Things are warming up in Ottawa...
Thursday, February 15
What is riskier than sharp knives and boiling pots in this region? The weather in Ottawa! Didn't make it to my shift yesterday to the Branch because I didn't want to risk driving to there and from there with blowing snow and temperatures dipping into the minus whatever. It feels so cold here after California.
So, decided to spend the day in town thinking of other ways I could practice my culinary skills and it has been on my mind lately to call Beckta restaurant (http://www.beckta.com) and several people upon returning home mentioned that they had really good meals there lately. I was wondering how it would be with the head chef leaving and the sous-chef now in charge. I read their web site before leaving and related articles and was really impressed by the philosophy of the restaurant of using local suppliers and as much as possible natural, organic and seasonal products in their cooking. They actually have a very interesting links pages that talks about all the suppliers they are using and promotes them, some selling to the public, and interesting web sites... http://www.beckta.com/links.php Upon returning home, I have been reviewing their web site, which has a lot of new links, and reading reviews about them from customers and the media, all excellent... Ottawa Magazine - Ottawa's #1 Restaurant, November 2006, Enroute Magazine 2003 - 4th Best New Restaurant in Canada, Epicurean Awards 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 - Gold Medal "Best Fine Dining Restaurant", CAA/AAA 2004 & 2005 - 4-Diamond Award (out of five),
Where to Eat in Canada 2003, 2004, 2005 - Two Stars (out of three), etc. etc. This is definitely one of "the" places to go to in Ottawa.
Well then, on a snowy cold Thursday morning, I took a risk and called Beckta. Perhaps I could intern or stage there I thought. What did I have to lose by calling? I felt safe and secure now that I was not risking my life to drive to the Branch to help out but disappointed as I really want to keep up my culinary and knife skills.
What happened? I was able to reach the executive chef Michael Moffat live, which was very lucky. And, then he had time to speak to me on Valentine's Day, one of the most busiest days of the year for restaurants. Again, lucky. I was very impressed, actually thrilled, that Michael was so approachable, warm and supportive. We had a good lively discussion about my course, the restaurant industry and life in NYC (he worked there for several years before coming to Ottawa), and our shared interest in using natural and organic foods, supporting local farmers and suppliers, encouraging a sustainable, fair and safe food supply system in Ottawa, and promoting the concept of farm to table, with the hope that people begin to see the connection between what we grow and what we eat and that it is part of a larger picture of a sustainable planet and our future. Very interesting stuff! Although Beckta is not vegetarian as the other restaurants I have worked at, I believe that it's most important in my development and training to work in the best restaurants and with the best chefs that have the same philosophy.
Chef Moffat said that he gets a lot of calls from culinary students, in particular from Algonquin, as they want to intern at the best restaurant in the city but he really wants people in his kitchen that "get it". Well, I guess I am one of the ones that "get it" as I am going to start working in his kitchen on Fridays starting tomorrow with six other chefs in the kitchen! What a thrill!
As I've said all along, you never know what you're going to get and the story, my story, is far from over each time I think I have no more tales to tell...
I have started to do some research on community groups and news in the area, along with the help of Dave, related to a sustainable, just and safe food supply system in Ottawa, organic and natural foods, slow food, cooperatives, health-supportive eating, etc. etc. I am surprised and thrilled with all that is happening in Ottawa by concerned citizens and I want to do my part to spread the word as much as possible. Therefore, I will start to highlight some key groups and events in the blog as I find them.
For example, Just Food is a progressive and active organization working on creating a "just and sustainable food supply system in Ottawa" and I am impressed by what they are doing... http://www.spcottawa.on.ca/ofsc/ They have programs such as Students for Farming that makes farms accessible to students, an Ottawa Buy Local Guide with a listing of where food is grown locally in Ottawa, courses on organic gardening, a list of Ottawa area food and nutrition programs, etc. etc. I hope to meet with them shortly. Chef Moffat from Beckta says he works closely with the organization on a number of activities, including farm to table events and tours that connect farmers with restaurants in Ottawa. Seems a lot has happened while I was gone or perhaps I was not "awake" to these activities before my studies.
My first announcement:
There is an important documentary that Just Food is showing on March 1 called "The Future of Food", an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S.[and Canadian] grocery store shelves for the past decade. It's one of the films that the president of our school encouraged all students in our school to see as being vital to our education and she held a screening. Just Food is showing it on March 1 from 7-9 pm at the Ottawa Public Library Main Branch with a small presentation, suggested donation of $5. I'll be there to see it and I hope there will be many others as well. Here's the link for more info...http://www.spcottawa.on.ca/ofsc/en/index.asp
What is riskier than sharp knives and boiling pots in this region? The weather in Ottawa! Didn't make it to my shift yesterday to the Branch because I didn't want to risk driving to there and from there with blowing snow and temperatures dipping into the minus whatever. It feels so cold here after California.
So, decided to spend the day in town thinking of other ways I could practice my culinary skills and it has been on my mind lately to call Beckta restaurant (http://www.beckta.com) and several people upon returning home mentioned that they had really good meals there lately. I was wondering how it would be with the head chef leaving and the sous-chef now in charge. I read their web site before leaving and related articles and was really impressed by the philosophy of the restaurant of using local suppliers and as much as possible natural, organic and seasonal products in their cooking. They actually have a very interesting links pages that talks about all the suppliers they are using and promotes them, some selling to the public, and interesting web sites... http://www.beckta.com/links.php Upon returning home, I have been reviewing their web site, which has a lot of new links, and reading reviews about them from customers and the media, all excellent... Ottawa Magazine - Ottawa's #1 Restaurant, November 2006, Enroute Magazine 2003 - 4th Best New Restaurant in Canada, Epicurean Awards 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 - Gold Medal "Best Fine Dining Restaurant", CAA/AAA 2004 & 2005 - 4-Diamond Award (out of five),
Where to Eat in Canada 2003, 2004, 2005 - Two Stars (out of three), etc. etc. This is definitely one of "the" places to go to in Ottawa.
Well then, on a snowy cold Thursday morning, I took a risk and called Beckta. Perhaps I could intern or stage there I thought. What did I have to lose by calling? I felt safe and secure now that I was not risking my life to drive to the Branch to help out but disappointed as I really want to keep up my culinary and knife skills.
What happened? I was able to reach the executive chef Michael Moffat live, which was very lucky. And, then he had time to speak to me on Valentine's Day, one of the most busiest days of the year for restaurants. Again, lucky. I was very impressed, actually thrilled, that Michael was so approachable, warm and supportive. We had a good lively discussion about my course, the restaurant industry and life in NYC (he worked there for several years before coming to Ottawa), and our shared interest in using natural and organic foods, supporting local farmers and suppliers, encouraging a sustainable, fair and safe food supply system in Ottawa, and promoting the concept of farm to table, with the hope that people begin to see the connection between what we grow and what we eat and that it is part of a larger picture of a sustainable planet and our future. Very interesting stuff! Although Beckta is not vegetarian as the other restaurants I have worked at, I believe that it's most important in my development and training to work in the best restaurants and with the best chefs that have the same philosophy.
Chef Moffat said that he gets a lot of calls from culinary students, in particular from Algonquin, as they want to intern at the best restaurant in the city but he really wants people in his kitchen that "get it". Well, I guess I am one of the ones that "get it" as I am going to start working in his kitchen on Fridays starting tomorrow with six other chefs in the kitchen! What a thrill!
As I've said all along, you never know what you're going to get and the story, my story, is far from over each time I think I have no more tales to tell...
I have started to do some research on community groups and news in the area, along with the help of Dave, related to a sustainable, just and safe food supply system in Ottawa, organic and natural foods, slow food, cooperatives, health-supportive eating, etc. etc. I am surprised and thrilled with all that is happening in Ottawa by concerned citizens and I want to do my part to spread the word as much as possible. Therefore, I will start to highlight some key groups and events in the blog as I find them.
For example, Just Food is a progressive and active organization working on creating a "just and sustainable food supply system in Ottawa" and I am impressed by what they are doing... http://www.spcottawa.on.ca/ofsc/ They have programs such as Students for Farming that makes farms accessible to students, an Ottawa Buy Local Guide with a listing of where food is grown locally in Ottawa, courses on organic gardening, a list of Ottawa area food and nutrition programs, etc. etc. I hope to meet with them shortly. Chef Moffat from Beckta says he works closely with the organization on a number of activities, including farm to table events and tours that connect farmers with restaurants in Ottawa. Seems a lot has happened while I was gone or perhaps I was not "awake" to these activities before my studies.
My first announcement:
There is an important documentary that Just Food is showing on March 1 called "The Future of Food", an in-depth investigation into the disturbing truth behind the unlabeled, patented, genetically engineered foods that have quietly filled U.S.[and Canadian] grocery store shelves for the past decade. It's one of the films that the president of our school encouraged all students in our school to see as being vital to our education and she held a screening. Just Food is showing it on March 1 from 7-9 pm at the Ottawa Public Library Main Branch with a small presentation, suggested donation of $5. I'll be there to see it and I hope there will be many others as well. Here's the link for more info...http://www.spcottawa.on.ca/ofsc/en/index.asp
posted by Caroline at 8:02 PM
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