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http://canadianpress.google.com/ ... QXBmNx_lGybMNTLJkfQ
Renowned chef Rob Feenie joins Cactus Club as new "food concept architect"
7 hours ago
VANCOUVER - Rob Feenie, one of Canada's most recognized chefs, has joined the Cactus Club restaurant chain as its new "food concepts architect," the man also known as the Iron Chef said Tuesday.
Feenie made the announcement at a news conference at a high-end Vancouver hotel, saying he'll be joining the chain's senior executive team.
"Cooking is a wide range of things from caviar and truffles to burgers," Feenie told news conference attended by Richard Jaffray, the president and CEO of Cactus Restaurants Ltd.
"For me, this is definitely not a step down," Feenie said. "If anything, it's a step up for me because this is an area that is moving in a direction where in the next 10 or 15 years, this is what people want."
As one of Canada's most celebrated chefs, he said his new role will be wide ranging as he goes beyond the menu to include other facets of his 22 years' experience.
Feenie refused to comment on the end of his last job as a result of a dispute with a pair of Vancouver restaurant owners.
In November, there were reports of a bitter breakup between Feenie and the majority owners of Lumiere and Feenie's.
Feenie said at the time that he had been ousted after a battle.
He had faced bankruptcy two years ago and signed over majority ownership of the restaurants to David and Manjy Sidoo.
The Cactus Club has 17 restaurants in B.C. and Alberta and specializes in casual fine dining.
"My vision for the future has involved the opportunity to develop and create casual, high-quality food," said Feenie, who donned a white chef's jacket and posed for pictures with other Cactus employees.
He was asked to define his new title.
"It's a really broad term," he said. "It involves concept development, re-working menus. It's not just the food aspect, it's also working with the various team leaders in each one of the kitchens and with the apprentices."
He said he would take what he has been doing for the past 22 years "and trying to make the whole company to the next level."
While Feenie has moved from running his own high-end restaurant, he denied the new job is a major departure for him.
"Over the years I've really grown to love casual food and it's a market . . . where you get a lot more people than on the high end."
Michael Noble was another well-known chef to move from high-end culinary pursuits to more casual dining when he joined Earl's.
Noble, the first chef at Diva at the Met, said he made the switch because he was looking for a new challenge.
[ 本帖最後由 布小熊 於 2008-2-5 23:51 編輯 ] |
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發表於 2008-2-5 23:49
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