Oak Bay Beach Hotel Dinner Theatre

Since reopening in 2012, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel has been wowing guests with its top notch features. Taking extreme care to preserve details from the historic hotel (originally built in 1927), owners Kevin Walker and his wife Shawna provide a level of service and dining that sets a high standard in the hotel industry. Since welcoming award winning Executive Chef Iain Rennie to the hotel, the menu has been lifted to new levels of culinary genius.

Along with exceptional cuisine, the hotel continues to showcase live theatre and feature film nights in the exquisite David Foster Foundation Theatre. I met with Walker who, during a tour of the property, explained that he encourages artists to share their personal stories with the audience. It adds a refreshing element to the evening, creating a dinner theatre experience that is unique, intimate, and relaxed.

“There is no question that the original Oak Bay Beach Hotel made a name for itself as a destination because of traditions we’d created like regular dinner theatre where the intimate atmosphere allows the entertainer to really connect with the audience” says Walker.

The season runs from September to April with performances on Friday and Saturday nights. Before the show, guests mingle together for a cocktail reception where they can pre-order a bottle of wine for the table. The impressive theatre is decorated with tapestried walls, elegant draperies, hanging chandeliers, and finely set tables. While enjoying the show, guests are served a three-course dinner, specially created by Chef Rennie that features local, West Coast, and performance-inspired ingredients. Tickets are $89.00 per person.

Prior to dinner, I was invited into the kitchen for an up-close look at the evening’s menu with Chef Rennie:

To start was a Southern Crayfish Bisque topped with bourbon cream and chives; a rich, complex and intensely flavorful soup. For the main course, Chef Rennie prepared spicy seared chorizo chicken, served with roasted fingerling potatoes, seasonal vegetables, and a smoked red wine sauce. The presentation was as lovely and as balanced as the flavors. For desert it was sweet Georgia browns with caramel sauce and strawberries. I’m not much of a sweet tooth, but this decadent little creation was too tempting to pass up; pure, sweet, creamy deliciousness. To accompany our meal, we selected a 2009 Meritage from locally produced Church and State Wines, the perfect choice with its black fruit and cherry flavor, and soft, smoky finish.

Left: The Theatre. Right: Sweet Georgia Brown.

Residents who attend dinner theatre events will be supporting the Walker’s $2 million ten-year fundraising commitment to the David Foster Foundation. A portion of every event and ticket sold will help Canadian families of children awaiting major organ transplants.

There is no doubt Mr. Walker is passionate about the foundation and the performing arts. He takes great care to ensure his guests will receive a memorable dinner theatre experience and excellent service from a knowledgeable and attentive staff.

“We want you to think of this as time where you can all come together, sit back, relax and forget your worries for a moment” he says.

The upcoming show: Tasting & Show: Senseational BC will run every Thursday from May 22 – October 11.  This series will be an evening of Canadian inspired food, wine, and music starring singer and host Laura Jane. The menu will feature a five course tasting of Chef Rennie’s locally sourced bites— such as Vancouver Island Dungeness crab, Saanich honey, and wild BC mushrooms—that will be paired with five of BC’s finest wines. This is bound to be a popular event and tickets will likely sell fast. At $69 per person, you’ll want to reserve your seats in advance.

Season Passes and Putting on the Ritz package information available here:

Oak Bay Beach Hotel

1175 Beach Drive,

Victoria BC

Reservations: (250) 598-4556

Toll Free: 1-800-668-7758

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