chef profile
Östen Rice, Wasabi Sabi
Photos by Ian McCausland
Östen Rice is celebrating his fifth anniversary as head chef of Wasabi Sabi, where he has consistently kept the Japanese restaurant at the forefront of trend-setting flavours and techniques. In October 2012, he won Gold at the Gold Medal Plates Culinary competition in Winnipeg and was invited to Kelowna, B. C. in Winter 2013 to compete in the national competition.
The secret ingredient in your fridge: Korean black garlic. They take a bulb of garlic and ferment it using heat and pressure. The resulting cloves are jet black, soft and develop a complex rich and fruity aroma reminiscent of a really good aged balsamic vinegar. I have used it in vinaigrettes, sauces or even spread on crostini for antipasto. Delicious.
The next new food trend: I think we are going to see more and more attention paid to the context in which food is eaten. So much of our dining experience has to do with memory and past experience. Beyond the food on the plate, the colour of the dish it is served on, the music playing in the background, the lighting and smell of the room, all play key roles in how we experience and even taste the food.
Favourite travel food destination: So far, it would have to be Chicago. But my dream is to spend a month eating and drinking my way across Spain. is a science behind every cooking technique, removing the stigma that cooking was some kind of mystery you eventually solve only through years of practice.
Most famous person cooked for: When I worked at Fox Harb, r Resort in Nova Scotia, I cooked for Bill Clinton.
Favourite homecooked meal: My mom’ s meatloaf and mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy.
First meal that made you really pay attention to food: I remember sitting in the grass by the ocean in Malmö, Sweden, when I was maybe 10, eating this green-boned fish out of newspaper my Uncle Sven had just finished smoking. There was something surreal about the experience, I realized that food could be magic.
Favourite current dish on the menu at Wasabi Sabi: I am currently running a dish of seared Digby scallops with grapefruit, black garlic sauce, grilled asparagus and Anglesey flake salt.
Favourite wine: My favourite wine is always changing, but right now it is Tommasi 2010 Ripasso Valpolicella Classico Superiore. �
Guilty pleasure: Corn dogs with yellow mustard and ketchup chips.
Favourite cookbook: It is a tie. The French Laundry by Thomas Keller really opened my eyes to the importance of refined technique and the pursuit of perfection. On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee taught me that there
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