Everyone knows that the best parties always end in the kitchen. With our series, Kitchen Party, we’re sitting down with Feast On Chefs to get to know them, and the local foods that inspire them, a little better.
David Sider
The Restaurant at Redstone Winery
Beamsville, ON
What’s your favourite seasonal ingredient?
“Right now, I’m crazy about brussels sprouts. They are such a versatile ingredient. I love separating them into individual leaves, tossing them with a bit of oil and charring them in a dry pan before seasoning them with a bit of sherry vinegar and espelette*.”
*The Espelette pepper is a variety of species C. annuum that is cultivated in the French commune of Espelette, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, traditionally the northern territory of the Basque people.What’s your drink of choice?
“Chardonnay, typically. We make some great ones here in Niagara.”
Most underrated ingredient?
“Cold-pressed canola oil! We use it all the time in sauces, vinaigrettes and to finish dishes. It has such a great nutty flavor and vibrant colour. In the spring, we serve asparagus with a cold-pressed canola hollandaise.”
Favourite restaurant?
“Depends! If favourite is the restaurant I eat at the most than it would have to be Pho Dau Bo in St. Catharines. Otherwise, I had and amazing meal at Empellon in NYC this past May. Food, service and atmosphere were all incredible, can’t wait to go back.”
Off-duty, what are you most likely to be cooking at home?
“My daughter and I both love to bake, so on my days off we will make some type of dessert together. Usually something fairly easy… like doughnuts or an apple tart.”
What’s the best part of working with Ontario food and drink?
“The connection with local farmers! I love that I can call many of our suppliers my friends and that we both have a mutual respect for what the other is doing. Being able to sit down with the person that grows your food while planning your menus — and have them plan what they will grow around that, makes so much sense. It’s is a connection that’s impossible to have if your products are coming from larger suppliers miles away.”
Why is Feast On important to you and your restaurant?
It’s important for us as a restaurant to be a reflection of where we are. Being Feast On certified is a great way for us to turn our commitment to local products into something tangible for our guests.
Fill in the blank: “If I entered a competitive eating contest, I’d definitely win if the item was _______”.
Roulette Doritos. Such a guilty pleasure.
