In firsts for both The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Dana Hauser has been appointed as the luxury brand’s first female Executive Chef, taking the lead at the hotel’s gourmet restaurant Heron’s West Coast Kitchen + Bar as well as overseeing banqueting, in-room dining, and all food and beverage operations at the hotel.
Last night I attended Chef Dana’s spring menu launch that also included dessert delights from Pastry Chef Stephanie Greenslade. She’ll also be preparing a Rare Finds dish at the upcoming Rare Disease Foundation benefit this Saturday evening.
[Pastry chef Stephanie Greenslade]
Raised on the East Coast of Canada, Chef Hauser developed a natural passion for both local ingredients and being true to the product. “British Columbia provides an abundance of the finest ingredients.” comments Dana. “Combine this with being the first female Executive Chef in the Company; it’s a dream come true.” A classically trained chef, Hauser is keen to share her true devotion to fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients.
We were invited along with other local media to sample a range of dishes, including a raw bar and a unique short rib croquette, served atop potato purée, with a tender piece of beef tenderloin, all in a divine bone marrow jus.
[Carved beef tenderloin, short rib croquette, potato purée, bone marrow jus]
Several wines were poured for the event, including one of my favourite go-to varietals, Blasted Church’s award-winning 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, a perfect pairing for the tenderloin dish.
[Blasted Church 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot]
Another of my favourite dishes was the open-faced scallop ceviche with yuzu and micro basil. It had a warm, buttery sauce that complimented the slight sharpness of the basil, while marrying well with the scallop’s fine texture. Next to the scallops on the raw bar were dishes of salmon crudo containing radish, avocado, confit tomato, and ginger, also packing a wealth of flavour with each mouthful.
[Open-faced scallop ceviche with yuzu, micro basil]
[Salmon crudo with radish, avocado, confit tomato, ginger]
According to the Fairmont’s Food and Beverage Vice President, Jean Michel Offe, “While Fairmont has had and continues to have many excellent female chefs in the kitchen, we’re very excited to announce our first Executive Chef position to be filled by a woman. Dana has proven herself time and again to be a culinary master and her appointment is very well deserved. She is a very passionate culinarian and I’m confident that she’ll wow guests with her incredible culinary creations.”
Dana’s also got a couple of great notches on her belt. She’s passionate about mentoring young aspiring chefs. In 2011, she enrolled in the HMCS Montreal navy ship where she coached navy cadets and showed them the tricks of the trade. And next month, Hauser will have the exclusive opportunity to cook at the James Beard House, a prestigious culinary event where only a select number of female chefs from Newfoundland are invited.
[Mini honey ice cream coronets]
You can sample Chef Hauser’s menu now available at Herons West Coast Kitchen, located at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, 900 Canada Place Way in Vancouver. Visit the website for opening times and detailed menus, including breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, an all-day menu and dessert.