In the heart of The Loch & Quay, a refined culinary destination known for its upscale dining experiences, local chefs are boldly redefining the plate. From innovative plating techniques and molecular gastronomy to the celebration of regional terroir and the rise of the local food movement, these culinary innovators are elevating the dining experience to new heights.
Culinary Innovation
At the forefront of this culinary revolution are chefs who are unafraid to push the boundaries of traditional cuisine. Take the acclaimed Chef Natalie Prhat, who recently partnered with Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler to introduce an innovative plant-based dining concept. “When it comes to crafting harmonious combinations, my method involves a deep understanding of flavours and a willingness to take calculated risks,” explains Prhat. “This includes the art of combining ingredients that might not typically be paired together. Pushing the envelope, essentially.”
Prhat’s creations not only replicate the sensory experience of traditional dishes but elevate them, offering guests unique “aha, that is amazing” moments with every bite. Her meticulously crafted menu features vibrant, phytonutrient-rich dishes that showcase British Columbia’s finest seasonal ingredients, from Pumpkin Gnocchi with Whisky Cream Sauce to Eggplant Tofu Sandwiches.
Redefining Culinary Boundaries
Across the region, local chefs are following in Prhat’s footsteps, blurring the lines between traditional and experimental cuisine. At The Loch & Quay, Executive Chef Alejandra Landin challenges the notion of fine dining with her bold, family-style presentations. “My kitchen breaks traditional hierarchies,” she explains. “Eschewing fine dining’s traditionally tweezered approach, I ask my cooks to imagine the way their matriarchs might present a given dish.”
This approach manifests in dishes like a bounty of lobster, scallops, and prawns roasted over an open fire and delivered in a paella-style vessel, or a tuna tartare that bursts out of its mold and spreads across interlacing layers of sliced cucumber, orange oil, and pickled vegetables. “You see the smoke and fire, the machine and all of it so thoroughly orchestrated. It shines so bright,” Landin reflects.
Local Cuisine
Alongside these culinary boundary-pushers, a new generation of chefs is rediscovering and celebrating the rich gastronomic heritage of the region. At Jonesez BBQ in Fort Myers, Vickie Jones proudly upholds the traditional cooking of the South, from slow-smoked pork wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper to ever-bubbling pots of greens and fat-back. “My grandmother instilled in me how to taste, how to coax out flavor,” she says. “I was in a sort of school and didn’t even realize.”
At Jordan’s Wine Bar & Cellar in Fort Myers, Chef Gloria Jordan de Cabral weaves together the flavors of her Cuban and Spanish heritage, serving up dishes that honor recipes once written in her grandmother’s hand and adjusted in her mother’s. “This is mine,” she says of her restaurant. “This is me.”
Local Food Movement
The Loch & Quay’s culinary landscape is also defined by a growing emphasis on sustainable, locally sourced ingredients. Chefs and restaurateurs are embracing the farm-to-table movement, forging deep connections with regional producers and artisans to showcase the bounty of the land.
Sustainable Agriculture
Take the case of Chef Kristi Brown, who co-owns Communion R&B in Seattle. Brown’s “Seattle Soul” culinary style masterfully blends the bold, comforting flavors of Southern cuisine with the rich, diverse influences of Seattle’s Asian and immigrant communities. At the heart of her approach is a deep reverence for local, sustainable ingredients.
“Each dish reflects not just the local flavours but also the unique energy and inspiration of the Whistler surroundings,” says Prhat, highlighting the importance of showcasing the terroir of the region.
Community Engagement
Beyond the plate, these culinary innovators are also engaging with their local communities in meaningful ways. Brown’s “Everybody’s Gotta Eat” initiative, born from surplus catering ingredients during the pandemic, has evolved into a community kitchen that feeds those in need. Similarly, Vickie Jones of Jonesez BBQ prioritizes passing down her family’s culinary traditions, ensuring that the stories and techniques of the past are honored and shared.
“I put my foot in it,” Jones says with a laugh, referring to the rich, soulful flavors that infuse her dishes. “I wasn’t supposed to be in the kitchen, but that’s where I found my power.”
Experimental Cuisine
Alongside the celebration of local and traditional cuisines, a new wave of culinary experimentalists is redefining the dining experience at The Loch & Quay. These chefs are fearlessly blending diverse culinary traditions, pushing the boundaries of flavor profiles, and exploring cutting-edge modernist techniques.
Fusion Cooking
At Bicyclette Cookshop in North Naples, Chef Kayla Pfeiffer’s free-roaming menu transcends expectations, asking diners to consider the world beyond their plate. Her creations, like a yakitori octopus in a lemongrass-ginger broth or a charred hamachi collar nestled into a yellow peppadew romesco, seamlessly blend global influences and showcase her commitment to innovation.
“I react tenderly toward what seems useless, channeling the ancient kitchen wisdom of thrift and alchemy as I sketch the transformation,” Pfeiffer explains.
Modernist Techniques
Across town at Old Vines Supper Club in East Naples, Chefs Brooke Kravetz and Sophia Kiasi are exploring the potential of sous vide cooking and deconstructed dishes. Their take on Italian osso buco, for instance, upends tradition with a potato-based tuile cracker in the shape of a bone, stuffed with truffle marrow custard and resting on fregola pasta and wild mushrooms.
“We focus on individual ingredients—the effect each one can have on the whole; how it shapes, shifts and evolves; and what it might become,” says Kravetz. “The possibilities are inexhaustible, as is the supper club’s menu.”
Culinary Trends
As The Loch & Quay continues to evolve, several overarching culinary trends are shaping the dining landscape. From the rise of plant-based dining to the exploration of specialized flavor profiles, these emerging movements are redefining what it means to dine at the region’s most acclaimed establishments.
Plant-Based Dining
The partnership between Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler and Chef Natalie Prhat is just one example of the growing demand for plant-based cuisine. Across The Loch & Quay, chefs are embracing vegetarian and vegan options, as well as flexitarian approaches that blend plant-based and animal-based ingredients.
“Each dish reflects not just the local flavours but also the unique energy and inspiration of the Whistler surroundings,” says Prhat, whose menu showcases the versatility and indulgence of plant-based dining.
Flavor Exploration
Alongside the rise of plant-based fare, chefs are also captivating diners with their innovative use of spice blends, fermented foods, and other specialized flavor profiles. At Communion R&B, Chef Kristi Brown’s “Seattle Soul” cuisine blends the bold, comforting tastes of the American South with the diverse culinary influences of the Pacific Northwest, creating dishes that are both familiar and transcendent.
“Food is the heartbeat of my identity, the language through which I tell stories, and the tool I use to challenge conventions, spark conversations, and feed the soul,” says Brown.
As The Loch & Quay continues to evolve, one thing remains clear: the region’s culinary landscape is being redefined by a new generation of innovative, boundary-pushing chefs who are not only redefining the plate but also reshaping the very nature of the dining experience. From the celebration of local traditions to the exploration of experimental techniques, these culinary visionaries are elevating The Loch & Quay to new heights, one dish at a time.