13/02/11 – Ryan Hotchkiss, Jack’s Grill – February 11, 2013

Ryan Hotchkiss – Executive Chef, Jack’s – A Modern Bistro (formerly Jack’s Grill)

• Born and raised in St.Albert in a home that was close to ideal for an aspiring chef.
• Parents had a great backyard garden and encouraged us to note the difference in flavour from a vegetable from the backyard to the paste that we sometimes ate from the super market.
• Dad and I would fish every summer, which would ultimately lead me to my main passion – seafood.
• Vacations were usually trips to B.C. with many stops at fruit and vegetable stands.
• Family dinners and gatherings were where I began my infatuation with food creativity.
• Moved to B.C. after highschool to pursue a career in snowboarding but after a good run, I needed to pay the massive ‘ski bum’ bills so I got a job at an Indian restaurant washing dishes.
• Eventually I moved onto the line which was a very hectic place.
• A few more jobs at Whistler restuarants gave me the courage to moved back home to begin my apprenticship. I started at Il Pasticcio, then moved on to The Sugarbowl, Tap 25, Sage, and eventually Jack’s Grill.
• I finished my Red Seal in 2012, and my Blue Seal the same year.
• I have been at Jack’s for almost 3 years now and have had the chance to work with some great head chefs before being offered the position myself. Jack’s has given me the oppurtunity to be involved in Gold Medal Plates, Indulgence, and various other functions throughout the city.
• I look forward to being involved in the evolution of Edmonton’s food scene and hope to leave my own mark on it as I go.