Photographing Chef Jesse Bell
I recently made a return visit to one of my favorite spots in Ottawa, The Albion Rooms, nestled at the base of Ottawa's Novotel Hotel on Nicholast St. The Albion Rooms prides itself as being anything but your typical hotel restaurant has been a go-to hot spot for many locals and visitors alike. My first visit was back in 2015 when then-Chef Stephen La Salle was at the helm. The food was great - often made with locally sourced ingredients, and the atmosphere was spot on - a perfect mixture of equal parts casual and class.
I recently made a return visit to one of my favorite spots in Ottawa, The Albion Rooms, nestled at the base of Ottawa's Novotel Hotel on Nicholast St. The Albion Rooms prides itself as being anything but your typical hotel restaurant has been a go-to hot spot for many locals and visitors alike. My first visit was back in 2015 when then-Chef Stephen La Salle was at the helm. The food was great - often made with locally sourced ingredients, and the atmosphere was spot on - a perfect mixture of equal parts casual and class.
Today when you visit The Albion Rooms, you still find that same great flavour and service we've come to expect, but when you peak in the back room you'll notice a new Captain steering the ship. Enter Chef Jesse Bell.
Though his youthful looks may deceive you, Jesse isn't new to the restaurant game. Like many in this city, he is a graduate of Algonquin College's successful Culinary Management program and cut his teeth by working his way up throughout the Capital. Jesse assumed the Head Chef position at The Albion Rooms a little over a year ago, after colleague and close friend Stephen La Salle moved to his new role down the street.
A perfectionist by nature, Jesse takes immense pride in keeping his mouth watering menu new and fresh. And his passion for sustainability and shopping local are a testament to his core values. If you're looking for that perfect location for a date, or need to grab a satisfying bite before catching a show at the NAC, I highly recommend paying Jesse and his team at The Albion Rooms a visit.
Photographing Chef Stephen La Salle
On a frigid date night late last winter, my wife and I headed downtown to catch a friend’s band play. We were already excited to be out because our friend plays in Sloan, one of my all-time favorite Canadian bands, but a last minute change in plans had us stumble on a nearby restaurant called The Albion Rooms. The show was better than ever, but what we talked about for days and weeks afterwards was this new restaurant we discovered and the incredible food they served. We still talk about it.
On a frigid date night late last winter, my wife and I headed downtown to catch a friend’s band play. We were already excited to be out because our friend plays in Sloan, one of my all-time favorite Canadian bands, but a last minute change in plans had us stumble on a nearby restaurant called The Albion Rooms. The show was better than ever, but what we talked about for days and weeks afterwards was this new restaurant we discovered and the incredible food they served. We still talk about it.
Ladies and gentlemen, please meet the head chef and culinary mastermind behind The Albion Rooms, Stephen La Salle.
Leading the charge at The Albion Rooms for the past three years, Stephen has turned a hotel restaurant into one of the best dining experiences in the city with its beautiful mix of modern cool and rustic je ne sais quoi. For all you Mad Men fans out there, this is where the 21st century Don Draper would frequent. Whether you’re in for the salmon & eggs breakfast; the elk burger dinner; or just popping by for a cocktail such as my favorite, Rye PA, you are guaranteed to leave htheappy. But don’t take my word for it, take the word of The New York Daily News and many other positive reviews La Salle has garnered.
When he’s not cooking or overseeing operations in the kitchen, Stephen can often be found at the front of the house, perched at the corner of the bar preparing apps and making final touches to dishes while chatting with patrons. This is yet one more reason why the members of the Bytown Chefs Collective succeed in the industry. After shooting four of this group of seven, I have yet to find one of these guys with an over-inflated ego and too self-absorbed to want to be face-to-face with his customer base. They continue to blow my mind, and La Salle is no exception.
I get the sense that Stephen has a low key, easy going personality which probably serves him well in what I can only imagine to be a highly stressful job. However, when he gets down to work, his game face shows nothing but focus as he prepares his meals, and the swiftness and ease at which he moves around the kitchen is truly something to witness.
If you’re ever in Ottawa and want to have one of the best dining experiences of your life, make sure to visit Stephen La Salle at The Albion Rooms. Oh, and don’t forget to Tweet or Instagram your experience as he loves to engage with people on social media.
I hope you’re enjoying this chef series featuring the Bytown Chefs Collective as much as I’m enjoying producing it. I’d love to hear your feedback on the series, or stories about great dining experiences in the comments. Here is a gallery from the shoot…
Photographing Butcher David Wallace
My ongoing photo series on Ottawa chef group, the Bytown Chefs Collective, didn't take me far from my house to meet and photograph the next member. Today I'd like to introduce you to the Cobden Rd Butcher, David Wallace, owner and head butcher at Around The Block Butcher Shop. Oh, and he's got a knife collection that would make Mick Dundee jealous.
My ongoing photo series on Ottawa chef group, the Bytown Chefs Collective, didn't take me far from my house to meet and photograph the next member. Today I'd like to introduce you to the Cobden Rd Butcher, David Wallace, owner and head butcher at Around The Block Butcher Shop. Oh, and he's got a knife collection that would make Mick Dundee jealous.
Formerly known as Brian's Butchery & Deli, David worked at the shop for three or four years before he was presented with the opportunity to buy the shop and assume responsibility as Head Butcher. In 2014 he did just that, re-branded the company with a new name and logo, and brought in a host of locally produced meats and preserves. At just 27 years old and working six days a week, David embodies the qualities that this new wave of culinary artists need in order to survive and thrive in their industry. And his timing couldn't be better.
David's presence in the shop is infectious, and is one of the reasons why his business succeeds. He knows his customers by name, and makes time to chat and share a few laughs with each one. He works with local farmers, coffee companies, and canning companies, and offers the best products he can at the most competitive prices. And with supermarket prices continuing to rise as they are, it's no wonder people are turning to support local business like David's.
Like the other members of his Collective, David possesses an openness, inventiveness, and willingness to collaborate with colleagues in the city. While visiting the shop in the middle of the week, it meant he wasn't butchering so much as serving his customers and attending to the deli side of the business. However, two nights earlier David teamed up with chef Stephen La Salle of The Albion Rooms to prepare sausages for Stephen's Beer Banger Bash, a special brunch collaboration with Beau's Brewery that kicked of Craft Beer Week.
David Wallace is a smart and savvy businessman, and he is a role model for young entrepreneurs. I wish his business the best of luck and look forward to being the newest member of his growing list of customers.
If you've missed the first two parts of this series, you can find them here:
Photographing Chef Kyle Proulx
Last week I had the opportunity to catch up with and shoot the second member of the Bytown Chefs Collective (BCC), Kyle Proulx, Head Chef at Lowertown Brewery.
I met up with Kyle at his new restaurant, Lowertown Brewery, in the uber-busy Byward Market in downtown Ottawa. Lowertown Brewery is the latest addition to the Ontario craft beer scene, which has really become a major part of Ottawa. Literally working around the corner from his friend and Bytown Chefs Collective partner Paul Dubeau (my first shoot in the series), Kyle's restaurant and working style posed a stark contrast to Paul's, which I think (and hope) help makes this series an interesting one.
Last week I had the opportunity to catch up with and shoot the second member of the Bytown Chefs Collective (BCC), Kyle Proulx, Head Chef at Lowertown Brewery.
I met up with Kyle at his new restaurant, Lowertown Brewery, in the uber-busy Byward Market in downtown Ottawa. Lowertown Brewery is the latest addition to the Ontario craft beer scene, which has really become a major part of Ottawa. Literally working around the corner from his friend and Bytown Chefs Collective partner Paul Dubeau (my first shoot in the series), Kyle's restaurant and working style posed a stark contrast to Paul's, which I think (and hope) help makes this series an interesting one.
In my first shoot at Stella, Paul's kitchen was exactly what I imagined a restaurant kitchen to be - compact; efficient; hidden from view; and with the head chef at the centre of the action, calling orders and plating the dishes. Kyle's kitchen however, was an enormous open concept; and set up so that Kyle faced the cook team, called out the orders, made finishing touches to the plates, and summoned the servers. Think of a quarterback at the line and you'll get the gist.
Kyle has an intensity that I don't see in very many people. Many people at my age and younger seem to take life for granted and demand the riches without working for it. Kyle does not appear to be that type of young professional. As we talked and walked through the Market, I learned a bit about his background and how he got to where he is today. I can only imagine that to succeed in the restaurant industry you have to have your game face on at all times. You have to be aware of what's going on around you, and you have to find ways to set yourself apart, especially in a densely populated restaurant location such as the Market in Ottawa. With smart phones tucked into the front pockets of their aprons, Kyle and the other members of the BCC show just how important social media and engagement are to their businesses. Without missing a step, these guys can prepare a dish while simultaneously sharing posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Having said all that, Kyle has a great personality and a great gift for gab. He knows how to work hard, have fun, and entertain, and I look forward to seeing him in action with the Bytown Chefs Collective later this year. For now, here are two galleries from the shoot...
Photographing Chef Paul Dubeau
As a relative newcomer to Ottawa, my professional network can be likened to that of the draft prospects of a pro sports team that has missed the playoffs for several years. That is, non-existent and in a constant state of rebuild.
Having said that, my research and networking around my new city has happily led to a few things, one being a new project with the Bytown Chefs Collective (BCC). The group is made up of seven of the best young chefs in Ottawa who pool their talents to stage fundraising events that support charities throughout the region.
As a relative newcomer to Ottawa, my professional network can be likened to that of the draft prospects of a pro sports team that has missed the playoffs for several years. That is, non-existent and in a constant state of rebuild.
Having said that, my research and networking around my new city has happily led to a few things, one being a new project with the Bytown Chefs Collective (BCC). The group is made up of seven of the best young chefs in Ottawa who pool their talents to stage fundraising events that support charities throughout the region.
I'll be spending the next several months photographing each of the chefs both in their respective kitchens, and together as a group. Unlike other chef collaborations who each bring their best dishes to the table, this group works together and prepares the whole meal as a team.
First up is Paul Dubeau who runs no less than five kitchens in the city. Four of his kitchens belong to each of the Clocktower Brew Pubs scattered throughout Ottawa, and the one we met and photographed at belongs to Stella Osteria, a modern Italian restaurant located in the trendy Byward Market.
Here are a few more images from the shoot...
