Shangri-La Hotel, Vancouver
announces the appointment of Ken Nakano to the position of executive chef. Nakano
joins the hotel from the 156-room Rosewood Hotel Georgia, where he served as head
chef from 2011 to 2015. Nakano brings with him over 20 years of culinary
experience, covering all aspects of food and beverage operations, with a
particular passion for regional, seasonal cuisine.
Guests dining at the hotel’s
restaurant, MARKET by Jean-Georges, can expect to see sophisticated yet
uncomplicated flavours, and seasonal menus showcasing ingredients from
coast to coast. Guest are encouraged to keep an eye on the Rooted in Nature dinner tasting menu, and dishes such as the Beef
Carpaccio, Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms and House Made Mustard, which uses British
Columbia born and grazed beef from Cache Creek Natural Beef. Another
standout dish is the Soy Lacquered Veal Cheek, served with Crosne and a purée
of Sunchoke from North Arm Farm in
Pemberton, British Columbia.
Nakano grew up in a traditional
Japanese household, where the garden was the driving force of his family’s
meals. Tending to the backyard garden was part of his daily chores, and
scavenging for local fiddleheads, coltsfoot, and berries were the highlight of
family camping trips with his cousins. Once the seasons changed from fishing
and foraging for fresh ingredients, to harvest time, he learned the arts of
salt curing, canning, and pickling thanks to his mother. Little did he know at
the time, Nakano’s mother was instilling the importance of practicing a
sustainable, seasonal approach to cooking.
“I remember putting seaweed from
Spanish Banks into the garden in the spring, and fallen maple leaves in autumn,
to nourish the soil and prepare it for the coming seasons,” said Nakano. “Honouring
the seasons and eating this way has always been part of my lifestyle. As a
chef, I have a great respect for our local community; when we collaborate with
farm partners and local producers we can plan and create truly regional, seasonal
menus.”
Nakano spent six years, from 2006
to 2011, at the Fairmont Empress where he honed his senior management skills as
the executive sous chef. With a vast knowledge and passion for sustainability,
he helped launch the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean
Wise program on Vancouver Island in 2007.
During a longstanding tenure with
Delta Hotels and Resorts, Nakano worked his way up the culinary ranks at various
properties around British Columbia, including Vancouver, Sun Peaks, and
Victoria. Prior to working for hotels and resorts in Canada, Nakano spent 2001
living in Singapore, working with the luxury cruise ship line Crystal Cruises.
In 1995, Nakano graduated from the British Columbia
Institute of Technology with honours, allowing him to secure his
Interprovincial Red Seal in Culinary Arts.
Os Hotéis e Resorts localizados em Hong Kong atualmente operam mais de 100 hotéis com mais de 41.000 quartos. Os Hotéis Shangri-La são propriedades de luxo com cinco estrelas que possuem instalações e atendimento de luxo. Os Hotéis Shangri-La estão localizados na Austrália, Canadá, China Continental, Fiji, França, Índia, Indonésia, Japão, Malásia, Maldivas, Mongólia, Maurício, Mianmar, Filipinas, Catar, Cingapura, Sri Lanka, Sultanato de Omã, Taiwan, Tailândia, Turquia, Emirados Árabes Unidos e Reino Unido. O grupo tem um canal de desenvolvimento substancial com projetos futuros na Austrália, China Continental, Camboja, Indonésia, Malásia e Arábia Saudita. Para mais informações e reservas, acesse o site pelo
www.shangri-la.com.