Chefs of the Kawarthas - Belinda Willis

Belinda’s mentor was David Haman, who trained under Chef Ferran Adrià at Elbulli

CHEFS OF THE KAWARTHAS

CHEF BELINDA WILLIS FROM PRIMAL CUTS

Meet Belinda Willis, Chef extraordinaire, who has been working in kitchens for the past 15 years.

Chef Belinda started her career working at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook. Then she moved out to Vancouver Island and just started cooking.

On Vancouver Island, Belinda helped open the Noodle Box. Nick (from New Zealand) & Jodie (from Campbell River) met while traveling and started the Noodle Box based on their travels and Southeast Asian street food.

“I got to work on woks and fire, it was super quick and loud.” (She laughs) “I was on the Island for 8 years.”

So why did she come back? “After I moved back from Vancouver Island, I was in Toronto for 8 years. I didn’t really find a place (in Toronto) that I really wanted to be, in the restaurant industry. I knew George (Primal Cuts owner), we went to high school together, and his chef was leaving, so we talked and I figured it was a good spot for me. Still working with the top quality ingredients that the city had to offer. It was just the right time, right place. I grew up here, and my family is all here. My sister started having babies, so I had to be close to them”, Belinda said.

What does she do here as a chef? “We do a little bit of everything. A lot of people think that we are a hair salon when they see Primal Cuts.” (she laughs) “We do a lot of the in house sausages, all the marinades, all the BBQ sauces. We do prepared meals, deli counter, and all the sandwiches. I pretty much come up with all the recipes. “

There are line cooks at Primal Cuts, and Belinda is the Head Chef.

Belinda loves being a Chef. She says “The reason I’m into it so much is that it’s one of those careers that you never stop learning. There’s so much room for growth and knowledge, and it keeps me interested. You’re never really at the top.”

She plans on staying in Peterborough. “I’ve done my big city tour. I’ve done all that. I like to travel a lot, so I get to still see and do lots of things in the world, but Peterborough is my home base. I do a lot of kayaking and outdoorsy stuff, all the trails, and all the lakes. It’s super quick and easy if you want to have your escape from the city. So Peterborough is really good for that kind of stuff. Obviously.” (she laughs)

What does Chef Belinda do for fun other than kayaking? “I’m into embroidery art, I do home brewing , make my own wine. I took a bartending course, so I also help out over at Saphire Lounge on Fridays and Tuesday nights. I like to keep learning and doing.”

In Toronto, Belinda’s mentor was David Haman, who trained under Chef Ferran Adrià at Elbulli, a Michelin 3-star restaurant near the town of Roses, Catalonia, Spain. When Chef Belinda had been in Toronto for 4 years, she decided to go see where the big chefs get their inspiration from. “I spent a lot of time in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Europe, the South of France, and Spain.”

“I love being a Woman in the kitchen. It’s like being the Mom, especially here.”

Her passion for her career is amazing. “It’s a hard industry to be in. So you have to have the passion if you are going to be in it for real.”

What does she think about the food industry in Peterborough? “I think it’s pretty good. We have an eclectic community, with people like Karma from Karma’s Café and Sandra at La Hacienda. It’s nice to have a little bit of home style from all over the globe. It’s nice to see that it’s growing, and that everybody is community orientated with the small farms. Everybody works with each other. In other restaurant communities, a lot of people fear the competition. But not in Peterborough. Everyone is family and works together and backs each other up. It’s unique “.

Primal Cuts work with small farmers. “We source the best of the best.”, Belinda says.Is Primal Cuts meat organic? “It’s not certified, but it’s all naturally raised and they follow the same protocols.”

What’s it like to be a woman in this industry? “It’s pretty exciting. I love being a woman in the kitchen. It’s like being the mom, especially here. I’m the first girl that’s ever worked in the butcher shop here. So it’s kind of fun. Everyone keeps asking Where’s your beard?” (we laughed)

If I had to choose three words to sum up my impression of Belinda, they would be Fearless, Energetic and Fun.