- Words by Joanne Peters Photography by Lia Crowe

Growing up in Mexico, Vancouver chef Hector Laguna spent time in Veracruz and Hidalgo, going back and forth between oceanside and farmland.

He could pick wild mangoes, oranges and bananas to snack on, and at his familyB次元官网网址檚 ranch, his father grew everything from corn to coffee beans, and raised chicken and pigs. His parents taught him how to make cheese from the milk of their own cows and how to cook traditional barbacoa lamb in a fire pit covered in agave leaves. He didnB次元官网网址檛 know it at the time, but those early years living off the land laid the foundation for an extraordinary career in culinary arts.

The executive chef of Botanist at Fairmont Pacific Rim, Hector launched the restaurant when it opened six years ago. Under his leadership, Botanist has been named one of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 50 Best Restaurants, listed on the WorldB次元官网网址檚 50 Best Discovery list, and ranked a CAA/AAA Four Diamond restaurant. Most recently, the dining spot earned the coveted distinction of being included as a B次元官网网址渞ecommendedB次元官网网址� restaurant by Michelin in its inaugural Vancouver guide.

HectorB次元官网网址檚 passion for his work in a professional kitchen goes back to his roots.

B次元官网网址淣inety per cent of the food we ate back home we grew or raised ourselves,B次元官网网址� Hector says. B次元官网网址淲e made everything. I would help my mom make spices for the mole. We were seven kids, and all of us pitched in to grind the corn to make tortillas before we went to school. We had chores on the farm and in the kitchen, and it was the same idea after school.

B次元官网网址淲e cooked together, and the whole family always ate dinner together,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲e all sat around the table, just talking; we shared everything. I realized that food is a lot more than just food. It brings everybody together. ItB次元官网网址檚 the same thing when you do it for a living: itB次元官网网址檚 a lot more than just cooking. It makes peopleB次元官网网址檚 evening.B次元官网网址�

HectorB次元官网网址檚 path to helming one of the most respected restaurants in Canada was a circuitous one. In high school, he wanted to become a veterinarian. With most training being available in English, he moved to San Francisco to improve his second language. To support himself, he took a friend up on an offer to help out in a Vietnamese restaurant. He loved every aspect of it, working his way up from washing dishes to making salads to eventually running the kitchen. He stayed for five years.

Hector met his wife at that restaurantB次元官网网址攕he was working there as a host. Through her postgraduate studies, the two moved to Florida, where Hector landed the kind of once-in-a-lifetime jobB次元官网网址攚orking for James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle BernsteinB次元官网网址攖hat becomes a life-changing event.

B次元官网网址淭hanks to her, I became a chef,B次元官网网址� Hector says. B次元官网网址淚 understood food on a different level because of the way she sees food and talks about food. I saw the passion and the dedication. The kitchen was so tiny, but customers would say things like, B次元官网网址楾his was the best meal IB次元官网网址檝e ever had.B次元官网网址� And I could see the impact that had on them. The more I did it, the more I liked it.B次元官网网址�

Hector absorbed as much culinary knowledge as possible. During the 40-minute bus ride to and from work, heB次元官网网址檇 read cookbooks by the likes of legendary American chef Charlie Palmer and establishments such as The French Laundry.

With his wife, Hector later moved to Toronto, working for acclaimed chef Susur Lee, before heading to Vancouver, where he accepted a position at Hawksworth, once again rising through the ranks.

When the opportunity to helm Botanist came about, Hector didnB次元官网网址檛 hesitate. He felt that the vision for the restaurant aligned with the culinary philosophy he grew up with: to use the best local, seasonal ingredients you can find and let them shine.

B次元官网网址淲ith the local ingredients we source here, we can be very vegetable-forward with a lot of high-quality protein,B次元官网网址� Hector says. B次元官网网址淲e come up with dishes by always looking at what the farms around here have.B次元官网网址�

To get a sense of just how committed Laguna is to local producers, consider that he recently took the entire Botanist teamB次元官网网址攂oth back- and front-of-house staff membersB次元官网网址攐n a field trip to one of his favourite organic farms. He wanted them to see where their ingredients came from and understand all that goes into any particular dish.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 reinvent the wheel,B次元官网网址� Hector says. B次元官网网址淚f I have a beet, I make sure I cook it the best way; I donB次元官网网址檛 overcook it or undercook it. We cook steak the best way we can. IB次元官网网址檝e never used a sous-vide machine. We get our ducks from the Fraser Valley. We treat food with respect. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what it comes down to.B次元官网网址�

While the Botanist menu is not Mexican, Hector has proudly introduced a dish of barbacoa lamb that harkens back to the celebratory meals he enjoyed with his family back home. He canB次元官网网址檛 cook it in an underground hole over hot stones overnight like he did in Mexico, of course, but he has recreated the meatB次元官网网址檚 depth of flavours through a slow cooking process that involves banana leaves and a whole lot of tender loving care.

B次元官网网址淚 had a guest who lives half an hour away from where I lived in Mexico, in Tulancingo,B次元官网网址� Hector says. B次元官网网址淗e said, B次元官网网址楾his tastes like home for me.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

As Botanist continues to gain accolades, it has recently introduced a series of quarterly collaborative events with top restaurants and bars from all over the world. The evening events aim to provide unrivalled immersive culinary experiences for local guests. Past partners have included New York CityB次元官网网址檚 SAGA and Katana Kitten. Mexico CityB次元官网网址檚 Hanky Panky Cocktail Bar, ranked 13 on the WorldB次元官网网址檚 50 Best Bars list, joined forces with Botanist for a celebration of D铆a de los Muertos.

Hector sees these international collaborations as a way to thank loyal Botanist diners.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a way of showing our guests that we care about them,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲e want to offer them something unique, new dishes and experiences.B次元官网网址�

When Hector isnB次元官网网址檛 at work, heB次元官网网址檚 with his wife and two children, aged seven and four. He coaches their soccer teams and takes them to school every day. They listen to music, sing, dance, read and play games together. And they cook.

B次元官网网址淢ondays are our cultural day,B次元官网网址� Hector says. B次元官网网址淲e pick a different country and weB次元官网网址檒l read about it, play music, and cook different foods from those places. We have no phones on and no TV. ItB次元官网网址檚 a way to have quality time together.B次元官网网址�

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Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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