This is the fourth in a series of chef and producer profiles of individuals making a difference in the good food movement in Southern Ontario. (See our profiles of Chef Michael Steh here, Scott Vivian here and Jeff Crump) Recently, Chef Crump brought his signature modern Italo-Canadian cuisine to the Good Food Media Launch Dinner with a Venison Ravioli with Swiss Chard and Bone Marrow Butter.

Chef Barry in portrait and his Ravioli. Photos: Jo Dickins

This spring, as most restaurateurs battened down their hatches and came up with recession-friendly prix fixe menus, Chef Victor Barry and General Manager Carlo Catallo decided to buy Splendido from their old bosses Chef David Lee and Yannick Bigourdan and make a go at re-inventing one of Toronto's most respected fine-dining restaurants ever. (See GFR's article on the new Splendido here.) Six month's later the reinvention is successful and Barry's range from informal to high precision cooking reflects the breadth of his experience. Barry has not only cooked under Lee, but also Michelin-starred English Chef Michael Caines, nevertheless he's never forgotten his first job as a teenager at his uncle's pizzeria in his hometown of Niagara-on-the-Lake, bringing a playfulness and joy to serious cuisine.

GFR: What's brought you to the forefront of your profession? What makes you a great a chef?

Victor Barry: I don't think of myself as a great chef, but what makes me a good chef is my dedication, my willingness to work 14 hrs a day, 7 days a week. I think as well, to excel in any chosen profession, you need to be continually challenging yourself and learning new things from others in the same industry. It's inspirational and it keeps you in the game.

GFR: Why do you think food is such a significant and important element of culture?

VB: The obvious answer is because people need to eat to live! But more than that, I think food is important culturally because it allows time for people to communicate with each other while doing something most of us love – enjoying a good meal.

GFR: Philosophers have debated the socio-political concept of "the good" for thousands of years. What do you think "good food" means?

In a word, delicious. It also means from a good place. Food with ‘good’ origins made crafted with dedication is the ‘best food’ around.

GFR: Why are you a chef

First, I enjoy the rush of service, I feed off that energy. Second, I love creating new recipes, I couldn’t do this with any sense of passion if it meant making the same things day in, day out. And Last, I feel a sense of duty to instil standards of quality in apprentice chefs, that I’ve taken from mentors over the years.

GFR: What about fast food? What's the best thing you can cook at home in 20 minutes?

I make a delicious grilled cheese sandwich using the caraway rye bread we bake at Splendido topped with raclette cheese. Its absolutely mouth watering!

Find out more about Chef Victor Barry at www.splendido.ca.