“full” kitchen occupies approximately one half of the lower level of the Gold Leaf domes, the other half being the dining room. At capacity, the kitchen facilitates three chefs and two waiters serve the dining room with assistance from the tour manager. If ridership fills two domes, the kitchens are placed back-to-back to facilitate the work of the crew.
During the tour I met Chefs Phung Dang and Colin Tylor, and through Chef Colin learned of the intricacies of high-end food service on this luxury excursion operation. The kitchens are, by classic standards, rela- tively spacious. The prep chef and the sous chef work on one side of the aisle, and the ex- ecutive chef works the other side, overseeing finishing the plates before they go out to the dining room. But space aside, as with dining cars throughout history, these, too, sway gently, rock occasionally, and, depending on the skill of the engineer operating the loco- motives, can stop and start abruptly. So the chefs face all the challenges of their prede- cessors. Chef Kenneth is a delight (In fairness to
the other chefs on board, I did not get to sit and talk with them at length as I did Ken- neth, since I met them while they were working.). We struck it off in part because we share the happy circumstance of having adopted what the media calls an “Encore Career,” when many people choose to accept retirement. You see, Kenneth’s card identi- fies him as “Chef/Photographer,” and says, “My love is Street Photography.” An experi- enced freelance combat photographer, he’d worked from early Vietnam through, I be- lieve he said, early Afghanistan. Then seven years ago he set out to become a chef, took his degree, and now works on the Rocky Mountaineer.
During the off-season, he mentors aspir- ing freelance photographers at Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver, British Columbia (Note to self: “Does Read- ers Digest still publish ‘My Most Unforget- table Character?’”). Our conversation ended
with Chef Kenneth inviting my daughter (who accompanied me on this, our last op- portunity to travel before she graduates col- lege and flies the coop) and me to be the guest of the railroad for lunch the next day. Rocky Mountaineer lunch menus vary
daily, offering meat, seafood, chicken, vege- tarian, and “light choice” options. Today’s meal opened with Cream of Vegetable Soup decorated with a swirl of sour cream, and a salad of Seasoned Greens with Pine Nuts, Cornbread Croutons and Country Mustard Vinaigrette dressing.
Entrees included
Roasted Lamb Sirloin served over a flavorful chickpea ratatouille, with local seasonal vegetables and a light lamb jus; Tiger Prawns simmered in a West Coast bouilla- baisse broth, served over a sticky rice cake topped with sautéed vegetables julienne; Fraser Valley Chicken Breast encrusted with wild British Columbia mushrooms, served with garlic mashed potatoes and a generous dollop of blueberry relish; Tradi- tional Farfalle Pasta tossed in cream, with sweet Chilliwack corn, green peas and parmesan; or fresh local vegetables layered with wonton crisps drizzled with balsamic vinegar molasses, garlic and herb coulis. For dessert, Decadent Dark Chocolate Pistachio Brownie with homemade maple ice cream. Service was crisp. The mood was festive. The waiters were knowledgeable and pleasant conversationalists. The house wine flowed freely (a selection of premium white, red and sparkling British Columbia wines is also available for between $45 and $49 per bot- tle). I closed my notebook after writing “This service rivals anything offered by the late American Orient Express or BC Rail’s short- lived Whistler Northwind.” And as if this wasn’t enough kindness,
Chef Kenneth tipped us all off to the best place to eat dinner in Quesnel: the Cariboo Hotel. It didn’t disappoint. FYI: The Rocky Mountaineer recently published a cookbook — Eat Play Love: Re- gionally Inspired Cuisine by Rocky Moun- taineer (see May 2013). And of course Rocky
★★★★ ★★★★
America’s Greatest Circus Train By Bruce C. Nelson
A total of 335 colorful photos and 14 chapters tracing the development, operation and history of the Great Circus Train between Baraboo, Wis.
and Chicago and Milwaukee. Hardbound, 208 pages, 10 x 10", includes Circus World Museum railway car and loco roster. $54.95, $6.50 shipping in USA.
Ill. res. add 8.75% sales tax.
Heimburger House Publishing Company
Yard Goat Images Hi-Def Steam DVDs
Big Steam on the Mainline
NKP 765 on the Norfolk Southern
UP 844 – 150 Years of Steam
Iowa Interstate QJ 6988 95 minutes—$24.95 + shipping
www.yardgoatimages.com
Or call 612-623-0167 Write for free brochure/order form 112 3rd AV NE, Minneapolis MN 55413
$14.95 Single Copy (Colora
fe save o fo
py P rado residents add 4-1/2%
y Price ado residents add 4-1/2% tax)t
Special Offer: order additional calendars and ve! Buy two for $26.90; three for $38.10;e fo four or more:: $11.95 each
or $ www
.mcmillanpublications.com
7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66