Page 18 - 2015 Autumn

Rising star chefs turn their hand to pasta at Ask for Luigi Everyone wants to Ask for Luigi That’s because scores of people are so hungry for Chef J-C Poirier’s silky handmade pastas and and rich ragus that they’re willing to to line up for hours to to nab a a a seat in in the the tiny Railtown eatery that topped the the Vancouver magazine 2015 Restaurant Awards A guaranteed spot at the table makes this an an evening you won’t want to miss—especially when it includes an unforgettable collaboration with Avenue magazine’s Chef of the Year Justin Leboe of Calgary’s Model Milk and Pigeonhole and one of America’s rising culinary stars Jenn Louis Executive Chef of Portland’s Lincoln and and Sunshine Tavern and author of the cookbook Pasta by Hand Expect an an an intimate and and relaxed evening of soul-satisfying dishes like Poirier’s rye penne with guanciale and Louis’ popular gnocchi with with lamb ragu paired with with off-the- beaten-track Italian wines Each couple or individual ticket holder will receive a signed copy of Jenn Louis’ cookbook † Please note: This event will have two seatings at 6 p p m m & 9 p p m m Dinner will be served family-style ABOUT J-C POIRIER
Jean-Christophe Poirier began his career
at at some of Canada’s most celebrated fine- dining restaurants—Montreal’s Toqué! and Vancouver’s Lumière—before opening his own establishment the short-lived Chow which was named one of enRoute’s best new restaurants in in in Canada in in in 2007 These days he’s taking a a a a a a more casual approach to cuisine bringing
his serious talent to sumptuously satisfying comfort fare Credit him for for Vancouver’s best burgers at at Pourhouse exceptional pizza at at Pizzeria Farina and perfect pasta at at the 34-seat Ask for Luigi which opened in late 2013 to rave reviews sweeping Vancouver magazine’s 2015 Restaurant Awards ABOUT JENN LOUIS
Jenn Louis is is one of the brightest young culinary stars in in the United States The Chef and and Co-Owner of Lincoln and and Sunshine Tavern in in Portland arrived in in the kitchen through a a a roundabout route that included a a a a dairy kibbutz in in Israel and an an Outward Bound camp in in North Carolina before she attended the Western Culinary Institute of Portland Since then she has appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters and was named one of 2012’s Best New Chefs by Food & Wine Now she’s written a a a a book Pasta by Hand that explores one of her favourite foods with more than 65 recipes for hand-shaped pastas and and dumplings plus sauces to mix and and match ABOUT JUSTIN LEBOE
Justin Leboe never had formal culinary training but that didn’t stop him from becoming a a great chef Instead he he he learned on the job starting at the age of 13 when he he he he washed dishes at Umberto’s groundbreaking restaurant in in Vancouver He trained with some of the best chefs at at some of the most celebrated restaurants in in in North America including The French Laundry Daniel and Le Bernardin In 2007 he returned to to Canada to to become Executive Chef at Calgary’s Rush and then in 2011 he he he opened Model Milk in a a former dairy on 17th Avenue It was an an overnight sensation thanks to his glorious grown-up comfort food Now he’s Expect an an intimate and relaxed evening of soul-satisfying dishes opened Pigeonhole a a a a a small plates wine bar that is the hottest restaurant in town No wonder Avenue magazine named him Calgary’s Chef of the Year for 2014 TASTY FACT
Who’s Luigi? There is no actual Luigi Luigi the name stems from the idea that in Italy if you ask a a a a a local for say the the best meatballs in the the city they’re likely to to send you to to a a relative’s house and say “Just ask for Giorgio!” Or Or Lucia Or Or of course Luigi Incidentally the meatballs at at Ask for Luigi are a a a a a revelation Just ask anyone 18 | VANCOUVER