When you think of “celebrity chefs,” Ottawa might not be the first place that comes to mind. Instead, places such as London, New York and even Toronto are generally the first choice for a chef of that calibre to locate. But what about when the chef is from Ottawa?
That is the case with celebrity chef Rene Rodriguez. Born and raised for several years in Ottawa, Rodriguez moved back to Canada’s capital from Mexico when he was 18. He studied at the Le Cordon Bleu and Algonquin College and used both his roots and classical French training to curate a very simple but elevated philosophy to cooking. His ideology behind being able to make one tomato taste like 100 tomatoes is an embodiment of how he approaches food as a whole: maximize flavour, but do it simplistically.
Rodriguez got his start fresh out of culinary school at the Arc Hotel in 2001. From there, he continued to approach food with a mindset of simplicity and maximization of flavour. Being a young chef in such a senior role would turn out to be pivotal in his career as he shifted his sights to the world of culinary competitions.
Over the past several years, Rodriguez has earned a number of accolades to cement his reputation as a “celebrity chef.” With wins in both Beat Bobby Flay and Top Chef, Rodriguez has firmly placed himself as a household name, and one from Ottawa, no less. He claims that his time on these shows and others reaffirmed his belief in simplicity, and even further created a culinary mindset around respecting the primary ingredient. He claims that, on a competition show, there isn’t time to overthink or overdo a plate. Instead, you need to understand what’s important and execute it to perfection.
Now, years later, Rodriguez is back with a new venture in Ottawa. Being a longtime acquaintance of the Tavern Ottawa team, conversations bloomed about what Tavern at the Gallery could truly be. Rodriguez and the team spent months discussing the menu, the concept and the hoped-for outcome of a partnership that would bring Rodriguez into the kitchen. Eventually, they came to an agreement that the menu would be Mediterranean-inspired; straightforward, simple, hyper-seasonal and above all … tasty.
The menu is inspired by the south of France, with hints of both Italy and Spain. “Places where the sun is always shining. A lot of those classic flavours: fish, confit, flat breads and seasonal produce,” says Rodriguez.
He’ll be in the kitchen cooking hands-on as the chef de cuisine, or head of kitchen. He says he’ll also be interacting with guests, but that if the menu has his name on it, he needs to be in the kitchen executing.
When asked about the current state of the Ottawa culinary scene, Rodriguez expressed his thoughts on how diners in the city need to do their part.
“People have to search for and appreciate good dining and the seasonality of Ottawa. The city has a lot to offer and people need to support local chefs and businesses who are making amazing food. It’s okay to eat at home, but understand that going out in Ottawa is an experience. The support from people in the city is what is truly going to highlight that.”
Rodriguez hopes that his work at the Tavern at the Gallery will only add to what makes Ottawa’s food scene so special.
“The setting is beautiful. It’s comfortable seating in a beautiful garden. It’s like a little oasis. No noise pollution, it’s just a beautiful and calm setting with amazing food, wine and service. High quality. People will be happy from start to finish.”
“People should come say hi,” he adds. “Enjoy a good glass of wine and fantastic food made by a local chef. Put yourself in our hands and allow us to make the outing worthwhile. Treat it like a mini-vacation in the south of France for three hours.”
Rodriguez and the Tavern at the Gallery team are set to open between the last week of April and the first week of May. I hear “France” is great that time of year.
Jordan Pizzuti has been a local Ottawa food writer, content creator and hospitality professional for over 10 years. Through his “best of” series, Jordan has cemented himself as an expert in Ottawa hospitality and nightlife. He continues to promote the Ottawa hospitality scene through his “Are We Having Fun Yet?” brand and his work with OBJ.
