- Words by Joanne Peters Photography by Lia Crowe

Oysters on the half shell, snow crab, giant prawns, silky sablefish, diversB次元官网网址� scallops, king salmon sushi, ahi tuna tartare and freshly harvested uni (sea urchin, a seasonal local delicacy): these are just some of menu items at . To dine here is to take a deep dive into coastal culture.

Step past the outdoor patio aglow with glass-encased fireplaces into the Alberni Street restaurant, and youB次元官网网址檒l see the seafood and oyster bar in the centre of an O-shaped bar, a dedicated sushi bar, and the eye-catching open kitchen. The room itself dazzles, with shimmery hanging d茅cor resembling sun-dappled ocean ripples and wall art that evokes seas of swimming golden fish.

For chef Stefan Hartmann, culinary director of Glowbal Restaurant Group (of which Coast is one of nine dining establishments), the exquisite flavours of so much ocean bounty are alluringB次元官网网址攅ven after three decades working in professional kitchens, including time spent running his own Michelin-starred restaurant in his native Germany.

B次元官网网址淪omething that really excites me is when you open a case of fresh fish and see and smell this beautiful productB次元官网网址攜ouB次元官网网址檙e like, B次元官网网址榳ow,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Stefan says. B次元官网网址淚t still inspires me.B次元官网网址�

Born in Uelzen, Stefan grew up in a small town called Rendsburg, north of Hamburg near the Danish border. As a child, he spent summer vacations with his uncle, a chef who ran a countryside inn.

B次元官网网址淗e used to make chocolate truffles with me when I was nine years old,B次元官网网址� Stefan says. B次元官网网址淗is stories from the kitchen inspired me to follow in his footsteps.B次元官网网址�

Stefan gained experience working for acclaimed chefs in some of EuropeB次元官网网址檚 top restaurants, including Michelin-rated Vau in Berlin and Jacques Maximin in Vence, France before opening the award-winning Hartmanns in Berlin in 2007. He went on to open BerlinB次元官网网址檚 Marriott Hotel before moving to Vancouver in late 2014 to launch the now-defunct Bauhaus Restaurant. Prior to joining Glowbal Restaurant Group, he was regional executive chef at Tacofino and freelanced during the pandemic.

While he brought with him to Canada the worldB次元官网网址檚 very highest culinary standards, Stefan says no matter where heB次元官网网址檚 cooking, the elemental principles are the same.

B次元官网网址淎t the end of the day, your work ethic is your work ethic, whether you have a Michelin star or not,B次元官网网址� Hartmann says. B次元官网网址淚f youB次元官网网址檙e making French fries in a burger shop or making a souffl茅 in a Michelin-star restaurant, you have to handle it the same way. You need to be persistent. Disciplined. Willing to learn. IB次元官网网址檓 still learning. When youB次元官网网址檙e always striving for the best, you can still find mistakes in your work to get better.B次元官网网址�

Specializing in fresh, seasonal seafood, CoastB次元官网网址檚 menu highlights are always changing; daily specials and chefB次元官网网址檚 oyster selections are recommended. Among StefanB次元官网网址檚 personal favourites, however, is the restaurantB次元官网网址檚 succulent sablefish, marinated in white miso and served with maitake mushroom, baby bok choy and garlic pur茅e. Seafood towers take the dining experience to the next level, with items like scallop ceviche, mussels, clams, snow crab, Atlantic lobster, giant prawns, oysters, sashimi and nigiri.

Then there is CoastB次元官网网址檚 take-home Signature Sushi Box, for six or more people, with gems like mango California rolls with Dungeness crab and avocado; ahi tuna, hamachi, sockeye salmon, and spot prawn sashimi; nigiri featuring ika (cuttlefish), ikura (salmon roe) and more; and battera (pressed sushi), with items like anago (saltwater eel) and saba (mackerel).

Stefan, for whom the one ingredient he couldnB次元官网网址檛 live without is good salt, says that a leading food trend thatB次元官网网址檚 here to last is a focus on sustainability.

B次元官网网址淚 feel that more and more owners and kitchen leaders are thinking about their environmental impact, and I think that it is an important and necessary food trendB次元官网网址攐ne that we all need to improve on and get better at,B次元官网网址� he says, noting that Coast sources Ocean Wise seafood wherever possible.

Beyond excellent fish and seafood (plus prime steak direct from sister restaurant Black+Blue), Stefan says that what makes the restaurant stand apart is the staff. He is heartened to see culinary artists so dedicated to their craft, especially amid the challenges of the pandemic.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 happiest at work when I see my team exceed expectations and individuals grow,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲orking in a busy seafood restaurant means our ingredients are always fresh. Seafood in any presentation is our specialty. But itB次元官网网址檚 the people that work for us that make the restaurant so unique.B次元官网网址�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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