Open House: Cook Culture Celebrates 1st Anniversary

Jed Grieve, Cook Culture owner and Movember supporter, at his first anniversary birthday party. Photo by Ellie Shortt

“I’m no more excited today than any other day” admitted Jed Grieve on the one year anniversary of his booming business, Cook Culture. This comment isn’t one of apathy, but more a statement of the daily pride this local entrepreneur feels when reflecting upon his creation located in the beautiful Atrium building in downtown Victoria. And all his enthusiasm is for good reason! Cook Culture is both a kitchen store and a place of learning with its wide variety of local and name-brand cooking tools, as well as being host to inspiring cooking classes and demonstrations taught by chefs from Victoria and other parts of Vancouver Island.

Preservation Foods presented a chocolate tasting

This fusion of retail and education was perfectly highlighted at the anniversary event, which took place Saturday, November 12^th. In one corner of the shop, Zwilling J.A Henckels representative, Brad Prystupa, guided customers through an array of ceramic cookware and stainless steel pots and pans, showing that the company is much more than just knives. Over in another part of the store, chocolate connoisseur and restaurateur, David Mincey, displayed samples of some of the most exclusive and finely produced varieties of chocolate in the world. And in the demonstration area, chefs prepared the types of mouth-watering dishes patrons can expect to learn to make during one of the many culinary classes Cook Culture offers on a weekly basis.

Don Genova warming olives.

Local culinary talent included chef Don Genovaoffering a warmed olive and chickpea mix and samples of his pumpkin and Amaretti cookie stuffed ravioli from his Pasta 101 class, and chef Brad Williams with an assortment of baked goods including an innovative apple-bacon fritter. Chef Dwane MacIsaac created a locally inspired chanterelle and arugula pizza topped with chef Linda Michaluk’s handmade ricotta, chevre and mozzarella cheeses. Appearances were also made by pastry chef Megan Hennis, and the popular knife skills demonstration of chef Gen Laplante.

Dwane MacIsaac in the Cook Culture kitchen

With a successful first year behind him, Grieve wishes only one thing for Cook Culture’s second birthday – to spread the excitement, knowledge and camaraderie his business has created in Victoria, throughout the rest of Vancouver Island.

Linda Michaluk, one of the many Victoria chefs that give cooking classes at Cook Culture

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Cook Culture: 1317 Blanshard St  Victoria, (250) 590-8161, cookculture.com

—Story and photography by Ellie Shortt