When long-time chef Nicholas Waters first started in 2013, he never expected it to take off.

B次元官网网址淭o be honest, I thought IB次元官网网址檇 be doing one function a weekend,B次元官网网址� he says with a laugh. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 think anything of it. Then all of a sudden, it turned into an animal.B次元官网网址�

Toque grew from just five full-timers three years ago to a staff almost 30 strong today, and the wealth of talent in NickB次元官网网址檚 kitchen is enviable.

B次元官网网址淲e run with 10 to 12 executive chefs full time in the kitchen,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 one of the best teams IB次元官网网址檝e ever worked with.B次元官网网址�

About the same time Toque took off, Nick relocated to Metchosin, and the locale has been ideal both personally and professionally.

B次元官网网址淭he bigger weB次元官网网址檝e gotten, the more local weB次元官网网址檝e become,B次元官网网址� he says.

Toque is booked at least a year in advance, so Nick and his team have been able to approach local farmers well ahead of season to plan out orders, translating to reliable income for the small agriculture sector, as well as premium ingredients.

And though Nick says he doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to grow too big too fast, there are definitely some new and exciting directions coming down the pipe.

B次元官网网址淪tay tuned!B次元官网网址�

The 7 Sins

Envy:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

I am on my own journey in life and wouldnB次元官网网址檛 change a thing, good or bad, but I would love to be Michel Bras in Normandy, France for a day. He has been my favourite chef in the world since I was 18! His book is still better than most out there and itB次元官网网址檚 almost 20 years old.

Gluttony:

What is the food you could eat over and over again?

That is definitely a hard one, but I would say gyoza. No matter whether IB次元官网网址檓 at a pub, home or a high-end restaurant, 10 out of 10 times I will order it if itB次元官网网址檚 on the menu.

Greed:

YouB次元官网网址檙e given $1 million that you have to spend selfishly. What would you spend it on?

I would travel all through Europe and eat and drink and just eat and drink until it was gone. Spain, Portugal, France, Italy B次元官网网址� letB次元官网网址檚 face it, the money would be gone by then!

wrath:

Pet Peeves?

Everything, almost B次元官网网址� but the freezers and coolers being a mess has to be the one that makes me think IB次元官网网址檓 going to have a heart attack.

sloth:

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

Spain.

Pride:

What is the one thing youB次元官网网址檙e secretly proud of?

It wonB次元官网网址檛 be a secret anymore if I say this, but it would be the team B次元官网网址� chefs, dishwashers, operations, planners, on-site service staff, rentals and anyone else IB次元官网网址檓 missing B次元官网网址� and the culture weB次元官网网址檝e been able to create at Toque. I am grateful every day that I get to work alongside a very, very talented group. I actually like working with them all and donB次元官网网址檛 have a bad thing to say. TheyB次元官网网址檝e all become my family.

Lust:

What makes your heart beat faster?

Being on-site when shit hits the fan B次元官网网址� like a barbecue falls off the top and an oven doesnB次元官网网址檛 work, etc. That shit turns me on when you come out of it unscathed and everything went perfectly, except your soul becomes a little darker!

I love the unknown and being able to make something out of nothing. The best was four or five years ago when the guys got me an Easy-Bake Oven for Christmas. They said, B次元官网网址淲ell, itB次元官网网址檚 on. LetB次元官网网址檚 see what you can do with this!B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�