A TASTE OF CANADA
THE WILD, WILD WEST Tofino’s sophisticated cuisine immersed in nature provides a new kind of adventure for visitors to this laidback coastal town
© PAUL MORAN / WILD ORIGINS
By Hans Tammemagi
CULINARY ADVENTURES AT WILD ORIGINS WITH CHEF PAUL MORAN
A
long drive brings me to Tofino, surrounded by lush rainforest and pounded by the wild waves of the Pacific Ocean. Not surprisingly, the chefs in this isolated community on the west coast of Vancouver Island take advantage of the natural bounty around them. Armed with a notepad and a healthy appetite, I work my way around the area to discover how these culinary masters turn it into incredible dishes that truly reflect a sense of place. 6 0 | B O N V I VA N T 2 0 2 2
Early in the morning, I stroll into the forest with Paul Moran, one of Canada’s best chefs and a skilled forager. He gathers spruce buds, salmonberries and salal blossoms before tramping into the tidal flat to fill plastic bags with sea asparagus, sea chives, sheep sorrel and more. Later, Moran prepares a flatbread pizza by blanching sea asparagus and searing sea chives with a blowtorch. He garnishes the top with clams and the products he foraged just half an hour
