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Michael MacKenzie
Background
Chef McKenzie was Canadian born, Toronto in fact. At age six,
however, he moved to Chicago with his mother and received all of his public
schooling there. "I felt drawn to Canada knowing it was my home, so decided
to come back soon after I finished high school."
Trained
Michael received formal culinary training at the renowned George
Brown College in Toronto. Training extended beyond the Culinary Management
certification from George Brown, to a practical apprenticeship at... none
other than... The Banff Springs Hotel!
Worked
"My first real job was sort of a food service exposure. I bussed,
waited tables, barboyed and so forth at a private country club in Oak Park
Illinois outside of Chicago from the time I was about 15." Other employment
venues included Movenpick while attending college, Rimrock in Banff, Jon
Alan's then Windstar Sailing Cruises. While a chef aboard this incredible
sailing vessel, Chef McKenzie visited over 35 ports of call... Rome,
Corsica, Southern Italy, Naples, the French Riviera, Caribbean and Costa
Rica. "It was tons of work, sometimes going for as long as 5 months without
a day off, but the experience of a lifetime." Chef returned to Jon Alan's
where it seemed natural to rejoin the business he had come to enjoy and
appreciate after his wanderlust had been quenched.
How he got into cooking
"I've always liked things about food. The
decision came from my comfort and connection with food and enjoying simple
pleasures such as grocery shopping since I was young. My dad challenged me
when I first started to consider becoming a chef. He would ask me if I was
sure, and had I thought about the working weekends, holidays, in a hot
environment etc. He made me think but didn't change my mind.
First thing he ever cooked
"Tough to remember but I guess it would have
been chocolate chip cookies. I made so many cookies that my mom would have
to take them to work and give them to friends to stay ahead of my
production."
Favorite Place to eat
"Bish here in Halifax has impressed me on both
occasions I've been. I liked what I saw and what I ate. The combinations and
presentations are terrific."
Recipe Tip
"Always try to work in a clean area. Cleaning as you go is the
key," says Chef Michael. "Organization prevents frustration and
confusion... plus it makes you look good! Our open kitchen concept at Jon Alan's
demands that we maintain a clean and functional kitchen environment."
What he'd be if he weren't a chef
Without second thought, Michael states that he would be a professional
baseball player if not in the Chef role. "At least I would like to think it
would be as a professional. Baseball is my favourite sport."
Favorite Kitchen Tool
As with many of his peers, this Chef finds a 10 inch French Knife to be indispensable...
"but it has to be very sharp at all times. "As far as a tip is
concerned, "for a fine strain, coffee filters do a good job, especially if
there isn't any cheesecloth around. Filters are wonderful for making a clear
stock when it is essential to remove any solids."
Menu Bomb
"When I worked at the Rimrock, a fine-dining restaurant in Banff, we
ran a Table D'hote menu every couple of weeks. The chef I worked under at the
time would ask us, his cooking staff, to contribute ideas for upcoming menus.
One particular time, the menu was shaping up to have an Italian theme. I
submitted a suggestion for a Proscuitto Calzone. The guests enjoyed it, but my
co-workers teased me mercilessly saying that it looked as though I were making
"Pizza Pockets." It was all in fun, but since the dough, sauce and in
fact the entire item was from scratch, plus I used only the finest ingredients,
it was far from a Pizza Pocket!"
Chef Michael says, "I'm very lucky to be doing what I'm doing. As in
anything, there are challenges for chefs... but everyone should be so
fortunate to be satisfied and successful in their career."
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