Saltspring Island's Hastings House hosted Maenam/Longtail Kitchen's chef Angus An last night for a five-course Chefs Across the Water dinner. Treats like sockeye salmon tartare served with betel leaves, and lamb three ways with a soft-poached egg were paired with wines from Tantalus.
What are the main difference for you as a guest chef, rather than being at Maenam?
The food at Maenam is all served family-style, but when I do events it's all individually plated because people may not know each other. The flavour and the execution is what we'd do in the restaurant, but the presentation is more individualized. One good thing: when you're cooking for a full room at least they're all seated at the same time!
How did the collaboration with Tantalus come about?
I work with Tantalus; they are one of my favourite wineries in BC. They specialise in pinots and rieslings which match with our food; plus they use 100% estate-grown grapes which they grow sustainably. I created the menu for dinner tonight and said I wanted Tantalus as a pairing and they felt that they could come up with wines for the whole meal.
Which wine pairing were you most excited about?
The 2011 sparkling Old Vines Riesling is unique; you can't get it in restaurants, not many people get to taste it at all. I can only get two bottles a year! They said it was a kind of accident, a plot of Riesling that they made sparkling wine from which turned out to be really good, that's my favourite.
· Hastings House [Official Site]
· Saltspring Air [Official Site}
· All Previous Angus An Coverage [EVAN]