Text and photo by Maureen Provencal
PQ: What’s your food/wine philosophy?
JL: Follow your own tastes for compatibility.
PQ: What’s the most important principle in cooking?
JL: Appreciating each ingredient to showcase the heart of the
meal.
PQ: Weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
JL: Uni.
PQ: Most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
JL: My anniversary dinner at Chow Thyme two years ago.
PQ: Most memorable meal you have ever served?
JL: Serving three senior Japanese ladies lamb shanks was
definitely memorable. They were straight from Japan. It was an unusual meal for
these ladies but they loved it.
PQ: Most interesting environment you’ve ever worked in?
JL: Working for the catering division with Whistler-Blackcomb.
You do all levels of cooking at all sorts of locations. Definitely one of the
most interesting jobs as a chef.
PQ: Greatest professional moment?
JL: First, getting my red seal. Second, being in charge of my
own little 120-seater in Christine’s.
PQ: Do you dream of opening your own restaurant?
JL: Yes and no. Yes, because there would be a lot of
satisfaction at the end of the day for a job well done. No because there are so
many niggling little headaches.
PQ: Where would you go to eat, if you could go anywhere in the
world?
JL: At home with friends because when we get together we make
great meals.
PQ: Has Whistler opened up any doors for you?
JL: I moved here because of a career but I found snowboarding
once I got here.
PQ: Who has been the most influential person on your
cooking/career?
JL: Brian Plumber, Chef Bernard and his chef de partie Chris
and everyone in my life who cares about food.
PQ: What advise would you give anyone wanting to come into this
industry?
JL: Don’t get into this industry at all unless you love food.