Korean chef adds new flavours to Vancouver Island

IN THIS EMAIL:

- Read about the mother-son duo from Korea adding new flavours to Vancouver Island's food scene

- Discover more about Canadian geese in a behind-the-scenes interview with Karsten Wall, director of the documentary Modern Goose

- Listen to our latest Here & There podcast episode with Wild Women Expeditions owner Jennifer Haddow

- Looking for your next adventure? Learn more about Great Canadian Trails journey through western Newfoundland with RCGS Ambassador David Gray

From Jeju to Tofino: Korean chef adds new flavours to Vancouver Island — with a little help from his mother

A mother-son duo’s culinary journey from Korea to Canada’s West Coast

By Bianca Bujan

With a pair of chopsticks poised like a pen, I manoeuvre a morsel of marbled meat and moan as it melts in my mouth. This is my first taste of Galbi, a Korean barbecue dish consisting of charcoal-grilled certified angus beef short ribs aged for 35 days. It’s served with a series of side dishes: arugula salad, ssamjang lettuce, pickled radish, kimchi and rice. I’m meant to use the meat as the centrepiece for a handmade lettuce wrap using the ingredients that take over the table, but as a self-confessed carnivore I need to taste the meat on its own first.

I’m at Jeju Restaurant, a destination dining option in Tofino that serves up modern Korean cuisine — the only restaurant of its kind in the region. Taking a break between bites, I glance up and lock eyes with a woman standing shyly behind the bar. She returns my smile of approval with a wide grin and an enthusiastic wave before disappearing behind the curtain to the kitchen. This is “Mama Julie,” the matriarch behind the brand, and mother to chef Dylan Kim, who co-owns the eatery with his wife, Sung.

Survival in the suburbs: Karsten Wall on the magnificence of the modern Canadian goose

Director and writer of the documentary Modern Goose shares his insights into the lifestyle of an average Canadian goose living in our country’s suburbs
By Julia Stratton

Canada geese have become well-adapted to Canadian suburbs. With fewer natural predators and plenty of discarded food to eat, they are now a ubiquitous feature of suburban life. Whether in a Walmart parking lot, McDonald’s drive-thru or sleeping in an empty Staples flowerpot, these geese are everywhere.
Modern Goose, a National Film Board of Canada production, is a comical, empathetic and enlightening glimpse into the daily life of a suburban goose. Directed by Karsten Wall and produced by Alicia Smith (NFB), the documentary shows the segment of the Canadian goose’s yearly migration cycle where they live out their geese lives in the suburbs.

HERE & THERE PODCAST
Jennifer Haddow on how reconnecting with nature saved her life

The owner of Wild Women Expeditions talks about the power of nature and the company of other women

On this episode of Here & There, we delve into the extraordinary journey of Jennifer Haddow. From the bustling streets of downtown Toronto to the serene shores of Georgian Bay and finally, to the top of the world, Haddow’s life has been a testament to the transformative power of nature and the strength of female companionship.

Haddow’s story almost defies belief. Today, the owner of Wild Women Expeditions runs trips guided by women, for women, both in Canada and around the world — and along the way, her company has won accolades globally for her vanguard role in sustainable, transformative travel. Haddow wants women to reconnect with nature, and not just because it’s a pleasant thing to do on holiday. For Haddow, finding her way back to the natural world was quite literally the difference between life and death. Award-winning producer and confirmed “city-girl,” Lia Grainger takes us to the shores of Georgian Bay, Ont., to test Jennifer’s assumptions and learn more about her dramatic story.

Canadian Geographic Adventures

This experience of Western Newfoundland features Gros Morne National Park’s natural wonders, a visit to the Norse Viking settlement and a stay at a historic lighthouse along the Iceberg Alley. Your journey will be filled with walking, cultural immersion, breathtaking scenery, wildlife, fine dining experiences and evenings to remember.

We’ve selected the top day hikes in Gros Morne National Park and combined them with delicious Newfoundland cuisine, comfortable lodging, and cultural experiences. Newfoundlanders are renowned for being excellent storytellers and we will have the chance to hear tales from the Vikings during our visit to L’Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the only Viking site in North America. Before concluding this adventure, we make our way to the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, where we will stay at the base of a still-operating lighthouse. Quirpon Island boasts the most extended iceberg viewing season in Newfoundland and an impressive number of whales off its shores.

Photos: The wild, wonderful landscapes of western Newfoundland
Photographer Jenny Wong reveals Newfoundland’s jaw-dropping scenery on an adventure with Great Canadian Trails
Photography by Jenny Wong with text by Madigan Cotterill