Wickaninnish Inn - The Wickaninnish Cookbook: Rustic Elegance on Nature’s Edge

WHEN CHARLES M C DIARMID invited me to view the site of what would become the Wickaninnish Inn, Id never set foot in Tofino before. But as we hiked through the forest on our way to that isolated rocky point, overlooking a windswept Chesterman Beach, two realizations struck me: First, I was standing quite literally on the edge of the country (because Tofino is as far west as it gets). And second, Id need to put my plans to work overseas on hold, because this was the opportunity of a lifetime.

As the opening chef of The Pointe Restaurant, I faced immense challenges. Our remote location required a fair amount of logistical problem solving, including sourcing and transporting food supplies. It also required me to put my growing reputation and influence to work, to convince other chefs that the end of the road was exactly where they needed to be. Additionally, Charles and his family set the bar highreally high. They wanted the world-renowned Relais & Chteaux designation for their beloved Wick, and they wanted me to help get them there.

That fateful journey to the Wick site more than 20 years ago, and the early years I spent at the Inn, have become part of my DNA. I was a determined young chef, and Charles put his faith in me. He knew of my work ethic and my commitment to promoting local ingredients. He knew Id not only deliver, but Id go the extra mile to do so, and with his unwavering support, I did. Just a year after opening, we not only had the designation, but we had also earned a reputation within the restaurant community that meant chefs and apprentices no longer needed convincing. The Pointe Restaurant had become a destination, for visitors and staff alike.

And I loved every minute of it. It was an exhilarating, pivotal time in my life, and the fact that the Wick has kept its original dedication to fresh, seasonal, local produce alive gives me a feeling of tremendous accomplishment. The culinary training program I started there has produced a spectacular succession of talented chefsI ruled with a bit of an iron fist in the early days, so I know they didnt have it easy! Some of those chefs are featured in the pages of this beautiful book.

With the opening of The Pointe Restaurant we kicked off a culinary scene in Tofino that has made that little corner of the world a draw for anyone who appreciates great local food. We built a solid foundation at the Inn, which the very talented Executive Chef Warren Barr, along with Food and Beverage Director Ike Seaman, continue to build on to this day. What the Wick has accomplished has been nothing short of incredible, and Im so proud to have been a part of it.

CHEF ROD BUTTERS

Opening chef of the Wickaninnish Inn; chef and owner of RauDZ Creative Concepts, Kelowna, British Columbia

THERES A MOMENT , when youre driving along Highway 4, after youve passed the stands of towering old-growth Douglas firs of Cathedral Grove and traversed the narrow switchbacks near Kennedy Lake, when you turn a corner, top a rise, and there it is: your first glimpse of the wild west coast of Vancouver Island. A froth of white water rolls onto the wide, sandy strand of Long Beach, where the Pacific Ocean stretches out to meet the horizon.

Ive seen this view countless times, and its nothing short of magical. But for me, it means one thing above all: home.

Just a few minutes farther up the road is the Wickaninnish Inn, the realization of our long-held family dream. Growing up along this wild coast, my parents would talk about opening an inn on the rocks overlooking Chesterman Beach. Our goal was to create a destination that would allow others to discover the remarkable beauty of this part of the world. To have our guests be mesmerized by the rolling waves, meet the fascinating characters we call our neighbours, and revel in the taste of local salmon and crab. We wanted to create a place of quiet serenity right on natures edge.

The Wick, as our friends like to call it, has become that place. Today we are a 75-room inn perched on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, with a view of this mighty ocean from every room, suite, and public space. The Inn was the first high-end hotel on the west coast of Vancouver Island and the first destination resort, with all that implies: high-thread-count sheets, attentive service, and a soothing ambience of natural wood, stone, and glass combined with the soft colours of the rainforest. Were honoured to be a member of the Relais & Chteaux family, an international association of intimately scaled luxury properties guided by the five Cs: Calm, Character, Courtesy, Charm, andperhaps most importantlyCuisine.

The Pointe Restaurant is the crown jewel of the Wickaninnish Inn. The space is encircled with floor-to-ceiling windows framing a 240-degree panorama of Chesterman Beach, forested offshore islands, and the endless ocean. Inspired by our family cabin on the adjacent point of land, at first glance, the room looks simple: an octagonal space with wooden chairs and tables protected by massive hand-adzed cedar posts and beams fanning out from a central core to the windows and ever-changing vistas beyond. Look closer, though, and youll see the quiet handcrafted elegance of expertly detailed woodwork and perfectly placed lighting illuminating locally crafted tableware and haunting works by local First Nations artists. Weve done all we can to create everything with care, no detail left to chance.