inthekitchen
Running solo was tough , and introducing a foreign food concept in this city proved to be slow going . Despite the ongoing financial challenges of keeping it running , Edward was committed to seeing the restaurant succeed . “ I don ’ t remember being happy at Miyabi , but Miyabi is where I fell in love with cooking ,” he says .
Those best , worst years shaped his culinary path . Edward immersed himself in learning to cook by watching Japanese cooking videos , “ Without subtitles ,” he adds . These four-hour binge sessions , stopping and replaying parts until he understood the techniques , comprised his culinary training .
Meanwhile , his dishes were getting noticed , and business picked up . Customers were lining up outside the door of the tiny eatery , despite the rough-around-the-edges service . Then , amid the struggle , some validation : Ciao ! magazine contacted him to include him in a special editorial feature giving recognition to the city ’ s top 40 chefs . “ At that point I knew I was doing something right ,” he attests . Meeting highly regarded chefs at that photoshoot gave him a boost of confidence to feed his drive .
Nine years passed before Edward closed Miyabi , ready to step back but pleased with his accomplishment . After a short stint away from the kitchen , working in the oil fields of Alberta , he returned to Winnipeg and to cooking , intent on widening his range of skills . To learn French and western-style techniques , he joined Lobby on York . He also worked for another sushi spot for a short while , but it wasn ’ t long before his mentor , Masa , reached out again , telling him Yujiro was where Edward belonged .
This time the two worked side by side , and Edward continued to learn from his friend , expanding his repertoire of Japanese specialties — until Masa offered to sell him the business . Yujiro already had an existing fan base , so he jumped at the chance , confident and prepared .
For the past 10 years , Chef Edward has presided as chef / owner of Yujiro , quietly developing his mastery of the culinary arts , hitting his stride and growing his customer base . In an industry populated by introverted creatives , Edward ’ s engaging personality is an attractive draw . He keeps company with the new school up-and-comer chefs and the top tier elite , comfortably fitting in with anyone who shares his passion for food .
The city ’ s most revered chef , Takashi Murakami , is one of his dearest friends . Their mutual friendship with Masa and Murakami ’ s regular visits to Yujiro as a customer led to a pivotal paradigm shift in chef Edward ’ s career path . “ He taught me French techniques and treated me like his apprentice .”
Chef Edward is established now as a legitimate , sit-up-and-take-notice contributor to the food scene who is making waves among the culinary establishment . He comes out on top in culinary battles with the best , bringing home the gold medal in 2022 for his entry in the prestigious Gold Medal Plates competition . And sharp business moves like a pandemic pivot to ready-to-heat ramen have shown his skill managing eateries extends beyond the kitchen walls , too .
Sitting at his stylish downtown eatery today , his attention comes back to fermentation . It is clear he still loves learning , but has also comfortably assumed the role of teacher and mentor . It was his “ right hand ” chef , Jil Osias , who sparked an interest in friendly bacteria , having spent two years in a trendy Philippines ’ kitchen influenced by Chef Rene Redzepi , the chef-patron of the acclaimed restaurant Noma .
Together Chef Ed and Chef Jil geek out about what ’ s in the works , excited to spread the word about their umami-imparting creations : an accidental sriracha sauce , created in the process of fermenting miso , which has replaced their store-bought bottles ; house made fish sauces that are completely plantbased . These new scratch-made ingredients save money for Edward ’ s three ventures , essential for the notoriously slim-margined restaurant business .
Chef Edward Lam represents the newestage chef : a culinary leader , pushing boundaries with ingredients while still being accessible to diners in a food court . His lack of formal training puts him in a burgeoning group of selftaught superstars changing the game in hospitality . While he pushes the envelope with concepts and ingredients , Ed ’ s restaurants temper spontaneity with business savvy and a desire to create a strong community throughout Winnipeg ’ s culinary scene .
22 ciao ! / summer / two thousand twenty-three