It’s beautifully quiet, candles are still flickering, and the room has a lingering smell of good food & happy people ( I have an uncanningly sensitive nose, OK? ). If it’s been a exceptionally busy night, the sherry tastes especially good & the bar stool feels extra comfy. Then I open the book….. ( I should interrupt myself  here for a second. We started the Guest Book tradition on my 1st night as Chef, 4 1/2 years ago. We’re now 1/2 way through Book 4!)…….. and start to read the messages from our guests.                                                                                                                                                                            They make me laugh ( I love all the illustrations ), they make me cry ( “You are a Shining Star in a dark, dark world. Well done, Sir”), they make me blush ( There must be over 100 marriage proposals! ), they make me blush part 2 ( “I want to make love to your ice-cream”), they fill me with joy ( “My senses have been awoken from dogmatic slumber. Thank you!”), they make me look at my globe ( Astonishingly we’ve had guests from all 4 corners of the world!), and, finally, they render me speechless ( People comparing their experience here to one’s they’ve had at 3 Michelin starred restaurants around the world……). But they mostly give me the  confidence that I am on the right path…. that I AM doing what I was born to do…and that makes me smile. It also spurs me on, fills me with an intense desire to keep challenging myself, to further heighten the culinary experience. That’s generally when I put down the sherry and fly off the barstool ( not literally…ouch!) and rush back into my kitchen full of vim & vinegar! ( Vim & vinegar? Don’t ask.)So a heart felt Thank You to all who have made my after-service routine such a pleasure! Sometimes a book is more than a book….sometimes it’s a ray of pure sunshine!

I just spotted a 1/2 bottle of sherry on the shelf….hmmm….and an empty barstool……maybe a re-read is in order?

Tastefully Yours, Luke

I just love the energy I have during the months of Spring. I just started writing another cookbook, I’ve written a few songs, I’ve added some funky stuff to the Spring menu, have the garden planned…ok, NOW I need a nap.  I’m sure this won’t surprise anyone, but it’s the foods of Spring and the soon-to-be-enjoyed foods of Summer that excite me the most. Tonight with a dinner that was still rather wintery ( long-braised beef shanks w/ roasted sweet potatoes and beets), we had a beautiful salad w/ early Spring greens and endive. And, of course, it all came from within 40 miles of the restaurant. (It’s getting easier and easier to eat from within our own communities. )

In just a few weeks it will be asparagus season and I can’t wait! Oh yah, I’ll eat it with breakfast, lunch and dinner until the season is over. In frittatas, sauteed with ramps, poached with young wild leeks and white wine, heck, I’ll even make  ice cream with it!  ( Don’t knock until you’ve tried it! Seriously, I can’t think of a food that I haven’t made into ice cream…Hmmm…reason #251 why I’m not a typical teenager)

Happy Spring to all, or whatever season you’re approaching. If you need me, I’ll be in the kitchen making ice cream…..

Tastefully Yours, Luke

To see photos from Carrie and Luke’s culinary trip to Australia, please click here.

Carrie Hayes and Rob Alexander opened Luke’s in 1993 when their son, Luke, was 18 months old. From the beginning they believed in making everything from scratch and supporting local purveyors.

Luke grew up in this environment, first learning front of house; describing foods and techniques to customers, taking orders, answering the phone, etc…,all the while becoming more intrigued by the food coming out of the kitchen. When he was 11 years old, Luke entered the kitchen and announced his desire to become a Chef & devote his life to food. His parents took this announcement seriously and proceeded to teach him everything they knew. They supported him as he then embarked on a culinary self-taught journey that lasted 4 years. When he turned 15 he became Executive Chef and Luke’s Gastronomy was born.

Luke is considered a master Charcutier; using local pastured animals, he does all his own butchery. He changes the menu frequently throughout the year to reflect his philosophy of eating as Mother nature intended–locally and seasonally. He takes pride in the fact that he procures 95% of his ingredients from local farmers and crafts everything on his menus by hand.

People are coming from all over the world because of Luke’s story, the word of mouth and the incredible press he has received.( Please read our Press page ) They love the playful juxtaposition of old world techniques with such avante-garde presentations they almost always take photos.

And Chef Luke? He simply wants to change the way people look at food….one plate at a time.

• Pasta salad–cook lots of whole grain pasta, toss with olive oil & whatever you fancy…. minced garlic, caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, jarred artichokes, hot peppers, garbanzo beans, herbs,etc.

• Quinoi, buckwheat, couscous, bulghur–these grains are so delicious and good for you, and very easy to make! Make a big batch, toss with some oil (olive, flax, sesame..), add some seasoning (finely minced garlic, ginger, red onions..), then just saute as needed.

• Cook your favourite pasta, drain & toss with a fruity olive oil while still hot. Also make a batch of tomato sauce (saute onions until golden, add minced garlic, some cans of plum tomatoes, good glug of full-bodied red wine, dried oregano & basil. Break up with wooden spoon & simmer on low for a couple of hours.) A hearty simple dinner is all ready for your tummy.

Go through cookbooks, food magazines (Food & Wine is great!), ask friends & family for their favourite recipes. Now, don’t just walk, run into your kitchen and get cooking!

Tastefully Yours, Luke

Make 1 day of the week “food prep” day. Invite family members or friends to help out. Make it fun! Make a list of what you want to make & shopping lists.Do the shopping together. When back in the kitchen put on some funky music and get cooking! My mum and I do this every Monday for our meals. We’ll make enough food for the upcoming week. Some examples?

• We’ll make a big batch of soup (perfect w/ pappadums and a salad)
• Brown rice noodles tossed w/ soy sauce, tamarind, garlic, ginger, chillis, tamari and sesame oil (just saute and have w/ seasonal veggies and a protein)
• Roasted beets ( when cooled just peel, dice, toss w/ some olive oil, fleur de sel and fresh pepper — gorgeous beet salad that compliments any meal), or a big batch of rice ( brown basmati, wild, red, or a combination) that, when done, you can season how you like. ( a glug of olive oil and some fresh herbs?)
• Boil some beautiful whole potatoes, cool & refrigerate. For a dinner slice into 1/2 inch rounds & saute in olive oil till crisp & golden. Mmmm!

A few more ideas…

• Buy fresh fish and portion in baggies. Then you just have to season and quickly saute when needed.
• Get some lamb or pork shoulder, or shanks, and braise them w/ lots of garlic & herbs. Then just heat up what you want when you want through the week.
• Roast a couple of chickens ( or a turkey!) that can be enjoyed all week, either cold or heated slowly in the roasting juices that you saved. — You can also make batches of chili, stews…. let your imagination fly.

There now, your fridge is full of beautiful healthy foods made w/ love. During the week you just have to heat and add your veggies and salad. Not bad, huh? One day spent w/ people you love, having fun, chopping, dicing, boogying, sauteing, braising, snacking, laughing, filling your kitchen w/ incredible smells, sharing stories and ideas—phew! That’s some kind of fun — the fabulous meals you’ll be eating will be the icing on the cake! ( You could even make a cake!)

Tastefully Yours, Luke

Of course, the taste of the foods is the most important. But I always want the entire experience to be more than the sum of it’s parts. I want people to feel the full gamut of emotions when eating our food. To accomplish this all senses must be fully engaged. I find that by having contrasting flavours, textures, temperatures, colours and complexities on the plate is the best way to achieve this. Do we have salty, sweet, sour, bitter and umami? Does the plate need something crispy or soft? Maybe something slightly acidic to cut through the richness? A few splashes of colour?Have some fun with this in your own kitchen. You’ll be amazed with what adding a few extra opposing components can do. Accessorize your plates!

I also LOVE presenting foods in ways that people don’t expect. Romaine as ice cream? Parsnips that look like gnocchi? Beets as a cupcake with umami frosting? That cannot be a duck breast! By engaging the brain in the culinary experience brings it to a heightened level. It’s like adding 3-D glasses or fireworks when you weren’t expecting either.

I just heard 50 lbs. of slowly braised beef cheeks calling me back into the kitchen. They say they’ve done their part, having turned out so succulent &  beefy. Now they are demanding to be transformed into something that will shock and inspire and that, of course, will not look like beef cheeks! Oh, you cheeky things!

Tastefully Yours, Luke

I use to be the type of person who resisted change, and quite adamantly. When I was a wee lad I liked everything to be just as it was yesterday. No one ever accused me of being wild and crazy! In fact, up until only a short time ago, I would cross the street if I saw Spontaneity walking towards me. No, no, no… when things were the way I liked them,then dammit, that is how I wanted them to stay. My mum would call me a curmudgeon, an old fart, but I could be a very stubborn old fart!

When I became Chef I did have to loosen the seat belt a little bit, because after all, the art of food creation is not black and white. I had to learn, grudgingly at first, that it was OK to step outside the box. I didn’t want to be someone who regimentally followed recipes and other peoples’ rules. As Harold Mcgee  encouraged in his brilliant tome On Food & Cooking, I wanted to question everything I read. If a recipe insisted that only certain steps be followed, only the requisite ingredients be used… well, that made me want to experiment, to try to make it my way. Similarly, when I would get a dish exactly as I wanted it I felt relieved. ” There, the lamb shanks are perfect. I won’t have to change them for some time now”. I slowly began to realize that very few things are perfect, that there is always room for improvement. That was one of the things I loved about food — the playing and experimenting and striving to make it better!

Sure, I’ll admit that making changes still does make my palms a tad sweaty, but I no longer cross the street to avoid spontaneity. I welcome it and thank it for making me a better Chef and, more importantly, a better person. In fact, I’ve decided that my mantra for this new year will be to do something everyday that makes me feel a little uncomfortable.

I highly recommend this to anyone who might not be a big fan of change. Lamb chops? Try a shank. Only jazz? Try on some Funk. Short hair? Grow it long. Murder mysteries? Reach for a biography. Couch potato? Downward dogs on the double! Tomorrow I’m going to wear a red bow tie, listen to hip hop, make some small changes to the menu, get a new funky haircut, and have a port instead of my customary sherry. Change is Good! Damn, palms are getting sweaty……. !

Tastefully Yours, Luke

As a Chef, it is the food lists that drive me crazy. Bacon’s in, green tea’s out, kimchi is hot, parsnips are not, spelt is sexy, quinoa is so yesterday! I have one thing to say— Delicious is Timeless! Wonderful foods cannot go in and out of fashion. Sweet succulent pork belly is not a mini skirt! I have an idea…….. drum roll please…… let’s collectively start permanent lists. Under “What’s Hot” – - -delicious food, local foods, made-from scratch foods, locally raised pastured animals, community gardens, farmers’ markets, eating how Mother Nature intended, eating 6 small meals a day, sharing foods and ideas. Under “What’s NOT” – - – jet-lagged foods, mass-produced meals, commercial feedlot meats, any purchased grocery item with any unrecognizable ingredients, “fast food”, gorging on 3 meals a day, eating on the run, foods (and I use the term lightly) thought up in a boardroom and produced in Frankenstein’s lab.

There, now we have food lists we would be proud to call our own. No further need to buck the trends. I think we’re onto something! But we still have work to do about all the other lists. Hmmm. If skinny jeans are in, let’s do boot cut. If the world is listening to Lady Gaga, let’s dance to Parliament and Afro Celt Sound System. Polkadots? Hah, we’ll do stripes!

Ok, the movement has begun – - – non-conformists of the world unite!

Tastefully Yours, Luke

We had a wonderful couple of days. Dinner on the 25th was just perfect; our heirloom turkey rewarded us for the brining and herb-roasting, and accompanied with savoury sweet potatoes, caramelized carrots & celeriac, and a spelt bread stuffing with saucisson d’ail and oodles of garlic, sage, fennel & white wine, it was truly a meal to remember. After removing the leftover turkey from the bones I threw them into a big pot with onions, garlic, peppercorns, carrots, fennel seeds, thyme and rosemary sprigs and celery. Six hours later I had a beautiful stock I’ll use to make a winter-worthy soup.

We had some extra fun with our gift giving this year. As we don’t like using commercial wrapping paper, we have always wrapped with newspaper. We like to disguise things so they don’t look like what they are. ( Hmmm…..also sounds like what I like to do with food…. I see a pattern here!) But this year we went one step further and we gave each gift a clue to help, or hinder, the person receiving it. It added an extra element of fun. All those in favour of fun say “Yay”! UH-HUH, the yays have it!

It’s so wonderful having a little time off. Extra time to read, to write, take long walks, engage in more elaborate debates and discussions, and make every meal a little bit special. We even light candles for breakfast at this time of the year. And music… the new additions received as gifts (this year Stravinsky, Doobie Brothers, DeVokchta, Londinium, etc.), and, of course, our stand-by favourites (Jamiroquai, Morrissey, Zero 7, Billy Bragg, REM, Joni Mitchell, Ella, K’Naan, Pretenders, and so on and so on and so on…) And I suppose I don’t have to tell you how much I love having free kitchen time to experiment and play. (Gee, Luke, really? Yeah, yeah, I do realize I can be a tad predictable sometimes!)

Right now I’m playing with a blow torch and spoons. How predictable is that? HAH!  Seriously, I’m having a blast, creating the funkiest spoons that will, without a doubt, end up funkifying a plate or two in the New Year! I’ll have photos in my next post.

Until then, remember to take every opportunity to make your days fun and memorable. Play, listen, learn, tell someone you love them, have a food fight, turn up the volume, add extra hot sauce, dance, get flour on your nose, pick up a book or a dumbbell, plan a garden, have another food fight, and laugh!

Tastefully Yours,

Luke

Do try my mom’s “special time” theory! Take the time to spread out the good times. A little bit here, a little bit there, a little bit really can go a long way! We deserve it, don’t we?

Happy opening, receiving, eating, savouring, sipping, and SLOW it down, man! Think slow motion, but less goofy!

Happy Slow Holidays and Tastefully Yours,

Luke