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Brian Mercer
Background
Brian came to the Maritimes to go to university. At St. Mary's he got a part
time job with Marriott, and ended up enjoying the job more than the classes!
Trained
He worked at St. Mary’s for two years, and then went to Northwood. He then found
a job working in the Beaufort Sea on an offshore oil rig. "What a tremendous
training ground," Brian recalls. "Unlimited resources, top quality everything,
free reign to experiment to my heart’s content." It was during this time that
Brian enrolled in the apprenticeship training program and received his
Journeyman papers.
Worked
On his return to the metro area, Brian worked at several private clubs before
landing a position at Keltic Lodge under Chef Gilles Hostal.
"That was the best
kitchen learning experience I ever had. I’ve tried to model myself after him."
After 8 years, Brian returned to the metro area and settled in eventually with
Prime Restaurants and East Side Mario’s. He trained in Oakville and then helped
to open the first of their Halifax locations. This is where Brian got interested
in the world of franchising, which eventually led to his buying the first Mike’s
Restaurant franchise for the Halifax area.
How he got into cooking
"When I was in high school, I would come down to the kitchen and read through my
mother’s cookbooks while I prepared a late night snack. I should have known then
I was going to end up in foodservice! I guess my first job with Marriott really
gave me some direction as far as my career goes. Then, I was just fortunate to
work with great chefs who kept me motivated."
First thing he ever cooked
"First recipe I ever tried was for scones. I made them in a large round loaf,
though, like bannock."
Favorite Place to eat
"I’d rather relax at home with family and friends than go out. Things are crazy
what with the restaurant, but I still do the cooking at home when we have
guests."
Recipe Tip
"You can always add but you can’t take away so… have a
light hand when adding spices do it gradually rather than all at once!"
What he'd be if he weren't a chef
"I love making wine, but I really can’t imagine not being in the food service
industry."
Favorite Kitchen Tool
"The Robot Coupe food processor. It’s great for compound butters, salad
dressings, and mousses. Expensive but definitely worth it."
Menu Bomb
"Traditional sauerbraten. It was when I worked at Brightwood Golf Club. After
marinating it for five days, and careful preparation, almost no one showed up
for dinner. A lot of work for no return!"
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