inthekitchen
chef of the
every man
Chef Wayne Martin’s Capital Grill and Bar melds
west coast fi nesse with prairie city authenticity.
by Teena Legris
Tucked away in a quiet, suburban neighbourhood strip mall amidst
a handful of notable food franchises is the blue calm of Capital Grill
and Bar. The prized gem of Charleswood, housed on Roblin Boulevard,
pleases keen foodies with an ear to the ground while impressing
appreciative diners.
Wayne Martin, the soft-spoken man in chef’s whites, has a notable
curriculum vitae, having hop-skipped the world for over 20 years and
venturing into entrepreneurialism. After cutting his teeth cooking in
exacting kitchens with the very best, Wayne continues to demonstrate a
proclivity for the gourmet, tempered with a love of comfort food.
Growing up in Barrie, Ontario, he exhibited natural skill in the
kitchen. He embarked on his fi rst kitchen-related job with Four Seasons
at the historic Minaki Lodge in the early 1990s, a sous chef gig which
proved to be the perfect jumping off point for his career. For the next
ten years, Wayne worked ardently at various Four Seasons locations
throughout North America - from the small Caribbean island of Nevis,
to the southernmost state capital of Austin, Texas.
The highly regarded global hotel chain became his training ground
within the food and hospitality industry, one that wasn’t contingent on
formal culinary schooling. Experiencing the structure of a corporate
hierarchy was crucial to his learning path, requiring patience and
endurance.
“I spent long, gruelling 12-hour days, 7 days a week making 200-240
brunches a day.” Chef Wayne says, laughing. “That’s a lot of eggs Benny
and hollandaise!”
The determined chef demonstrated a strong aptitude for technical
skill and menu-building while managing the chaotic pace of large
kitchens and crews - talents that earned Wayne the title of Executive
Chef at Four Seasons in Vancouver.
Corporate standards of excellence offered friendly competition with
some fl exibility to collaborate on certain dishes. Yet, for most chefs with
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ciao! / jun/jul / two thousand eighteen