Richard Wolf

Bio

Richard Wolf

Growing up next to a three star Bavarian restaurant, Richard had an early start in the culinary world. At the age of nine he began as a food runner, fetching Schnitzel and Cornish game hens from the basement freezers. He spent every spare moment watching the chefs create amazing dishes. He was hooked from the start and hasn’t looked back. Richard worked his way up and was running the restaurant’s main line prior to graduating from high school.

Richard then moved east to Saskatoon and honed his skills in several restaurants, including the Saskatoon Inn. After a long chilly winter he decided it was time to find a warmer environment, with a greater supply of ingredients at hand. Vancouver Island and Victoria were his destination of choice. “The Island is an amazing pantry of ingredients. Regardless of the season there are exciting ingredients to use. The flavour combinations are endless.”

After moving to Victoria in the mid 80’s, Richard worked with many of Victoria’s restaurants including Arco’s and Antoine’s, as well as working as a member of the opening culinary team for Swans Brew Pub and the Head Chef of the Oak Bay Marina Restaurant.

After suffering a serious back injury in a motor vehicle accident, Richard took some time away from the kitchen to recover. His love of wine, food and their combination of flavours led him into the wine industry. Richard began working with local wineries and restaurants, and was eventually offered the opportunity to take over the wine program for The Aerie Resort, a 4 Diamond Relais and Chateaux luxury property located at the summit of the Malahat. There, Richard expanded his wine knowledge and worked closely with the Aerie’s Executive Chef Christophe Letard to create memorable dining experiences for their guests. Their hard work paid off with the dining room being awarded “Best Food in the Americas” by Conde Naste Traveler magazine, followed by an invitation to present an evening of food & wine at the famous James Beard House in New York City.

Richard has since stepped out on his own as the head of the Wolf Consulting Group, working with local restaurants on wine programs, staff training and management operations. One recent project included overseeing the opening of the critically acclaimed Rosemeade Dining room at the English Inn and Resort in 2004, named #2 best new restaurant in Canada by En Route magazine.