Chef Name: Jamie Hussey
Club: The Georgian Bay Club
Years as Chef/cooking: 15 years as an Executive Chef and 23 years cooking
History: Cooking was always a special family time in my house, my dad travelled for a living and was not home a lot. He was going to a lot of very unique and interesting places while my mom and I stayed home. So when he came back, we would all be in the kitchen trying to recreate some of the dishes he had eaten on his adventures. That is what sparked my love of food and my passion for cooking. My first cooking job wasn’t anything fancy, I was cooking at a local Roadhouse Restaurant. However, it was that experience that helped me see that I could make a living at what I loved to do. I worked my way up to Kitchen Manager, then wanting more I pursued a fine dining apprenticeship at a French Restaurant and worked there for 4 years. After dabbling in hotels for 10 years, working my way up the ladder holding Sous Chef and Executive Chef positions I felt the need to get out of the concrete jungle. I found myself applying for the Executive Chef position at Glen Abbey and was lucky enough to get the job. I started in 2012, in my time there I executed 2 RBC Canadian Opens and managed a really busy and complicated operation and loved every minute of it. Now I find myself at another beautiful property where I can continue to combine my love for the outdoors and my passion for cooking.
What is your Favourite Dish- hands down it has to be Sushi! It’s completely about the pristine ingredients – fresh and vibrant ingredients in their purest form.
Who was your Biggest Professional Influence? – I’ve been very lucky, I have had some amazing mentors in my career. If I had to pick one it would have to be Chuck Stratton. Chuck was the Food and Beverage Director for the Hyatt Grand Cayman. During my time with him he taught me a lot about the business acumen and professional etiquette which helped me get to where I am today.
What is your Favourite Kitchen Equipment? – My French Knife, it’s the tool where everything begins. Knife skills are the foundation to being a great cook.
What is your Favourite Ingredient or Spice? – Cumin, I love its fragrance and the depth it adds to a dish, I love using it in Latin American dishes.
What is your Favourite Thing to Do when you’re not in the kitchen? – Foraging and hiking, I love the outdoors! For team building, I’ve been known to take my team out to the woods and forage for wild mushroom or go on a fiddlehead hunt and then come go back to the kitchen and cook with our treasures.
What is the Weirdest dish you ever ate or made? – I wouldn’t say weird, I would say it was more unique. I once was lucky enough to sample a very specific type of Pho, it was a dish from a small village of rug weavers in Vietnam. The soup was made with congealed pig’s blood and was supposed to clear the fibers from your nose and lungs. It was delicious, both incredibly spicy and refreshing. The Pho’s flavour is something I will never forget.
Who is your Favourite Celebrity Chef? – It would have to be Francis Mallman. Maybe not the most famous chef, but I love his simple approach to food and cooking. He’s got that whole cast iron and fire attitude, he’s like a culinary poet with his dishes.
If You Weren’t a Chef, what would you be? – For sure a Herpetologist. I have had a lot of unique pets in my life and it is still something that I am fascinated by. I’m not sure if I could make money at it, but it would be cool to hang out with reptiles all day.
What do you think the next Culinary Trend is going to be in Canada? Although I am not a trend follower, I do think that I can see the industry moving back to its roots – curing, salting and braising. I can see peasant food becoming popular, just made a little fancier. The focus being the cheaper cuts of meat being treated gently, creating lots of flavours and textures.
What Words of Advice do you give to your apprentices when they are leaving to go to the next chapter in their career? This is a tough question because each one is a little different, but I think I try to instill the importance of work/life balance in all my apprentices. I also encourage them to always look ahead but not too far ahead, to work for the job they want not the one they already have.
