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Culinary Legend
By Cheryl Mah
When you truly love to do something — why would you stop? After more than five decades, Bruno Marti is still doing what he loves to do: cooking.
“I love making people happy,” he says emphatically. “As long as I’m capable, I want to cook. I do it because I love it.”
His career reflects a lifetime of dedication to furthering the culinary arts and raising the profile of the profession. For his outstanding talent, leadership and achievements, the legendary chef has been recognized with almost every award and honour possible.
When we meet in his restaurant, he speaks candidly and passionately about not only cooking but also the industry he is so much a part of. This year marks a couple of personal milestones for Marti. He recently turned 70 and it’s the 30th anniversary of his award winning restaurant La Belle Auberge.
“When someone wants something special, they come to La Belle Auberge. That’s why maybe I’m still in business after 30 years,” he says. “Quality and consistency is what makes us the best.”
Marti’s beautifully crafted fine dining cuisine has resulted in numerous awards since the restaurantopened in 1980. La Belle Auberge was most recently selected as the winner for Top Food in the Zagat 2010 Vancouver Guide.
At an age when most people are retired, the energetic Swiss native remains hands on at his restaurant. He spends more time now at the front of the house than in the kitchen but he still cooks. Cooking is not work, he explains, it’s a hobby.
Passionate leader
By Cheryl Mah
Believing that you can make a difference is a powerful motivator. For Donald Gyurkovits, his new role as president of the Canadian Culinary Federation (CCFCC) gives him a chance to raise the profile of the association and to promote junior chefs.
“I believe that my profession is the greatest profession in the world and I want people to know about it. I want young cooks to know about it,” says Gyurkovits.
The 47-year-old chef saw a need for change and was elected the CCFCC president last year after serving two years as president of the B.C. Chefs Association (BCCA).
“We as an industry are often overlooked and we need to be recognized in Canada. I want people to know who we are and what we’re all about. We’re good cooks but we’ve never been good at marketing ourselves,” he says.
Initiatives underway include having the Junior National Culinary Team tour across the country (demonstrations at colleges and universities) and a junior culinary exchange
“The junior chefs are very important to me. My heart has always been with the young cooks so we’re starting a junior culinary exchange across the country,” explains Gyurkovits. “It looks like the first four [still to be selected] will be going to Kelowna in August — what better place for food and culture than the Okanagan.