This is Chef Cooper’s first year participating at the BC Seafood Festival, held in Comox Valley, and he is looking forward to the event and experience. Follow him along on his Instagram for a behind the scenes story of the event.
Chef Lee Cooper commanded attention on both plate and palate from the onset of his two and half decades of experience in the industry, where he has staked his claim as one of Canada’s top culinary talents.
Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Cooper started out in some of BC’s best kitchens, and honed his talent at a number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the US and UK.
The chef returned, in 2010, to the West Coast where he opened his now award-winning Gastown mainstay, L’Abattoir.
In 2017, seeking an audience for his wildest culinary dreams, he launched No. 1 Gaoler’s Mews, a restaurant within a restaurant concept that now raises funds for L’Abattoir’s charity partner, The BC Hospitality Foundation.
Recently, Cooper cast his culinary net even wider, launching his second restaurant as Chef/Owner of Coquille Fine Seafood, a modern spin on a classic fish house, in the heart of Vancouver’s Gastown.
Coquille offers an Ocean Wise recommended seafood and shellfish focused menu in a beautiful room with a wonderful wine list and cocktail program. It was named Best New Restaurant at the Where to Dine Awards in 2019.
This is Chef Cooper’s first year participating at the BC Seafood Festival, held in Comox Valley, and he is looking forward to the event and experience.
“Although I’ve been the chef and co-owner of L’Abattoir since 2010, we only just opened Coquille Fine Seafood last year so we are far more involved with seafood and shellfish now than ever before. I’ve participated in many different kinds of events in the past and it’s always exciting to get out of the restaurant kitchen and out to a new audience. I’m from Vancouver Island so it’s going to be great to be able to cook so close to where I grew up learning the trade.”
Last week the chef was in San Diego cooking a series of dinners for Ironside Fish and Oyster, where he had the opportunity to create with various fish and shellfish that are available in the local market.
Now, he’s back home catching up in his own restaurant kitchens (Coquille Fine Seafood and L’Abattoir), and preparing for his appearance at the seafood festival in a few days.
Cooper plans on bringing Coquille’s concept to the table in Comox Valley as he experiences the festival first hand, for the very first time.
The chef is working with one of his favourite Ocean Wise suppliers, Taylor Shellfish, and he will be presenting a Poached Oyster with Green Apples and Dashi Jelly.
“Enjoy this incredible event and we hope to see you there! And follow our instagram stories for a behind the scenes look at the festival @coquillevan”, signed off chef Lee Cooper.
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