The GOODS from Royal Dinette

Vancouver, BC | Cast-offs, offcuts and scraps considered the “Ugly Ducklings” of the culinary world get their moment once again on Tuesday, March 22 when Royal Dinette Head Chef Jack Chen teams with visiting Galiano Island chef Jesse McCleery to play host to the restaurant’s fourth Ugly Duckling Dinner.

Recently named one of Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants of 2016, following their Best New Restaurant nod by Globe & Mail, Royal Dinette’s partnership with McCleery, chef and co-owner of Galiano Island’s Pilgrimme — a highly lauded coast-, forest- and farm-to-table-focused restaurant singled out among EnRoute’s Best New Restaurants in 2015 — will break new ground to serve up a collaborative six-course feast that transforms under-utilized ingredients into a truly unforgettable culinary experience.

“I’m excited to not only partner with Jesse, who brings a like-minded approach to farm-to-table cooking,” says Chen, “but to champion a specific type of ‘no-waste’ cuisine that both informs and educates our guests.”

“This is a natural collaboration between Pilgrimme and Royal Dinette,” says McCleery, “as both restaurants share the same philosophy on sustainable cuisine and seek to make the most of seasonal and local ingredients.”

UGLY DUCKING IV MENU

Snacks

Galiano Blue Kale, Duck Skin Crumble, Fermented Squash Gut
Sunchoke Skin, Salt Cod, Toasted Seed
Beef Heart, Umeboshi Brine, Spent Levain Cracker, Herb Stem
‘Dilemma’ Cocktail

Dinner

No. 2 Kohlrabi, Salmon Roe, Sea Vegetables
SOAHC Riesling 2014

Celery Root, Herring Head Garum, Celery Leaf, Stinging Nettle, Whey Butter
‘Stalk to the Hand’ Cocktail

Sablefish Collar, Dried Galiano Corn Ear Dashi, Smoked Skin Furikake
Osake Junmai Nama Sake

Pasta al Sangue, Crispy Bits, Preserved Cucumber
Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Gamay Noir 2014

Chewy Grain, Duck Yolk, Beetroot, Kvass
‘Let the Beet Drop’ Cocktail

Fermented Potato Skin Bread, Smoked Kelp Butter, Burnt Leek Top

Steamed Red Fife Bran and Honey Cake, Sake Kasu Caramel,
Plum Kernel Kefir, Quince Peel Vinegar
Jean Paul Brun FRV Ancestral Method Gamay Noir NV

TICKETS | Royal Dinette’s fourth Ugly Duckling Dinner takes place on Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available via Eventbrite and include a six-course menu with beverage pairings for $79 per person plus tax and gratuity.

As Royal Dinette prides itself on placing a premium on the availability and seasonality of all ingredients, the Ugly Duckling Dinner menu is subject to slight changes. Substitutions are politely declined.

The Ugly Duckling Dinner Series will continue into the spring with another Guest Chef edition planned for Tuesday, Apr. 26. Details and menu will be announced soon.

ABOUT THE UGLY DUCKLING DINNER SERIES | Taking its cue from such acclaimed chefs as Matt Orlando of Amass Restaurant in Copenhagen, Denmark and Dan Barber of New York’s Blue Hill restaurant, Royal Dinette launched its Ugly Duckling Dinner Series in October 2015. This thought-provoking culinary series was designed with the intent to educate guests on food-waste awareness and sustainability issues through dishes that feature the “ugly ducklings” of the culinary world. In keeping with this theme, each Ugly Duckling menu transforms commonly discarded cast-offs and scraps such as juice pulp, cores, roots and stems, offal, coffee grounds and pork skin into a truly unforgettable meal with an ecological message.

DETAILS

905 Dunsmuir St. | Vancouver BC | V6C 2G2
Telephone | 604-974-8077 | www.royaldinette.ca | Twitter @RoyalDinette | Instagram @royaldinette
Lunch: Mon – Fri 11am – 2pm | Dinner: Mon – Sat 5pm – late | L’Apéro Happy Hour Mon – Sat 4:30pm – 6pm

Gallery

PEOPLE

Chef/Owner: David Gunawan
Head Chef: Jack Chen
Head Bartender: Kaitlyn Stewart
Manager: Chen-Wei Lee
Manager: Jonathan Therrien

About Royal Dinette

Located in the heart of Vancouver’s Financial District, Royal Dinette revolves around celebrated chef, David Gunawan’s signature focus on bringing together the best fresh, locally sourced ingredients for a true farm-to-table feast for the senses. With an ever-changing seasonal menu, fresh pasta, pastry and butcher stations and a bar menu offering an array of local craft beer, sparkling wine and handcrafted cocktails, Royal Dinette pairs the laid-back, informal atmosphere of a bygone diner with an elegant standard of service to bring quality, value and creativity of cuisine to a whole new audience.