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Each month we feature a Chef of Chef Works®. If you’re a fan of Chef Works gear and are interested in being featured, email marketing@chefworks.ca. Pictured above is our October Chef of Chef Works®, Benjamin Leblanc-Beaudoin, photographed in his Springfield Coat and Dorset Apron (photo credit to @emmadavidsonphoto)
Chef Works: Give us your “a-ha” moment when you wanted to be a chef?
Benjamin Leblanc-Beaudoin: I attended University for four years, and before entering my last semester of my last year, I realized that it wasn’t for me. I deeply enjoyed my part time job, working at the front desk of a hotel and realized I wanted to get an education in the hospitality field. I had always enjoyed cooking – and eating.
My “a-ha” moment came when my parents asked me what I wanted to do, if not finish my last semester of school. The answer came right out of my mouth: ‘I want to be a chef.’
Chef Works: Who was your greatest culinary influence?
BLB: My greatest culinary influence was an instructor I had in Culinary School — André Pagès. A chef from Southern France, he had spent his youth apprenticing with all sorts of different food businesses. He had worked for four years at Pic in Valence and had been in Canada for 20 years.
He was a chef through and through. In the year I was his student, he taught me more things about being a professional than I have learned since. He opened doors for me to work in France to finish my schooling, which was the best experience of my career.
Chef Works: What’s the most rewarding part about your job?
BLB: There are many rewarding parts of my job, because if there weren’t more than one, it would be difficult to show up everyday due to all the challenges that being a chef presents.
Being able to provide for my family, being my own boss, influencing food trends, being a part of a local food community and making people happy with food and experience are some that come quickly to mind.
Chef Works: What does it mean to be a chef in 2020 in the COVID era?
BLB: Being a chef in the COVID era, means that you need to be resourceful. Long gone are the days of being able to offer one type of cuisine, one type of service and one type of delivery method. Being flexible is the biggest tool in my toolbox and being able to adapt with the daily/weekly/monthly changes has what has allowed me to persevere.
Chef Works: What’s something about you that would surprise people?
BLB: I am an open book, and I try to be as authentic as possible so there is not much anymore that would surprise people. I once was an athlete and played competitive basketball. The lessons I learned at high levels of competition have made me the chef and leader I am today. Also, I read about 50-70 novels a year.
Chef Works: You can only have breakfast, lunch or dinner food for the rest of your life. Which do you choose and why?
BLB: Breakfast. Being French-Canadian, breakfast is at the center of my culture. I grew up eating breakfast regularly for dinner. Having a B&B also makes me biased. It is the one meal that pre-COVID, I would regularly go to a small “greasy-spoon” to enjoy with my family.
You can follow chef Leblanc-Beaudoin on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and at his website.
To be a featured Chef of Chef Works, email marketing@chefworks.ca