By Lasia Kretzel

World famous chef returns to Saskatoon

May 19, 2013 | 3:38 PM

He’s worked under such famous chefs as Gordon Ramsay and Daniel Boulud and lived in cities around the world. Now, local culinary artist Dale MacKay is returning to Saskatoon to open a restaurant.

“A lot of it has to do with family and has to do with just getting back to your roots, as they say,” said MacKay, 33.

And moving back to his hometown isn’t the only return to his roots. The first winner of Canada’s Top Chef plans to open a Canadian-style bistro in the heart of downtown serving primarily food from across the province and country.

It will be located in the building that currently houses Souleio Foods, the city’s only downtown grocery store and restaurant.

Souleio opened four years ago in a heritage building on Third Avenue South. Current owners, Kevin and Melanie Boldt have decided to focus their efforts on their farm, after finding a downtown grocery store difficult to maintain.

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Like MacKay, the couple took pride in providing locally sourced food, but unlike them; MacKay hasn’t lived in the province for many years.

A high school dropout, MacKay packed up his life on his 15th birthday and moved to Vancouver, where his brothers lived. He worked several jobs before being thrust into the kitchen.

“I got a dishwashing job at 18 and got put on the line when someone didn’t show up one day and I just kept cooking,” he said.

From there, he gradually moved up the food chain.

“I think that was the best type of way of learning because you have to push yourself to be the best at whatever level you’re at and keep building,” he said “This, like many jobs, is purely self motivation and it depends on you, how hard you want to work, and what you’re willing to put in and risk.”

He warns anyone with the desire to get into professional cooking to be prepared to start at the bottom.

“Kids go into culinary school and come out and think they’re going to be a sous chef when they come out and it’s not one of those types of jobs,” he said.

“It took me until I was 27 or 28 until I got my own style behind my food. It takes many many years of intense training and technique because if you don’t have the technique you can’t do the creative style.”

To develop this style, MacKay lived in Tokyo, London and New York for several years and worked under some of the best chefs in the world. At the age of 27 he became the youngest Grand Chef Relais & Chateaux in the world and one of just 160 globally.

After taking top prize in the first season of Canada’s Top Chef, MacKay opened his first restaurant, Ensemble, in Vancouver in 2011. He opened a second location, Ensemble Tap, shortly after. However, that second location coupled with some unwise financial decisions and Vancouver’s steep cost of living proved too much and MacKay shuttered the restaurants a little under a year ago.

A father to an 11-year-old boy, MacKay said he wanted a fulfilling but financially stable business.

“Vancouver was expensive and if I’m going to spend a lot of time away from my son it needs to be for more than glory, it has to be for financial success,” said MacKay. “Saskatoon, I think, is going to be a good place for that.”

And to help him, MacKay brought along his top cooking team. His executive chef, head chef, general manager and assistant manager have all joined him.

“Training is one of the most difficult things to do in a restaurant,” MacKay said, adding that they will be hiring for other positions.

“To try and come to a new city by yourself and have to hire 35 new staff members would be possible but a pretty big risk on my part.”

Barring any unforeseen circumstance, the restaurant will open in late July to early August.

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