Chef extraordinaire
“Fresh, local, seasonal, organic,” says Chris Aerni. “That sums up my philosophy of food.”
It’s a philosophy that the Swiss-born chef and his wife Graziella, co-owners of the Rossmount Inn, take seriously. Their menu changes daily to reflect the best offerings of land and sea.
“In spring,” he explains, “we’ll feature fiddleheads and asparagus. By July, spinach, fresh beans, and snow peas are in season. A little later we add early beets and carrots. When strawberries are abundant, we might offer five different strawberry desserts. A week later, it could be raspberries and two weeks after that, wild blueberries, fresh from the fields. And always, we feature the very best of Bay of Fundy seafood.”
The availability of first-rate ingredients was one key factor in their decision, five years ago, to buy the Inn just outside St. Andrews by-the-Sea. Others were the natural beauty of the setting and the friendliness of the community.
“We discovered St. Andrews one summer on vacation,” Chris recalls. “We found ourselves in the centre of the town one beautiful day, asking ourselves two questions. Wouldn’t it be nice to live here? And how can we earn a living here?”
The answer came about three years later when the Rossmount Inn was offered for sale.
“We’ve made our careers in the hospitality industry,” he continues. “We’re passionate about food. The chance to have our own place was like a dream come true.”
St. Andrews is a place where people enjoy life. Canada’s oldest seaside resort is known for deep interests in nature, history, science, art, and outdoor recreation. It’s also close to dedicated organic growers and producers.
“I spend half my day looking for ingredients,” smiles Chris. “I buy fresh fish locally, but many things from farther away. Premium oysters are grown on the Acadian coast, lamb near Sussex. There’s an excellent producer of raw milk cheeses in Kent County. Shiitake mushrooms come from the western part of the province.”
For organic produce, Chris depends on local suppliers and on his own gardens where unusual specialties like komatsuma and tangy arugula, which grow next to old-fashioned purple potatoes. In the nearby woodlands he gathers wild mushrooms — prized boletes and aromatic orange chanterelles.
Chris spends the rest of the working day with his kitchen team, creating dishes that have won an enviable reputation for excellence and artistry. A meal might begin with fiddlehead soup or generous slices of delectable Wolfhead smoked salmon. Main courses range from the familiar to the more adventurous, from a perfectly grilled steak to a delicate dish of roast quail with wild mushroom risotto. For dessert, guests find it hard to choose between walnut butter cake and fresh berries laced with warm, sweet custard.
No matter. Whatever the choice, the meal will be memorable. The latest edition of Where to Eat in Canada puts it succinctly. “The Rossmount Inn now has the best kitchen in the province.” But while Chris Aerni is pleased by such accolades, his greatest pleasure comes from the satisfaction of more and more guests who come back for dinner again and again.
CHRIS AERNI
Chef
THE ROSSMOUNT INN
4599 Route 127
St. Andrews
506-529-3351
www.rossmountinn.com