Culinary authenticity of AC Chef Instructor shines at Chef’s Table event
Posted on Monday, July 4th, 2022
Looking to celebrate a special occasion in the nation’s capital? Look no further! Algonquin College’s very own chef Tanya Skeates will be serving up a delicious farm-to-table feast as part of the Chef’s Table event held at the National Arts Centre (NAC) from Aug. 18 to Sept. 10.
Chef Tanya Skeates poses for a photo in her chef whites.
Presented by the Festival of Small Halls, the event will offer a romantic canal-side experience with live musical entertainment and, most importantly, the thoughtfully curated three-course menus of five of Canada’s very best culinary minds.
Skeates has been fostering the creative artistry of budding chefs at the College for almost five years now and, when she’s not busy sharing her culinary expertise, she can be found dreaming up new culinary experiences of her own. However, it wasn’t the creative expression that drew her to a career in the kitchen but her wanderlust for travel.
“I knew that I didn’t want a normal desk job, but I really didn’t know what I wanted to do — I definitely didn’t think it was cooking,” says Skeates. “Initially I took a hotel management degree because I wanted to travel but within that I had a cooking class and cooking just felt natural to me. I also knew that I could travel anywhere in the world and cook anywhere.”
After her graduation from the hotel management program, Skeates went on to complete her diploma in cuisine at the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec. Thanks to a letter of reference from one of her culinary professors, Skeates continued her studies under celebrated chef Anton Mosimann at a private dining club in London, England — feeding some of Britain’s finest.
“I would have never gotten that opportunity had it not been for my professor,” she says. “My work in London opened so many doors for me and from there I went on to work in Switzerland for a season as well.”
Skeates was hopeful that upon her return to Ottawa her high-end culinary experience would offer her the opportunity to work at embassies and in the kitchens of other Ottawa elites.
“My plan didn’t quite pan out as I had hoped,” Skeates says. “But in the end, I realized that what I liked most about cooking was creating relationships, so I’ve always gravitated towards small restaurants and small spaces.”
Using the experience she’d acquired throughout her two years abroad, Skeates quickly got to work finding the hole-in-the-wall restaurants where she could thrive and create meaningful relationships with her colleagues and diners — eventually opening an intimate and reputable restaurant of her own, Soupçon.
Today, when she isn’t working as acting chef for the Prime Minister of Canada, she is helping to shape the future of the culinary industry in Ottawa and abroad.
“I joined Algonquin College as a Chef Instructor in April of 2018,” says Skeates. “Being at Algonquin College, I really feel like I’ve landed — I just love being here!”
And it was her fellow colleagues at the College that helped her put the final touches on her curated menu for the upcoming Chef’s Table event.
Skeates’ menu includes a confit of Artic char, a tamari-seared Black Angus beef tenderloin with almond pesto, a vegetarian tamari-seared black bean and cilantro cake with almond pesto and, for dessert, a burnt honey set yogurt cheesecake.
“My menu is an Australian Asian fusion — I’ve always gravitated towards Australian food because it has a lot of Asian influence and tends to be very vegetable-forward,” Skeates explains. “Australian dishes usually incorporate a lot of local ingredients so for this menu, I’m taking local Canadian ingredients and adding an Asian twist.”
When it comes to her favourite places to dine, her tastes are much the same.
“When I go out for a meal, I like to eat things that I don’t normally cook at home,” says Skeates. “A good bowl of pho or curry from Chinatown is what I like best. I enjoy eating somewhere where it’s an immersive experience — fresh foods, interesting atmosphere and great dishes.”
From in-season watermelon to locally sourced Black Angus beef and the atmospheric music of the Dueling Pianos, Skeates will be serving up a culinary experience that is authentically her.
“I was humbled to be asked to do this, it feels very special — 20 years ago I worked at the NAC for a summer, so it’s been really neat to see how things have come full circle as I approach the end of my career,” says Skeates.
From the Manx Pub to the Black Cat Bistro and our very own Algonquin College, Skeates has made her mark on foodies of all kinds — this is a menu you won’t want to miss.
Reserve your seats today: https://ontariosmallhalls.com/the-chefs-table-2022/chefs-table-september-1-4-2022/
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