By Brandi Parnell Photos Shawn Fillion
H EVOLVING Getting To Know
Executive Head Chef Dustin Pajak
e claims his practical wisdom can be traced back to his Danish lineage. Perhaps it is an instinctively prairie mentality. Or maybe the truth is he is wise in the kitchen beyond his 24 years. Whatever the reason, Executive Head Chef Dustin Pajak is creative and resourceful in his glass-front kitchen on Corydon Avenue. Pajak is Mano A Mano’s culinary creator. Originally from rural Manitoba, he grew up with a large garden, eating fresh when the elements allowed, and canning freshness to sustain long Canadian winters. “We preserved everything,” says Pajak. “My influences when I was young were more in touch with the environment than most. I would love to provide fresh, local produce all year round, but that is an impossibility here in Winnipeg.” Pajak has been known to can 2,000 pounds of tomatoes at once to use for pastes and sauces all winter long. His voice reminds me of burrata mozzarella, a soft creamy cheese he uses to create tongue and cheek Italian cuisine. We have a relaxed, easy approach to great food, he says. Kind of like him, I thought. “Our food is meant to be shared amongst one another, like you would with family,” he says. “I try to layer as much interesting flavour as I can into small bites. I play with texture. I have fun with food.” The staff is small, the food romantic. At 24 — roasting food in an oven as old as he is — it will be just as interesting to taste Pajak’s creations, as it will be to watch him evolve.
FineLifestyles
Winnipeg
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