Feenie's Fine Line

For all the accolades and awards that have been bestowed upon Chef Rob Feenie, he remains a man of simple passions doing what he truly loves. While every facet of his Vancouver operations reflects his AAA 5-diamond status, he stays grounded and inspired by what every season has to offer.

Fresh-faced, shy of 40, and already receiving lifetime achievement awards, his flagship, Lumiere, is a guiding light for Canadian cuisine and continues to evolve in its 10th year. With his highly publicized Iron Chef victory, ongoing FoodNetwork Canada efforts, and spate of cookbooks, Rob Feenie has stepped well beyond his kitchen and into our homes.

Such honorifics would be enough to swell many a head, but a pair of bouncing babies at home and an honest love of the art make him one of the most accessible culinary icons around. While countless restaurateurs dream of capturing a percentage of the media attention garnered by Lumiere, Feenie’s, and Lumiere’s Tasting Bar, Chef Feenie’s dishes have also successfully endured intense scrutiny.

Ironically, Feenie’s mantra remains “simplicity.” The flavours of each dish might emerge as complex and bold, but the methodology is rooted in classic cookery. Whether extracting the essence of a root vegetable or elevating Shepard’s pie with an inspired addition of duck and truffle, his focus remains fixed on the plate, not the celebrity podium.

The key ingredient to so much of his cooking is time. Slow-simmered meats, unswervingly focused reductions, and passionate perseverance in sourcing seasonal staples: all are labours of love.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Feenie continues to scour corner markets and entire countries alike in search of fresh inspiration and ingredients. With the world for a pantry, he remains regionally rooted and forever fascinated by local farms and vines.

Asked to shed a little light on the home table, the self-styled epicurean impresario admits that he got his start with his sister’s E-Z Bake Oven. Not many would have attempted to cook duck under a single bulb, but rest assured, it can be done. While the size of his range and the range of his dishes has expanded greatly, the whimsy remains.

• Blue Cheese and Apple Coleslaw
• Seared Scallops with Pink Grapefruit and Radicchio
• Roast Chicken with Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers, Olives, and Capers
• Cherry Chocolate Clafoutis