A collaboration with Ryan Stone

I first met Ryan Stone on a train in Lyon, France, heading to the massive food expo that hosts the Bocuse d’Or. It was the day before the 2009 competition, and Ryan was attending as a part of the lead-up to his own 2011 bid for gold. It was hardly surprising that Ryan was a foodie, but our conversation ran around the world, in a culinary sense. It was odd in a way; inspired food conversations with another talented chef are a treat. I hardly noticed that I was missing the sights of France – we were engrossed in a wealth of culinary possibilities, and we just happened to be in the gastronomical capital of the world.

Flash forward two years and a bit, and Ryan has placed in the top half of the world’s best chefs, and we’re in the middle of two special menus that Ryan and I developed together in the lead up to the competition. If you’re in BC, you get to try the result of our focus on Ryan’s particular passion, a sort of blend of West Coast and regional cuisine. House cured salmon with organic date & walnut crisps. Arctic Char hot smoked to order over BC cedar with smoked Salish sea salt. We even found fresh local veggies to complement our entrees – although even in BC, the Canadian spring season doesn’t yield too much more than beets and potatoes. For the rest of Canada – all the way out to Nova Scotia – we explored some new cooking techniques and fresh new flavours. Tandoori chicken satays made succulent with moist thigh meat. Lobster brioche bread pudding for a fresh roast salmon. And for everyone across Canada, a salute to the global appeal of great chocolate, a warm individual chocolate cake. These dishes and more, all courtesy of a fantastic collaboration that started on a train in Lyon. A special thanks to Ryan, for years and years of dedication leading up to the Bocuse d’Or, and for the fine dishes we developed together – our guests are enjoying the treat.

-John Humphreys

Executive Chef, Moxie’s Classic Grill