Recently I was asked to create a menu for a restaurant and the creative eagerness always seizes my mind in the same way it is hard to put a good book down until it is finished. The intensity and excitement of the owners fills me with motivation.

With the many years I have worked in many different restaurants and certainly as a foodie (a given for any chef) I have enjoyed many different flavours.  The striking similarity has been the same proteins in various cuts and the striking differences is spicing the same proteins.

Every culture have comfort foods that stem from one’s childhood and for most it was what was available in that time. How many tables have you sat down with the family and heard the elders rave about how delicious this or that was. Nutritionally, because of wartime eras, the food was not balanced and along with certain foods, certain cultures, certain health issues also were revealed.

This past weekend my buffet for Mothers Day Brunch included Bread Pudding which has been in most cultures to use up that stale loaf of bread by adding spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, cream, eggs and any fruit (normally raisins) but options include canned cherries, cranberries and a lovely smattering of butter and brown sugar and of course syrup and cream as toppings. Delicious yes, and loaded with sugar and fats and brought the best compliments.

The main Lunch proteins were Chicken Schnitzel (which is a coated tenderized chicken breast spiced with black pepper, thyme, parsley, lemon juice and minced garlic) and Maple Glazed Salmon (skinned fillets with a glaze using syrup, brown sugar, soy sauce and grainy mustard). Our signature seasonal roasted vegetables medley(green and yellow zucchini, red and green sweet peppers, sweet onion wedges and some times carrots) drizzled with olive oil and spiced with thyme, marjoram, balsamic vinegar, pepper, salt, garlic).

On the breakfast side we had thick sliced bacon, home cut roasted potatoes and Traditional French Toast.

We also had granola, plain and honey cinnamon yogurt and a brimming fruit salad with melons and mangoes.

Every week we change up the buffets to make the patrons return again and again.