Northern Delights: Inside Chef Ryan Dunne's Kitchen at the Fairmont Algonquin

Ryan Dunne is a no-nonsense inventor. Dunne, the executive chef at the Fairmont Algonquin (St. Andrews-By-The-Sea, New Brunswick) preaches a simple, pragmatic approach to cooking the brilliant, fresh local ingredients from this far Atlantic corner of North America.

"The way we devise our dishes on our menus is to analyze what high-quality, seasonal ingredients we can acquire locally," said Dunne, a native son of Prince Edward Island (known for the world's best mussels and being home to "Anne of Green Gables." "We like to lend an organic element to the dishes - all the distinct ingredients have to marry together. We have to consider how it's going to taste, how it's going to look-we brainstorm to make sure each and every dish has all the perfect elements. We start the process with about 1,000 ingredient choices and start to pull the ones aside that match up well."

When it comes to plating and presentation, Dunne again takes a uniquely Canadian, down-to-earth approach. Dunne is very sophisticated about tastes and textures. And yet he's not inclined to use trickery to make the dish look appealing. As an artist, he's more in tune with Juan Miro's minimalism than Salvador Dali's use of expansive size and scale to drive home a visual point with a sledgehammer.

"I'm not one to do presentations where the food stands up straight on the plate about 80 feet high or hangs off the plate with a bent spoon to make a visual impression. I do believe that presentation is important, that making the plate look clean, appealing and aesthetic is essential. But the first order of business is getting all the flavor combinations right! It's easy to overwork food and take away from what it was supposed to be in the beginning. The funky China, the square plates, that have come out in the last eight years can add a new element of elegance to a dish. At the end of the day, though, if the food doesn't taste right and it's not prepared properly, then who cares what type of plate the dish is served on?"

A Menu Sampler from Dunne's Kitchen at the Passamaquoddy Restaurant

Appetizers

Bergerie Goat Cheese, Oven Head Smoked Salmon and Walnut Terrine served with Springbrook Farm Cranberry Gelee and Port Reduction

Dunne: "The highlights are the Bergerie goat cheese, which is made by a local producer outside of Moncton, New Brunswick, and the Oven Head smoked salmon, which comes from a source 15 minutes from the kitchen. It's a high-end smoked salmon that we're very lucky to have available fresh all the time.  This is the same specialty salmon you find in gourmet markets in Toronto or Montreal. We get the smoked salmon at a reasonable price because it's local. Using cranberries is a natural; this part of New Brunswick - the southeastern coast, is a good area for cranberries.

"The goat cheese and the salmon are a natural combination, but you need a third element that's acidic: the cranberries add a little bit of acidity to the salmon and it also helps to cut through and balance the heavy, creamy quality of the goat cheese. The port reduction with its sweet overtones helps to mellow out the overall flavor combination. The walnuts are utilized purely for texture, just to give it a little bit of crunch."

Pan-Seared Cormier Village Foie Gras with Cucumber "ceviche," Red Wine Poached Pear and Port Reduction