New Chefs in Town!
We are excited to introduce our new culinary team members, Chefs Manny and Ocean! Our Head Chef, Manny, and Sous Chef, Ocean, have impressive backgrounds that bring a unique and delicious twist to our menu. Their creations are not to be missed. 😋
We had the opportunity to chat with both chefs and learn more about their experiences. Additionally, we asked them the age-old question: does pineapple belong on pizza? Check out their thoughts below! 👀
When did your culinary journey start?
[Chef Manny] It started in 2003 in Mumbai at the Institute of Hotel Management, Aurangabad, where I did three years of culinary schooling. Once I completed my program, I started my career working at Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces for four years before moving to Canada.
[Chef Ocean] My culinary journey started 16 years ago, right out of high school! I worked at Outback Steakhouse in the United States, basically their version of The Keg. This is where I started gaining basic cooking skills, like knife cutting, sauteeing, grilling, and frying, and I still use these skills today.
What are your favourite ingredients to cook with?
[Chef Manny] Two ingredients which are always at the top of my list are lemon + lemon zest and saffron. You can never go wrong with saffron with lemon. Any dish that lacks flavour can be fixed with salt, lemon, and saffron.
[Chef Ocean] Oh! My favourite ingredients to cook with? That's really hard to pick because all ingredients are exciting in their own ways. These days I'm excited to use Middle Eastern spices, such as cumin, marjoram, and cardamom, because they can enhance the flavour of the main ingredient.
Do you have any food combinations you like?
[Chef Ocean] Yes! When I was in San Francisco, my pastry Chef created two great dishes: Miso Ice Cream and Shiitake Mushroom Ice Cream. These dishes were not desserts but instead served as appetizers. They had such a good umami and creamy flavour it felt like you were putting a creamy cold soup into your mouth. It was so good!
Tell us about the first time you were in the kitchen!
[Chef Manny] It was in 1997, and I still remember it very clearly. I was coming back home from boarding school and started cooking in the kitchen - I was in 7th grade. I had a clipping from a newspaper, a chicken curry with spinach recipe. I remember making a very weird combination of two dishes: Dim Sum and Chicken Curry. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to be in this profession.
Why are you excited to work at Dominion Bar + Kitchen?
[Chef Manny] I'm excited to work at Dominion because it will give me the opportunity to work with a diverse menu using different ingredients - which is similar to my background. And our dishes reflect where we are located.
[Chef Ocean] The reason why I am excited to work at Dominion Bar + Kitchen is because it is all about diversity. It's all about embracing the different cultures in Canada. I can use all these exotic and authentic ingredients and serve dishes to customers that will make them happy.
And finally, how do you feel about pineapples on pizza?
[Chef Manny] To each their own, you know. If they like it, they like it.
[Chef Ocean] I think it's okay. One time I cooked my pizza with peaches, apricots, and pear, which turned out really nice. People loved it! I think that's the best part about pizzas - it embraces all ingredients in one plate. So, pineapple on pizza is great.
