Chefs Dish about Feast Tofino

Feast Tofino, returning May 8-24, is as much about tasting freshly-caught seafood for the very first (or umpteenth) time as it is about experiencing Tofino’s thriving culinary scene.

Chef Ian Riddick of Long Beach Lodge Resort recalls his first roadtrip to Tofino from Whistler to experience the “real West Coast” by camping at Green Point campground in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.  At that point in time, Chef Ian and his friend found out that shops here kept “real West Coast” hours by closing on Sundays.  Luckily they were approached by a man selling freshly caught Dungeness crab.  In Chef Ian’s words, “That night we cooked those beauties over the fire “cioppino” style with some chorizo sausage, tomato, a handful of nettles we foraged and a can of beer (probably Wildcat or some other value beer!)…  It was one of the best meals I have ever had!”

The heart and soul behind the Tofino-Ucluelet Food Guild (TUCG) and expert oyster shucker, Bobby Lax, especially loves when Feast Tofino rolls around in May because “spot prawns are being offloaded at our docks and we begin to see commercial salmon openings.  It’s a good time to be eating from the ocean.”  And repeat guest chef Peter Zambri, of his namesake eatery in Victoria, BC feels right at home in Tofino and is “always amazed at the diversity of flavours and ideas in such a relatively small place.”

Some more exciting Feast Tofino events we’re looking forward to include:

• Chef Jason Balestrieri of California’s Carmel-by-the-Sea, collaborating with the Wickaninnish Inn’s Chef Warren Barr on Thursday, May 21,
• Vancouver Chef David Hawksworth joining Chef Nick Nutting and the Pack at Wolf in the Fog on Friday, May 22,
• The return of Italian Night at Shelter Restaurant with Victoria’s Peter Zambri, also on Friday, May 22.

Check the full schedule of events, celebrating liquid pairings to our local fish and foraged foods – check the full events schedule at feasttofino.com. Bring Feast on!