan on St. Paddy’s Day,” Bishop says. “But we really want to get our food in order before we go into full entertainment. The intent, however, is to go with entertainment no less than three nights a week.”

As for the food, Berlanga says, “it’s what you’d expect of an east-coast tavern that’s still focusing on sustainable seafood.

“We’ll be serving up chowder and fish and chips, lobster rolls and a few things that may be a a bit less classic like tuna tatak (with lime, jalapeño, grapefruit, tortilla sand, crème fraîche) or, I dunno, bouillabaisse.”

On the draft menu I spotted crab cakes, oysters rockafella (with spinach, butter, pernod, garlic, old cheddar), crab cakes, fried oyster po’boy (with aïoli, red onion, slaw on a bun), braised beef rib po’boy, lobster roll, smoked fish platter. Interestingly, the Elmdale Oyster House will also be selling favourites by the pound for any size group, including boiled lobster with drawn butter (comes with bib and crackers), steamed mussels and braised beef ribs. And for late night: Try the ubiquitous tavern staple pickled eggs, or fries with aïoli (no one seems to serve just mayonnaise any more), pickled cheese, pickled herring smorgasbord, fish and chips (of course), chowder and wedge salad.

“So we’ll have family-style dining where you can buy, say, braised ribs by weight for any size group,” Berlanga says.

“From the get-go we’re beginning with a reduced menu, but we hope to expand as time goes on to include stuffed fish, a big lobster boil in the summer — food you can bring to the table to serve a large group.”

Top, Josh Bishop in the watch-your-head dungeon basement where furniture (among other things) is stored. Bottom, a brand-new kitchen to replace the old microwave.

And the goal is to offer lower prices than what customers may expect at the established Whalesbone restaurant on Bank Street. But, there’s a limit how low a fishmonger can go when he or she is in the business of selling premium quality and sustainable products.

“Obviously we’d like to bring our prices down, that’s the goal,” Berlanga says. “But we’re dealing with sustainable fish of high quality, so our base ingredients in every dish present higher food costs.”

Bishop describes the planned Elmdale menu as a bit “more rustic and approachable than what has evolved at the oyster house” on Bank Street.

“We understand Elmdale is a neighbourhood institution and we do not want to mess with that. But, inevitably, spaces change and it’s not the old Elmdale. Hey, for the cost of living I couldn’t afford to operate the old Elmdale — picked eggs and beer just don’t pay the bills.

“People will always have an opportunity to order a couple of oysters, a drink and a bowl of chowder at a reasonable price. But I find people often like to spoil themselves with maybe a dozen oysters, a bottle of wine between them, maybe a lobster, a steak, dessert. You’re eating the finest ingredients, so no wonder you can get a reputation as having a high price point,” Bishop says.

“Here, people will have an opportunity to spend a little, but if they want to enjoy more of the finer things then the cost goes up.”

From left, Peter McCallum, Chloe Berlanga, Joshua Bishop at Elmdale Oyster House on Wellington Street on Tuesday, where we got a peek at what’s coming … soon.

Property owner Bruce Myles says he’s “very impressed” by what the Whalesbone lads have done with his place. “They have some great ideas and I really think they’ve kept the appreciation of the era.

“I think it’ll be a popular spot,” Myles says. “It will be a continuation of what it was — a place for neighbourhood people to come together.”

While Whalesbone on Bank Street is a destination restaurant where people make reservations to eat, McCallum says the fact Elmdale is five times larger means “you can just drop in, have a beer and six oysters” with not much forethought.

“You don’t have to plan ahead to come here for dinner. So the size makes it more conducive to a drop-in dinner.”

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Twitter: @roneade

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are going for

Sunday, March 17 –   St. Paddy’s Day — will be the grand opening for the much-anticipated new Elmdale Oyster House & Tavern as The Whalesbone restaurant reopens the beloved Elmdale House Tavern in Hintonburg. The party will get started at 11:30 a.m. at the iconic tavern at 1084 Wellington St. West (near the corner of Melrose) and is expected to go to 2 a.m.
“It’s not a private party — it will be open to the public,” says Pete McCallum, Oyster House manager. “We anticipate that there may be a line-up at some parts of the day.”
Live entertainment with traditional Irish tunes will begin about noon; the band The Fiftymen will play in the evening, starting at 9 or 9:30 p.m.
The menu Sunday is a limited one, since the restaurant is just opening, and a special one geared for St. Patrick’s Day, but it gives us a delicious taste of what to expect. Here’s Sunday’s menu, courtesy of executive chef Chloe Berlanga:

St. Paddy’s menu for the grand opening at Elmdale Oyster House and Tavern

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Was that you I saw shucking on Sunday?

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JULY 03 13 – 3 PM — There’s something mildly amusing, I think, standing at the corner of Kent Street and Arlington Avenue on the afternoon of Whalesbone’s annual Bytowne Oysterfest, witnessing literally hundreds of grown-up men, women, and a few of their children jammed onto a tiny fenced gravel parking lot, where the kids enjoy soda, fish burgers, arts and crafts while their parents nosh and slosh back Sailor Jerry spiced rum, local Beau’s and Kichesippi craft beers, and pitchers of sangria …

Oh, and a gazillion fresh molluscs.

Can’t forget the bivalves — an incredible 6,000 oysters consumed this year at the 6th annual Bytowne Oysterfest held Sunday, plus 600 deep-fried cod burgers and some 500 pulled chicken sandwiches, and samosas.

Organizers estimate attendance was down slightly this year — say, 700 people through the gate compared to 800- revellers in 2012. But the good news is, the event overall ran more smoothly than ever, says Kate Klenavic, an organizer and chef at Whalesbone catering.

Above left, organizer and Whalesbone Catering chef Kate Klenavic with nine-month-old daughter Mildred Lomow, wisely fitted with ear protection. Klenavic married John Lomow in April 2011 and Mildred is their first child. Right, a volunteer gets her sleeves snipped as the thermometre climbed ever higher …

“There weren’t as many people as last year,” Klenavic says, “but we felt overall it was a better festival.

“We probably had about 700 people come through the door, and I think we had more space by taking over a small parking lot next door. We had more dancing and it seemed the crowd was more chilled this year, and the vibe was not as crazy.”

Even better, they didn’t have city bylaw noise officers drop by to quiet things down, as they did last year.

“The only thing we ran out of was the cod for the burgers, by about 6 p.m., so we brought in walleye from our fridge. This year we found we went through more food and less drink.”

That’s, say, four cases of rum compared to six cases last year.

Two bands and a D.J. provided music, compared to four bands and a D.J. in 2012. Returning this year was The Flaps, joined by Soulcracker.

Once again I was delighted to join a happy group of judges hidden inside the Sailor Jerry trailer to decide winners at the annual oyster shucking contest, with 18 chefs and 21 pros in separate competitions. Also at the judges table was eChloe Berlanga, executive chef at Whalesbone Oyster House as well as Elmdale Oyster Hours & Tavern, and Jeff Curry, a Vancouver-based wine importer.

The always-popular cod burger, one of 600 served at the 6th annual Bytowne Oysterfest on Sunday before organizers ran out and brought in fresh walleye to meet demand.

Each contestant is given an entry number, and 14 oysters to shuck. They must present exactly 12 finished oysters to judges — any more or less disqualifies the entry.  Seconds are added as penalty to their time for each mistake — three seconds for each oyster that contains grit or pieces of shell, another three for each mangled specimen, and three more seconds for each that’s not cut clean from the shell. Ten seconds are added for each oyster that arrives hanging off the side.

And if a shucker is unfortunate enough to gore himself and bleed onto the shell(s), well, that transgression adds three penalty seconds per contaminated oyster. (Only one contestant bled onto the plate this year. Rather disgusting, but it can happen.)

Above, the shucking never stops … not ever.

This year’s pro winner taking home $500 was Eamon Clark of Rodney’s Oyster House in Toronto (his third top win in six years now), who scored a flat time of 59.56 seconds. His overall score including time added for penalties came to 1 minute, 8.59 seconds. Clark also claimed $100 as having the fastest plate.

Cleanest plate among professional entries was Peter McCallum of The Whalesbone, collecting $100 with just one penalty of three seconds for having shell or grit on the oyster.

Winning bragging rights only — again — as best shucker among chefs was Mike Poliquin of Metropolitain Brasserie, with an adjusted time (after penalties) of 2 minutes, 6 seconds.

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Twitter: @roneade

Omnivore’s Ottawa® is a registered trademark.

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Just the service for folks who think cooking is fun
– minus the drudgery of grocery shopping

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Check Twitter @chefxottawa

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OCT 27 13 – 09:15 AM — In a cramped industrial kitchen brimming with fresh cilantro, basil, celeriac, vacuum-packed meat and then some, entrepreneur Jeff Heaton, 36, assembles boxes of portioned meal ingredients with girlfriend Marika Boyko (photo, above) on this, his first day in business.

Called Chefx, the concept is disarmingly simple yet deliciously compelling: To relieve busy folk from the drudgery (if that’s the word) of grocery shopping by delivering tested, foolproof recipes from among the best chefs in Ottawa — along with every conceivable ingredient required to make them, all delivered weekly to your doorstep in an insulated Coleman cooler.

Each designer box comes with ice packs and enough bits and pieces to prepare two separate recipes – one from a known local chef, the other from the kitchens at Urban Element – to feed from two to six people, depending on your order.

Nothing is left to guesswork.

A typical full-colour recipe sheet with instructions looks like this:

For example:

Where an Urban Element recipe last Sunday, his first week in business, for seared chicken with tomato vinaigrette required 1/8 cup of aged balsamic vinegar, Heaton thoughtfully included a small plastic cup of the stuff in the box so no one went without.

Basil? He bagged a fresh sprig. Pinch of sugar? Ah, there was a little sachet, like you’d find in a diner. A tablespoon of capers? In a plastic shot glass. Heavy cream? He threw in a half-pint carton. Chicken breasts? Yes, conveniently vacuum-packed in plastic.

On my second day, dinner was by chef Marysol Foucault (of Edgar restaurant, Gatineau) with her recipe for Lemony Leek Lamb with Sauteed Zucchini and Yogurt. Yes, the box came with ground vac-packed fresh lamb, leeks, squash, two little tubs of Greek yogurt, parsley, cilantro, one Thai chili pepper, two whole eggs …

You get the idea.

All the customer has to do is subscribe online, arrange payment through PayPal with a credit card, and wait for Sunday delivery. The deal for two meals, each serving two people, costs $59. Four portions is $99, while six is $139.

That works out to roughly $15 per meal with the two-person option, or $11.60 for the six-person deal.

While convenient ingredient portion packs has roots in Europe, Heaton says he got the idea working in Geneva where he discovered grocery stores were closed by the time he got off work, and they weren’t open Sunday.

“Invariably I was hungry and it was expensive to eat out,” Heaton says.

“So I took cooking classes in Switzerland and realized how easy it is to cook when everything is nicely set out and ready in front of you. I wondered, what would happen if you could deliver a cooking class to your home and save yourself the grocery shopping?”

Which is exactly his idea.

To that end, Heaton took unpaid leave this year from his job as a service officer at Foreign Affairs to flesh out the idea, develop a business plan, and recruit 10 chefs to get started. So far he’s got 10 paid subscribers, but on his first day last Sunday he delivered 25 packages including one for each participating chef “to show them what I’m doing, and that I’m serious” and five to journalists and food bloggers.

Eventually he hopes for 200 customers to make the business really viable.

I was among a handful of people who received a complimentary two-meal package wrapped in a ribbon last week, each recipe serving two people, and discovered the dishes went together easily.

Then again, I truly enjoy grocery shopping, and for 14 years as former Food editor I was always grateful someone paid me to do what I like most.

I was especially delighted to see, in the case of a mashed potato recipe from Urban Element, the box included celeriac – an ugly, knobby root from the celery plant that lightens the potatoes, a welcome addition I’m certain most novices would overlook.

(To me, the star of that recipe was the tangy tomato caper vinaigrette – photo, left – with aged balsamic that embellished otherwise-bland boneless chicken breast. As for the mashed spuds, well, I would have tripled the butter to two tablespoons, and tossed a clove or two of garlic into the boil for extra flavour – but that’s my preference.)

One thing is certain: The chefs he’s recruited so far are keen on the idea. And they’re no doubt grateful for the $50 Heaton pays per recipe when most others who ask for help expect professional cooks to contribute free.

“When I was approached by Jeff, I totally knew what he was talking about,” says Foucault at Edgar restaurant, who adds that she heard of similar concepts through a friend in Germany.

“From a professional point of view it’s an incredibly interesting challenge.

“As the person who gives the recipe, you have to make it foolproof and ensure it is a challenge, yet still simple enough so it’s not frustrating for home cooks.”

Will it go over well in Ottawa? Foucault believes, yes.

“We’re becoming more of a food-centric city. This is a way of enjoying a meal at home in a relaxed setting, and to tackle a little challenge,” she says.

“You raise a glass after your first bite, smile, and pat yourself on the back for cooking it yourself, saving a bit of money. You have a good bottle of wine and don’t have to drive home, and you did not hear the loud people at the table beside you.”

She’s got a good point or two, there.

Chef Chris Deraiche at Wellington Gastropub loves the idea too.

“It gets quality ingredients and recipes to home cooks while providing a service some people may not have time for.

“I liked working with Jeff a lot, and I think it’s a unique service for Ottawa,” Deraiche says. “And my understanding is the recipes will not only be seasonal, but will draw from local producers when possible, as well as offer sustainable seafood.”

“I love Chex, I really do,” says chef Patricia Larkin, conscripted to the recipe ranks from Black Cat Bistro.

“After testing out a box, I’m sure there’s a market,” Larkin says. “My gentleman friend, J.P., made both meals I received and I reaped the benefit of receiving boxed lunches.

“I got him in time to help with the lamb dish – directions were easy to follow, and the convenience is well worth the price.

“The best part for me is it takes you out of your comfort zone or your routine. It’s fun to see what other chefs choose for people to cook at home, and it wouldn’t take long with Chefx to gather a binder full of new recipes with confidence to make them again – with your own twists,” Larkin says.

Chef Marc Doiron, at Town restaurant, thinks folks at home may get a kick out of cooking from a popular chef’s recipe.

“Whenever I see a chef’s new recipe, I know I’m interested. I’m participating because I was impressed with the calibre of other chefs he has enlisted, and this also gives people a chance at home to experiment with tested recipes without having to travel all over the city for some ingredients,” Doiron says.

“If I as a consumer told my family we’re doing something from chef Steve Wall at Supply and Demand for dinner tonight, I think that would be pretty exciting.”

Participating chefs to date include Foucault, Wall, Larkin, Doiron, Deraiche, Chloe Berlanga of The Whalesbone, Marc Lepine at Atelier, Steve Mitton at Murray Street, Chris Lord at Union Local 613, and Matthew Shepheard of Mariposa Farm.

And, of course, the folks at Urban Element where Anna March is resident chef.

Tomorrow, check Omnivore’s Ottawa for a follow-up in-depth, question-and-answer interview with Chefx founder, Jeff Heaton.

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Twitter: @roneade

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Above, chef Michael Radford at the former Savana Café.

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Chloe Berlanga steps down
for more time with young family

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JAN 28 14 – 10:45 AM — Chef de cuisine Michael Radford at Whalesbone Oyster House on Bank Street is taking the reins as executive chef at Whalesbone and its sister dining establishment, Elmdale Oyster House, as executive chef Chloe Berlanga steps down to spend more time with her young family.

The change takes effect on Friday.

Recall that Radford, 38, who before opening Izakaya Asian Kitchen and Bar in spring 2012, was executive chef at Savana Café on Gilmour Street for three years (Savana closed  in late 2011).

Berlanga, who is self-trained in the culinary arts, started at Whalesbone as a prep cook, then worked her way to lunch cook in 2010 before being named executive chef about three years ago.

Right, Chloe Berlanga.

“Michael has been shadowing the operation, preparing to take over for the last month,” says Joshua Bishop, Whalesbone founder and co-owner.

“We don’t expect there will be much of a menu change at the Whalesbone or at Elmdale, however seasonal changes will be left up to Michael. But at the end of the day, we are still an oyster house,” Bishop says.

“He’s a veteran of several great kitchens and he’s doing a great job. We have all confidence in Michael, that’s for sure.”

For his part, Radford says he’s excited about the opportunity. “Chloe has left me with two really good kitchens to work with,” Radford says.

“I think there’s room to put a Radford touch on the menu, but immediately I just want to see where I stand and to keep the kitchens running top-notch.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity and wish Chloe the best in her future endeavours,” Radford says.

Berlanga says that while she plans to take a little time to be with her family, she definitely plans to return to a kitchen — perhaps soon.

“I’ve been with the Whalesbone almost four years now. It’s been great and I love them,” Berlanga says.

“But I have two kids — age 11 and six — and my husband is a musician who’s on the road a lot. So I thought I needed a little break with the family. I just want to take a small moment with the kids.

“I have no specific plans yet,” Berlanga says, “but I’m looking for a new adventure. It won’t be long before you’ll see my cooking somewhere else real soon.

“I gave a month’s notice, and finish up this Friday. Michael is an amazing chef and I back him 100 per cent. He’ll do a great job.”

Congratulations.

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Twitter: @roneade

Email: ronlorne[at]hotmail[dot]com

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