British Columbia Chef Rod Butters spent a week recently instructing NAIT students on his “message of promoting Canadian cuisine.” As part of NAIT’s Chef in Residence Program, Butters gave presentations and demonstrations to NAIT’s Culinary students sharing his 38 years of experience. His main goal is to emphasize “eating local, supporting local, everything about local.
“The farmers, artisans, ranchers and fisherman I’ve been working with my entire life really influence what happens in my restaurants,” said Butters. “It’s their passion that I try and put on the plate for our customers.”
He stresses that success and inspiration comes from locals.
“It’s really about supporting communities, supporting your friends in business.”
After one day, Chef Butters called his time at NAIT a career highlight. “I’ve done so much in my career, I’m very humbled to to be here,” he said.
Chef Butters has three restaurants in British Columbia – Regional Table, Micro Bar and Bites and Terrafina. His fourth restaurant, Sunnies, will serve breakfast and lunch in downtown Kelowna. Butters is a member of the Canadian Culinary Foundation, is a former president of the Okanagan Chefs Association and has been inducted into the B.C. Restaurant Hall of Fame His cookbook, The Okanagan Table, won the title of Best Local Cookbook in Canada for his emphasis on providing recipes from local ingredients.
NAIT’s Chef in Residence program started in 2009 and brings in experts from around the world. It exposes students and faculty to innovative and diverse culinary trends and styles.
– Steven Smith
