What do you get when you mix Anthony Bourdain’s affectionate crudeness, the genuineness of Jamie Oliver, and Gordon Ramsay’s foul-mouthed confidence? Why, Vancouver’s rock star Chef, Gord Martin, of the Bin 941 and Bin 942 Tapas Bars. Adidas trainers sporting, yellow-tinted glasses wearing, t-shirt and tattoo loving smarmy bachelor Chef, Martin epitomizes his very own brand of Celebrity Chef.
And I’m not the only one who thinks it. Martin can now add to his two restaurant roster a brand new TV show that’s just been picked up by the Food Network based on the pilot, “The Delinquent Gourmet”. From Morocco to Barcelona (which he claims boasts “the best market in the whole fucking world”), the show will focus on Martin’s travels around the globe in an attempt to demystify an array of international cuisines. Charmingly crass and opinionated, a clip from Martin’s pilot, shot last year in Morocco, shows him declaring that his love for the country is not just due to its Arabic and French inspired dishes, but also in large part because of its “chicks on scooters”.
Inspired by spices, organics and the traditions of food preparation, he brings it all back to Vancouver to share it via his Tapas Bars, granting people a taste of his travels.
“Here’s the thing about being a small restaurant: everything is always fresh on a daily basis,” explains Martin, who refuses to succumb to the restrictions of the popular 100 mile diet. “I’m pretty sure there are no olive oils, lemons, salt or pepper within 100 miles of Vancouver. Just sayin’.”
His flavour combinations are so keenly outrageous, it’s a wonder the servers managed to memorize all the exotic components, but that they did, as Chef Gord flawlessly unveiled his new Bin 942 menu items at the beginning of the month.
We began with an octopus confit in a porcini mushroom sauce, garnished with pickled potatoes and radishes, and then a hazelnut-crusted tuna skewers with bitter greens made for a punchy combination and the perfect companion for the Kettle Valley Pinot Gris. There was more confit, this time of the classic duck variety, dished up alongside pea shoots and blood oranges coupled with a Spanish-inspired spiced duck croquette. Martin’s house-cured gravlax with Japanese cucumber (always wondered how to use this in my cooking, I can now consider myself schooled), tomato and frisée salad.
The most memorable sequence of the night was the wild salmon wrapped in shredded dough with beurre blanc and a fragrant crunchy black rice, and well matched by the Belle Glos “Meiomi” California Pinot Noir, which wine judge and panelist, Sid Cross, declared his personal favourite of the evening. The finale of antipasto went over well with samples of blood oranges, grilled lamb chops, green Sevillano olive tapenade and oven dried tomato chutney, and a feta whose melt-in-your-mouth capability had us all begging for more.
Pop into to a Bin near you or tune into the Food Network one of these days to check out some of these fun new additions. And hey, if it’s good enough to have created a late night following by the likes of Vikram Vij, then you know Martin must be doing something right.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
A pretty unoriginal idea for a television series; Michael Smith did his Chef Abroad show. And Bourdain’s Cook’s Tour and No Reservations are untouchable in my opinion.
From the trailer Martin states travel inspires his menus, but for someone who gets to travel so much, it doesn’t seem like it’s reflected with recent changes to the Bin’s. Adding an “exotic” spice to a tuna tartar is not creative or worldly cuisine.
But props for going after it; I think every chef dreams of getting paid to eat and travel.
“A pretty unoriginal idea for a television series”
I think it’s less important to be original on tv (is there such a thing), but to be entertaining instead. I’m sure Gord serves that up well enough.