James Kendal

Ok, After reading through the thread. I mark up wine aggressively for bottles under $50. Everything over $55 on the wine list is 100%, some of my wines over $200 are only 50%. For example, Dom Perignon cost $195, it is $295 on the list. We are also currently selling wines by the glass in the $15-20 range and these are are only marked up a flat 100%. We are trying to encourage people to drink better wine or reserve level wines that are perceived as offering a good value as well as an opportunity. WIth multi course menus it is better for us to go over the top on wines by the glass. We have to make money but we also have to use some ethics in our business. If we have very rare wines (i.e. 1 bottle allocation of Grange) then they are marked up relative to the demand. For the most part it is buyer beware in this market but it make no sense to triple mark up high end wines as they might not sell too fast. If your selling wine on Bay street to expense account brokers and pay $100 a square foot in rental for your restaurant then I can understand, perhaps, why you would find these markups.

Interesting, 2 Saveur magazine writers are slated to come to Vancouver Island in September. This is arranged through public relations. They are quite interested in island cheese and 5 various properties (the usual suspects). That's all I know at this point.

I spoke directly with the BCLDB. Imported Spirits and beers are starting to run low. Wine is not a problem yet and they are considering having it shipped to Seattle and trucked up. Lets hope that doesn't happen. I have new dining room chairs that are sitting in a container some where and I would like to get them sooner rather than later. Soon enough I guess.

Hmmmm.... Perhaps this is the time to step up and drink the local wines....

I would stay at the JPL so long as you can get a renovated room. Look for a Beauvert suite. If you book you must insist on a newer room, I would also mention that rates are very high in August. If you are considering booking and need advice the greatest individual that I have worked with is the JPL Guest Services Manager Rob White. Email him at rob.white@fairmont.com He will make your stay fantastic. Mention to him that you were reffered by James Kendal and he will VIP you. For food I would go to Moose's Nook and scour the wine lists as I left them with many gems. I don't know about the Cavell these days as my former Chef de Cuisine, Kamal, is now in Whister at the Chateaux.

Dont forget that the article is about NEW restaurants.

Kurtisk, Agreed, but where is the value in a 3 course @ $100, thats $60 entree and $25 app, $15 dessert Menus like this discourage people from ordering and put pressure on them to go big. Quite frankly, Feenies is a better deal in that regard.

Kurtisk, I understand where you are coming from but I do not see Lumiere as a place to just go for a nice dinner with friends. It's an experience.

From a professional standpoint and from a buyers perspective (from working in 3 provinces): The B.C. Liberals back tracked on full privatization. LRS stores get an 18% discount and restaurants get 8%. In Aberta its a flat 40% discount or a real wholesale price. For all the pro-union, pro-bcldb'ers... your arguments have no validity when it comes to a retail business. The restaurant sector is getting screwed as well as the consumers and the LRS. It is not a level playing field and I think private merchants, over time, can do much better at selecting what their clients want. In 2003 I was placed in Alberta with a prominant hotel chain. In less than 3 months I was able to completely put together a 500 selection (WS Best of Award)new wine program with extensive selections (very few of which I can get here in B.C. and some of which I am having special ordered through the B.C. agents and at a much higher price). The work I did in that period of time would have taken years in B.C. I am sorry for my tone but I have seen this argument through so many times that it really bothers me. It bothers me even more that my industry is struggling for credibililty with wine pricing but we are not getting a fair deal. Just my 2 cents, except on more point... WHEN THE HELL is B.C. going to grow up and allow corkage!!!!

Hmm, $100 for 3 courses is a bit too pricey. That would certainly lead to some problems if you were not serving really high end product. I wrote too soon. I just went to lumiere's menu and why would anyone order a 3 course for $100 if you can get a full tasting menufor $130. Perhaps to discourage a la carte dining? I don't understand why anyone making the journey to Lumiere from a far would go to all the trouble just to have 3 course. Makes no sense to me.

Lumiere is getting excellent exposure from this. If anything, a thread like this would entice one to go and see for themselves. High end properties like Lumiere are going to come with "very high expectations" and the deck is usually stacked against the restaurant before you get there. I too would be dissapointed if it did not measure up but I would certainly expect a Relais Gourmand to win back a unsatisfied guest who voiced concern. In their defence, Lumiere has done much for the food scene and for exposing Canadian talent. However, I would not enjoy being in their shoes as it is a longer way down than up at this point in the game. If I was going to Lumiere I would want to know that Chef Feenie was in the kitchen. IMHO. I would also expect that the unhappy egulleter would contact Lumiere to resolve the issue and see if they (Lumiere) try to recover the situation in a positive light before posting.

Just got back from a sales meeting at the 4 Seasons and overnight stay in Vancouver. Our Sales manager, Moira Fitzpatrick, and I had eats at Feenies. Very reasonable and excellent food. A little "packed to the rafters" for me but it was fun. After dinner we toured the kitchen at Lumiere. I felt like I was on the deck of a starship in that kitchen. Very cool. After dinner we went to Raincity Grill. outstanding and friendly service, wonderful wine selections by the glass and the location is perfect.

I'm of a similar mindset. Having grown up in downtown Victoria, places like Esquimalt and Brentwood were both viewed as the sticks, with one being closer to the city core ( ). For Vancouverites, the distance equivalents would be La Belle Auberge, the Hart House, or the Pear Tree. Are residents of Oak Bay, for example, really crossing the Johnson Street Bridge to eat, because I find it difficult to believe the majority of Esquimalt residents could give a crap about fine dining. Of course, I'm viewing this development through the skewed prism of a 25 year old (the last time I lived in Vic was 7 years ago), but the prospect of a neighbourhood success for Rosemeade strikes me as far-fetched. Shelora, Mr. Kendal, Memo, care to fill us in? ← Anyway ever notice the real estate being built on the west side of the blue bridge? In a nut shell, the condos, lofts and penthouses being built over this way make any potential higher end eatery very appealing. The Rosemeade has excellent prices which, from a managmenet perspective, would not be able to keep budget and acheive a sustainable gross operating profit. That said, they are building market share and have potentialy excellent exposure. Just need to see where they are at in the next year or two as they are new and could be subject to turn over etc. A couple of weeks ago I rode my bike around the neighborhoods in esquilmalt looking for a house to buy. There is some very nice property on the south side of Craigflower road. However, I can't seem to stop going to Brasserie L'Ecole. The prices are highly conducive to repeat business and over consumption of steak frites.

Fire and Water not only has great food - but an excellent bartender (by the name of Jaymes?). ← Jaymes Ewing. Awesom guy. I worked with him at the Ocean Point Resort years ago.

hey Matt, glad to see you put a disclaimer on your promotion.. lol

Andrew is an excellent writer and a great addition to the media world. Good job!

I liked the new issue , especially the food lab.

These are the restaurants listed from www.venturischulze.com that are carrying their wines. Bishop's at 2183 West 4th C Restaurant at 1600 Howe Street Lift (Bar Grill View) Raincity Grill Vij's

Note to other restaurants. If Pierre comes to see you make sure you have cigar for him. He comes 2-3 times a year to the Aerie for lunch and he is hilarious.

It would be inappropriate for me to comment on the review of the Aerie although I certainly appreciate the great feedback from Andrew. I have only been back for 9 months and I have my evening set up to where I want it. I have been spending 2 days a week in the mornings with my AM team and I have some returning employees from a few years ago. Lindsay Sievwright (former F&B manager at Brentwood Bay Lodge) is joing me for the summer as well as 3 former servers. We have just invested thirty thousand dollars on new small wares for the dining room, the wine cellar is growing for the summer and we have been stripping some of our older rooms and upgrading. Chef is building a new team this year (as is the case every 2-3 seasons on the island) so it has not been without some discomfort. The same could be said for the front of the house. The Aerie suffered a bit with having over 5 managers in the dining room in the past 4 years. Not an easy job and not a great way to recruit staff. I'm thankful that I have been able to headhunt and Claude (who you mentioned) worked for me in the Edith Cavell. He was one of the only servers I came across in Fairmont that had the flair and passion that is required to build confidence with the guests. As for Mission Hill opening a wine store... not sure why an uber B.C. winery would want to divert business away from other LRS'. We have been buying our wine for home from Spinakkers wine merchants and Larry and Mike are bringing in great selections. I do ask for a discount which seems to be an unwritten rule if you work in the industry.

Shelora, The new wine shop on Gov't st is going to be a Mission Hill wine store. I took my wife (Misty) out last week and went to Herald Street to see one of our former cooks from the Aerie and to taste his food. We asked for Daryll but we were told he was off. We sat down anyway amidst the goth atmosphere of Enigma playing on the speakers. We had apps then headed across to Brasserie L'Ecole. Daryll phoned me the next day, as I left my card for him, and he told me he was doing his final two weeks; which is too bad for him with his first chef's job. We were out on a "date" so I wanted a change in atmosphere and the warmth of Brasserie hit the spot. It was my second visit in one week to Mark and Sean's restaurant. The quality/price/value/atmosphere and service is tops IMHO. I love the endive salad and just before it is run to the table it gets dusted with hot bacon lardons which are still hot when you take your first bite. I like the intertwined nostalgia of the room and they have a great formula.

ooohhh I would love to put my 2 cents in on this thread but.... as a representative of a property I must keep my mouth shut.... perhaps the PR machine will have to roll for next year to get back on the radar. Anyway congrats to the winners and perhaps Chef Fennie and Chef Hawksworth could duke it out in an Iron Chef Vancouver competition for charity or perhaps a celebrity cook off. Now that would be fun to watch

Andrew, If your in Victoria come up and see me at the Aerie. At least stop by for a tour and a look through the wine cellar if you are not coming for dinner. Cheers, James

Thank you Jamie, I was dying to know as I could not make it over today for the awards.... Cheers,

From a development perspective Vic West has enormous growth going on, as well as the Rock Bay area which is slated for decontamination etc. One of the plans is to develop a market near tyee road by the water way. Currently the only place to eat is Spinnakers in this area and I have been thinking about the potential to open a restaurant but it would take some serious planning. Fort St. is near saturation. Downtown has a couple of key locations but at night it is not my favorite place to go (having been mugged twice and my car vandalized 3 times). Too many bars and nightclubs imho. Cook St. does not have any parking other than the street and that is a major problem for getting approval. The Herald St. Area could add a place in the next two years with the Bambu project, Corazon etc. being built. As well, with Daryll Pope doing well at HSC I think this area will pick up again. Kinda fun to go to HSC for a couple of apps then head across the street to Brasserie L'Ecole.