What ever happened to Jamie Kennedy?€¦ · continuously produce the vino — so for the time...
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What ever happened to Jamie Kennedy? T.O.’s poster boy for local and organic cuisine transitions to laid-back farm life by Tiffany Leigh Many Torontonians still salivate thinking about Jamie Kennedy’s legendary J.K. fries, with fond memories of tucking into them with reckless abandon at his eponymous wine bar. To the city’s dismay, after building a culinary empire starting in the mid-1970s, Kennedy shuttered his last urban outpost, Gilead Café, in 2015. Gone, but not forgotten, where is he now? It turns out that he bid farewell to city dwellings and now resides at his farm in the pristine countryside of Prince Edward County (P.E.C.). After a 40-year career in the restaurant world, the transition has been a good one. “I’m very happy, perhaps happier than I was before,” explains the cookbook author and decorated chef (who has been awarded the Order of Canada). “I had a lot of fantastic and rewarding experiences that helped define gastronomy and contributed to our Canadian cultural tapestry,” he recalls. “I’ve left that part of my career behind and have gotten into something else, but the heart of it still centres around food culture — its relevance and importance. In a sense, this is the next chapter.” Away from the daily grind of the demanding restaurant work environment, he now resides at his summer home and farm, which he’s owned since 2001. He’s currently transitioning his 115 acres from a conventional to an organic farm (and applying for certification). Although the farm doesn’t officially bear a name, it’s affectionately been called “Pleasant Valley” (the historical name of the region, which is now referred to as Hillier), and “J.K. Farm”. For Kennedy, the farm is an extension of his enduring food philosophy, passion for the surrounding land and his support for local produce. “Niche farming is part of the new economy but this area has historically been a haven for growing crops,” he says. “Right now, I’m interested in organic grain production.” Chef is currently cultivating and growing wheat, spelt and winter rye to sell to artisan bakers next spring. At the moment, he’s focusing on selling business to business, but pending success, he could expand and sell his grains to the public. Indeed, the public still flocks to see him. Along with an annual fish fry that benefits the local community (this year, proceeds went to StoreHouse Foodbank in Wellington), for the last two summers he’s hosted intimate farm dinners at his property every Saturday. With only 60 spots available, and seats booked up fast and furiously. A self-described impresario, Kennedy played gastronomic guide, showing guests all that Prince Edward County offers epicureans.The weekly feasts included local ingredients, local wines that spotlight the region’s terroir and robust funk-tacular cheeses from all over Ontario. Kennedy’s focus is not only on the food, it’s also on the experience itself. “Especially if you reside in large cities, the first thing I have guests do is recognize the differences in where they are,” he says. “It means me having them simply hang out in my vineyard, listen to songbirds, feel the breeze on their necks and enjoy the beauty of being in an outdoor environment.” It’s the ultimate in destination dining that’s bolstered with rural appeal. But back up.… Did he say vineyard? “Yes, I have my own personal 1.5-acre vineyard where I grow Pinot Noir grapes,” Kennedy explains. “I’m no winemaker, but I do have a great French oak barrel- aged wine from 2014.” Chef explains that the temperamental weather has made it a challenge to continuously produce the vino — so for the time being, it’s simply a point of pride as well as his personal sipping stash. Ironically, successes and growth have put a temporary halt to the dinners. Kennedy elaborates: “We’re on a bit of a hiatus with the Summer Dinner Series at the moment because we’re rezoning the property for infrastructure purposes. The Prince Edward County planning department sees us as a restaurant, so we need to conform to these regulations and standards.” But have no fear! They will be resuming dinners in spring 2019 — bolder and better than before. Plans include Barn Door Burgers + Fries, a collaborative dinner series, and even a beer garden. Chef encourages people to visit his website and sign up for his newsletter to receive the most up- to-date information. In the meantime, if your stomach is still growling for those J.K. fries, you can appease your tummy’s pleas and visit chef who still gets a kick out of serving at the Farmer’s Market in Wellington on Saturdays (from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Enjoy the organic thin frites piping hot — ideally dunked in one of his two homemade sauces (one is always a cider vinegar mayo, and the other is a seasonal creation). Whether it is fries or farms, one thing’s for certain: Chef Jamie Kennedy’s curious nature and mission to champion local food culture permeates everything he creates and shares. The result is a resounding “yum” from both city and country folk alike. Clockwise from left: Jamie Kennedy pouring a glass of P.E.C.’s bounty; ‘J.K. Farm’ a.k.a. Pleasant Valley; those famous J.K. fries FINE COUNTRY LIVING MICHAEL STADTLÄNDER Deep in the Grey Highlands of Singhampton nestles Eigensinn Farm, where chef cooks up his Governor General’s Award–winning food. MATT DEMILLE His T.O resumé includes Le Sélect Bistro and Enoteca Sociale, and he helped start the Drake Devonshire. Now he runs Eat with Matt, in P.E.C., which provides group cooking experiences. JASON BANGERTER This internationally acclaimed chef once helmed the kitchen at O&B Canteen and Luma. He now calls Cambridge his home, working at Langdon Hall, Country House Hotel & Spa. Stadtländer getting back to nature PROFILE FOOD
Transcript of What ever happened to Jamie Kennedy?€¦ · continuously produce the vino — so for the time...
What everhappenedto JamieKennedy?T.O.’s poster boy for local and organiccuisine transitions to laid-back farm life
by Tiffany Leigh
Many Torontonians still salivatethinking about Jamie Kennedy’slegendary J.K. fries, with fondmemories of tucking into themwith reckless abandon at hiseponymous wine bar. To the city’sdismay, after building a culinaryempire starting in the mid-1970s,Kennedy shuttered his last urbanoutpost, Gilead Café, in 2015.Gone, but not forgotten, where ishe now? It turns out that he bidfarewell to city dwellings and nowresides at his farm in the pristinecountryside of Prince EdwardCounty (P.E.C.). After a 40-year career in the
restaurant world, the transition hasbeen a good one. “I’m very happy,perhaps happier than I was before,”explains the cookbook author anddecorated chef (who has beenawarded the Order of Canada). “I had a lot of fantastic and
rewarding experiences that helpeddefine gastronomy and contributedto our Canadian cultural tapestry,”he recalls. “I’ve left that part of mycareer behind and have gotten intosomething else, but the heart of itstill centres around food culture —its relevance and importance. In asense, this is the next chapter.”Away from the daily grind of the
demanding restaurant workenvironment, he now resides at hissummer home and farm, whichhe’s owned since 2001. He’scurrently transitioning his 115
acres from a conventional to anorganic farm (and applying forcertification). Although the farmdoesn’t officially bear a name, it’saffectionately been called “PleasantValley” (the historical name of theregion, which is now referred to asHillier), and “J.K. Farm”.For Kennedy, the farm is an
extension of his enduring foodphilosophy, passion for thesurrounding land and his supportfor local produce. “Niche farming is part of the
new economy but this area hashistorically been a haven forgrowing crops,” he says. “Rightnow, I’m interested in organic grainproduction.” Chef is currently cultivating and
growing wheat, spelt and winterrye to sell to artisan bakers nextspring. At the moment, he’sfocusing on selling business tobusiness, but pending success, hecould expand and sell his grains tothe public.Indeed, the public still flocks to
see him. Along with an annual fishfry that benefits the localcommunity (this year, proceedswent to StoreHouse Foodbank inWellington), for the last twosummers he’s hosted intimate farmdinners at his property everySaturday. With only 60 spotsavailable, and seats booked up fastand furiously. A self-describedimpresario, Kennedy played
gastronomic guide, showing guestsall that Prince Edward Countyoffers epicureans.The weekly feastsincluded local ingredients, localwines that spotlight the region’sterroir and robust funk-tacularcheeses from all over Ontario.Kennedy’s focus is not only on
the food, it’s also on the experienceitself. “Especially if you reside in large
cities, the first thing I have guestsdo is recognize the differences inwhere they are,” he says. “It meansme having them simply hang outin my vineyard, listen to songbirds,feel the breeze on their necks andenjoy the beauty of being in anoutdoor environment.” It’s the ultimate in destination
dining that’s bolstered with ruralappeal. But back up.… Did he sayvineyard? “Yes, I have my own personal
1.5-acre vineyard where I growPinot Noir grapes,” Kennedyexplains. “I’m no winemaker, but Ido have a great French oak barrel-aged wine from 2014.” Chefexplains that the temperamentalweather has made it a challenge tocontinuously produce the vino —so for the time being, it’s simply apoint of pride as well as hispersonal sipping stash. Ironically, successes and growth
have put a temporary halt to thedinners. Kennedy elaborates: “We’re on a
bit of a hiatus with the SummerDinner Series at the momentbecause we’re rezoning theproperty for infrastructurepurposes. The Prince EdwardCounty planning department seesus as a restaurant, so we need toconform to these regulations andstandards.” But have no fear! They will be
resuming dinners in spring 2019— bolder and better than before.Plans include Barn Door Burgers +Fries, a collaborative dinner series,and even a beer garden. Chef encourages people to visit
his website and sign up for hisnewsletter to receive the most up-to-date information.In the meantime, if your stomach
is still growling for those J.K. fries,you can appease your tummy’s pleasand visit chef who still gets a kickout of serving at the Farmer’sMarket in Wellington on Saturdays(from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.). Enjoy theorganic thin frites piping hot —ideally dunked in one of his twohomemade sauces (one is always acider vinegar mayo, and the other isa seasonal creation). Whether it is fries or farms, one
thing’s for certain: Chef JamieKennedy’s curious nature andmission to champion local foodculture permeates everything hecreates and shares. The result is aresounding “yum” from both cityand country folk alike.
Clockwise from left: Jamie Kennedy pouring a glass of P.E.C.’s bounty;‘J.K. Farm’ a.k.a. Pleasant Valley; those famous J.K. fries
FINE COUNTRYLIVING
MICHAEL STADTLÄNDER
Deep in the Grey Highlands of
Singhampton nestles Eigensinn
Farm, where chef cooks up his
Governor General’s
Award–winning food.
MATT DEMILLE
His T.O resumé includes Le
Sélect Bistro and Enoteca
Sociale, and he helped start the
Drake Devonshire. Now he runs
Eat with Matt, in P.E.C., which
provides group cooking
experiences.
JASON BANGERTER
This internationally acclaimed
chef once helmed the kitchen at
O&B Canteen and Luma. He now
calls Cambridge his home,
working at Langdon Hall,
Country House Hotel & Spa.
Stadtländer getting back to nature
PROFILE FOOD
