Quick Bites with: Chef Chris, Executive Chef, Seven
Photo and text by Maureen Provencal
PQ: What’s your food/wine philosophy?
CC: To stimulate people’s palates with the Asian philosophy of sweet, sour, salty and spicy to hit upon all the taste buds.
PQ: What’s the most important principle in cooking?
CC: Try to use good quality products and keep the flavours clean.
PQ: One food you can’t live without?
CC: Game meats.
PQ: One ingredient you can’t live without?
CC: Oils.
PQ: One food you avoided as a child and now you love?
CC: Weird vegetables, like parsnips. I now use them on top of dishes as chips.
PQ: Weirdest thing you’ve eaten?
CC: Foie gras cotton candy, it was pretty bizarre.
PQ: Most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten?
CC: At Lespinase in New York.
PQ: Most memorable meal you have ever served?
CC: Serving President Clinton’s daughter Chelsea. The secret service came to check the kitchen and watched me cook and kept the area in the restaurant around Chelsea Clinton clear.
PQ: Most interesting environment you’ve ever worked in?
CC: Last year I worked in the opposite style of environment in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
PQ: Greatest professional moment?
CC: When other chefs and restaurateurs give me praise for my cooking and hard work.
PQ: Do you dream of opening your own restaurant?
CC: Every day. I change the concept every day too. It’s nailing down the concept that’s hard.
PQ: What brought you to Whistler?
CC: Robert, the owner, called me up and asked me to take the reigns in his restaurant. I became fascinated by everyone’s allure to Whistler.
PQ: Have you had any memorable nights at Seven yet?
CC: The Prince of Saudi Arabia booked out the restaurant with his entourage of 30-40 people.
PQ: Who has been the most influential person on your cooking/career?
CC: Todd English, a chef on the East Coast. In the early day of my childhood making tortellini and ravioli with my family planted the seed. I’m Italian.
