Chef Fowke

Three more weeks in the brine...and it is being made from caribou!

Lorna!!! Tell me you did not go out with the kitchen staff from RARE....oh my, I will send over aspirin to you in the morning. Thanks for the help, your efforts plating the main course were much appreciated! I look forward to having you back in the kitchen to work on desserts.

I am usually 3 hours into my nightly sleep by this time, but I am sure this is my future ~ late nights and early mornings. My dream was to have my own restaurant by the time I was 40 and I am 10 days early in achieving my goal!!! (I must remind myself in the future to be careful of what I wish for….) Thanks Edible for planning a stellar night. What a great crowd of people to share the HORRORS of opening a restaurant to the public ~ and they showed up early! For the first 20 minutes, I thought the night was going to be a disaster. I left the stove to help get the restaurant ready. I was vacuuming the dining room as the first guest arrived 30 minute early. She was great! She offered to help us get set up, I got her a beverage instead and proceeded to help sort out the Servery (our name for our lounge area ~ more about that in the future). By the time the bulk of the guests had arrived, everything was operational (with the exception of the décor in the bathrooms [10 days], the outside signage [1 – 16 weeks ~ what a MESS, PM before you buy a sign], and the temperature controlled wine cellar [2 weeks]). Once we got a blood orange seltzer spiked with rum into everyone it all started to form into a exciting and flavourful night. The food executed at a solid 8 out of 10. I was pleased. Timing was smooth, I worried that the temperature of the plates were too cool and some of the courses had miss-matched plates. At the last moment, I could not find the 40 new entrée plates I had bought. Bread was a disaster. I brought my sourdough starter down to the restaurant last week and it HATES IT THERE! It is sluggish and does not produce a consistent sponge. I will be at the restaurant all weekend tweaking the starter and getting it acclimatised to the kitchen. I do not want to use anything but wild yeast… The menu went well. Here is a summary of the courses. • Sautéed frog legs with garlic, pine nuts and burnt butter on a beignet • Hard-shell scampi with pineapple carpaccio, Vietnamese fish sauce foam and a micro cress salad • East coast scallop (huge!) with pheasant rilette, arugula puree and a caramelized sherry vinegar • Essence of pear • Dou of beef cheek(braised) and loin (rare) on confit leeks and puy lentils with celery and natural jus • Panna cotti foam with roasted pistachios and blood orange • Spanish cheeses with apple/pear confit • Mint mojito (Sorry ~ I am sooooo tired, I did not do justice to the menu…just wrote out the factual ingredients; hopefully one of the guests can post photos and a better description)

That is really too bad! Firstly, I am assuming you meant 'unfortunately'... We were going to grat your table, celebrate with a bottle of champagne, etc ~ seriously! I was looking forward to the occasion. (PM, we will make other arrangements for you when you are available) Here is the tasting menu we will be offering on Wednesday... Yellowfin tuna ○ citrus poached Israeli cous cous ○ avocado mousse Cauliflower soup ○ truffle lobster salad ○ smoked steelhead caviar B.C. honey mussels ○ curried gai lan ○ crisp baguette ○ coconut Essence of pear seltzer Squab ○ pan roasted braised fennel ○ dates ○ brown butter verjus Smoked sablefish ○ milk poached Quadra island clam ○ fiddle head ragout Wild spring salmon ○ unilateral cooked sauté of watermelon and radish ○ hedgehog mushrooms ○ fennel broth Panna cotti foam ○ toasted organic pecans blood orange ○ buttermilk profiterole

Just a quick update... I am typing with my left hand and I have ALL THE PERMITS in my right! We are ready to open to the public!

Will wonders never cease. I was curious about the flavor injector, thinking it was some deviation from that Ronco syringe but they appear to be the same disposable pipets I used to use in the lab. We weren't pipetting flavors though… ← The injectors are 'old school' El Bulli ~ but are still fun to work with. Both Quang and I collect cook books as a hobby. I cannot wait to try out all the different techniques I have read about for years ~ at the end of the day, success will be based off of a consistent execution of excellence, not the gimmicks. The gimmicks are fun... Side note: The salmon was both wild and fresh from a test fishery! The flavour was a 10/10 ~ and I cannot begin to describe how much I LOVED the smoked steelhead trout roe...I wanted to put it on my cereal this morning, have it for a sandwich at lunch and in a pasta for dinner!!!

Local salsify and stinging nettles are prime right now. Any uses for these? -- Matt. ← I am always EXCITED by reservations and parties... But NETTLES and SALSIFY.... YUMMY. My first purchase was smoked steelhead trout caviar...so good! (follow the links at waiterblog for photos) If you can source the products locally I would love to see them, bring them by and we can 'play' with them.

I would like to keep this link pure ~ lets just talk about possible local foods and methods on this link ~ we have room for groups up to 40, please PM me for details.

The week was a nightmare! A NIGHTMARE…. I cannot even begin to describe all the things that went wrong. Okay…maybe just a few: • The floors in the bathroom were skim-coated and it cracked! I had to CHISEL every inch of skim-coat away and retile. The tradesman disappeared and I ended up grouting myself. • There are no plumbers in this city who will do small jobs ~ I had to re-install the toilets myself ~ but it gets better, the tradesperson who took the toilet off left all the water in the tank and the bowl. • The wallpaper arrived, but the tradesperson responsible for applying the wallpaper to the wall lent his ‘special tools’ out to someone…weird. • The new mirror installed slipped off the wall and broke • The Banquette did not fit ~ the ‘craftsman’ (HA!) tried to pry it in…it is crap. BUT!!!! We made it, we worked through the night, and we cleaned…we called in favours from friends (thanks Neil and Leigh)…and we got the room ready. Unfortunately, we did not get the stainless steel polished. I have a vision of Tim cleaning the toilets burnt into my brain... The room looked great and we shucked a lot of oysters for a good cause; The Children’s Heart Fund. A great night with lots of fun, great food and wine. Everyone, including the staff had a great time! The room held togeather, the dishwasher worked and the kitchen ran at a higher-than-expected- level. WOW! I was so proud of everyone. Unfortunately we were so busy we had no time to take any photos. Please follow the links through Waiterblog to my blog for the few pictures I did take: I will post more photos tomorrow of the room. It is brilliant. As well, Quang (previously my apprentice and Sous Chef at West) and I will be testing our menu at the restaurant all week. Feel free to drop by and say hello and see the menu ~ LIVE. Any suggestions and recommendations on local BC foods would be appreciated.

LOL! you are one of my partners and best friends ~ you can mention the restaurant you reserved at.... Anyways, Rare one just found out the limitations of Opentable.com...our internet went down for two days because of a cabling problem ~ good news is we are back online and taking reservations at Opentable.com Great service ~ and our problems with connectivity just proves the effeciency of the system...all reservations are really real time!!! Brian

Yes, I toured Olympia Oyster Company last summer. Great people with a passion for there product. Unfortunately the inflation on this oyster seems to be about 100% a year. It is all about QUALITY, not quantity with this very very small oyster. Thanks for the info, Oyster Guy, on the commercial side of this oyster. Where were they harvested in BC pre-1950?

yes! We are sourcing ALL BC products to use, where we can... With the exception of Malpeque all the oysters at Rare will be BC (and Olympia ~ seasonally; the only true indigenous oyster on the West coast). As will the: • Quail ~ Okanagan • Suckling pig tenderloin ~ valley • Beef ~ maybe Alberta…but I lived there for four years and have a taste for the barley finished 2100lbs prairie cattle! • Rabbit ~ Okanagan • Pheasant ~ lower mainlain • Mushrooms from Van Is as well as the interior! Cannot wait for mushroom season! • (frog legs have been a problem ~ I cannot find real French frog legs, only Asian…seems the French ate (???) all of there production of frog legs and they are extinct…I think this was a salesman line to make me buy Asian. Is there a frog leg industry in BC? • Seafood will be all-local except for Baja scallops and Washington State farmed sturgeon.

Albion Fisheries has an off sales desk that is open 7 days a week ~ cash only. I do not think you can break pack size...but a great selection of oysters and fish at almost wholesale pricing. oysters listed today: 1-5301-145 OYSTER N/SHELL BEACH SM 1 DZ DZ 1/1 DZ Fresh 1-5301-148 OYSTER N/SHELL BEACH XSM 1 DZ DZ 1/1 DZ Fresh 1-5301-150 OYSTER N/SHELL BEACH XSM BC DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5301-160 OYSTER N/SHELL BEACH JUMBO DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5306-110 OYSTER N/SHELL OLYMPIA USA DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5307-110 OYSTER N/SHELL HAMA HAMA USA DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5308-110 OYSTER N/SHELL KUMAMOTO USA DZ 1/25 DZ Fresh 1-5309-105 OYSTER N/SHELL MALPEQUE 1 DZ DZ 1/1 DZ Fresh 1-5309-107 OYSTER N/SHELL MALPEQUE LG DZ 1/5.83 DZ Fresh 1-5309-110 OYSTER N/SHELL MALPEQUE PEI DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5309-111 OYSTER N/SHELL CARAQUETS DZ 1/8.33 DZ Fresh 1-5309-114 OYSTER N/SHELL BEAU SOLEIL DZ 1/8.33 DZ Fresh 1-5309-115 OYSTER N/SHELL MALPEQUE WC DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5309-120 OYSTER N/SHELL STANLEY BRIDGE DZ 1/11.67 DZ Fresh 1-5310-105 OYSTER N/SHELL CRYSTAL BAY XS DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5310-106 OYSTER N/SHELL CRYSTAL BAY SM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5310-107 OYSTER N/SHELL CRYSTAL BAY ME DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5310-115 OYSTER N/SHELL GOLD MANTLE 1'S DZ 1/1 DZ Fresh 1-5310-120 OYSTER N/SHELL GOLD MANTLE S DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5310-130 OYSTER N/SHELL GORGE INLET XS DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5310-132 OYSTER N/SHELL GORGE INLET SM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5310-140 OYSTER N/SHELL SUMMER ICE SM DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5313-110 OYSTER N/SHELL CHEF CREEK SM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5313-120 OYSTER N/SHELL CHEF CREEK XSM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5314-110 OYSTER N/SHELL ROYAL MIYAGI DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5315-110 OYSTER N/SHELL BELON BC DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5316-110 OYSTER N/SHELL SKOOKUM XSM U DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5319-120 OYSTER N/SHELL YAQUINA BAY SM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5321-103 OYSTER N/SHELL SINKU XSM DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5322-110 OYSTER N/SHELL OKEOVER ARM X DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5322-150 OYSTER N/SHELL PENROSE BAY XS DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5322-160 OYSTER N/SHELL PENROSE BAY S DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5323-010 OYSTER N/SHELL PEARL BAY XSM DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5323-020 OYSTER N/SHELL PEARL BAY SM DZ 1/10 DZ Fresh 1-5323-050 OYSTER N/SHELL BEACH MED OW CS 3 DZ/CS Fresh 1-5326-110 OYSTER N/SHELL KUSSHI DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5328-110 OYSTER N/SHELL ST BAY GOLD XS DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5328-120 OYSTER N/SHELL ST BAY GOLD SM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5328-150 OYSTER N/SHELL EFFINGHAM XSM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5328-160 OYSTER N/SHELL EFFINGHAM SM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh 1-5329-120 OYSTER N/SHELL PAC ROYAL SM DZ 1/5 DZ Fresh

I posted some photos of the restaurant over at waiterblog...it really does not look like the room is going to be ready this week, but the contractors says everything will be finished on Tuesday! With that said, anyone interested in a tour or seeing some of the food we are testing; feel free to drop by (or PM me and set up a time). Make sure to be wearing the eGullet decoder ring so I know who you are.

I walked by Sushikan an hour ago. It's open.

For the pate...it will look like a torchon. I will make a pate from the rabbit livers and wrap it around a rillete of pheasant confit. Around both I will bake brioche.

It all fits, but I need to be able to find a local supplier ~ cooking globally using the product in my backyard ~ I am going to head up to the Okanagan to meet with a few new farmers/ranchers. Caribou will definately make an appearance on the menu as will Elk, as soon as I can find unmedicated herds, but that is a different thread. My favourite beef is from Blue Goose, but I have had a lot of feedback that it is too gamey. I hear that the rancher has started to use organic barley to finish it...that will soften the flavour. As for the tendon, you will have to show me.

sorry, folds, turns...bad translation from French. Offer is open, bring your camera and my ovens are always available to you!

You made puff pastry? How many folds??? My kitchen doors are open....

PM me...we have a few openings 'pre-opening' still available.

Right now it is probably best to go though waiterblog to get that info...

...and changed! (note to self: have Ling test all food AND proof read the menu)

Rare Restaurant is online and taking reservations through Opentable.com... The first reservation was made this morning by Kontemporary for two at 7:30 for the opening day! Thanks, eGullet for your support! We are launching the menu with three distinct sections; a signature section, a seasonal section and a daily section...each section having three catagories; small, medium and entree: What items do Vancouver eGulleters expect to see on the daily menu over the next 45 - 60 days.

I just finished 'playing' with Opentable. We are live and online taking reservations for reservations starting opening day (March 1st, 2006)... But more importantly, I was amazed by the quality of Vancouver restaurants using Opentable; it really is the whos who in BC. As well, with Vancouverites being so tech savy I see why customers would prefer to book online, it allows them to peruse the menus, get details on the restaurant and find the availabilty fot the exact time they are looking to dine. I am going to leave 100% of the reservation slots open until March 1st, then I will open the telephone lines and take conventional reservations.

YES! I need one...where, how...how much. I must have one of those. That is a beautiful thing. (edit...just to be clear, I mean the knife, not Ling! NO...ling is good looking, um...I mean I want the knife because it is beautiful and I need it...Ling is beautiful as well, but not for sale...you all know what I mean and am looking for....)