In firsts for both The Fairmont Waterfront and Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Dana Hauser has been appointed as the luxury brand’s first female Executive Chef, taking the lead at the hotel’s gourmet restaurant Heron’s West Coast Kitchen + Bar as well as overseeing banqueting, in-room dining and all food and beverage operations at the hotel.
Recently Chef Hauser and Heron’s introduced the public to some elements of their new menu. Carved tenderloin with a slow cooked short rib croquette, potato puree and bone marrow jus was a melt in your mouth morsel. Cedar plank crispy sweetbreads with mushrooms and sorrel in a bourbon balsalmic reduction was a surprisingly tasty way to try sweetbreads. Light and fresh Caesar salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and crispy bacon is a perfect accompaniment. Trying the raw bar, the spicy clam tomato Caesar shooter paired with fresh shucked oysters along with thinly sliced fresh salmon. Dessert of the moment, macarons, were given a twist by filling with a icy sorbet. Cake pops were bright and spring time yellow. As a sampling of the new menu, the evening’s selections whetted the pallet for more to come on a future sit-down visit at Heron’s.
Assemble alongside the established Fairmont team at Heron’s, brings Chef Hauser’s experience to the menu. Raised on the East Coast of Canada, Chef Hauser developed a natural passion for local ingredients and being true to the product. “British Columbia provides an abundance of the finest ingredients.” comments Dana. “Combine this with being the first female Executive Chef in the Company; it’s a dream come true.” A classically trained chef, Hauser is keen to share her true devotion to fresh, local and seasonal ingredients.
“While Fairmont has had and continues to have many excellent female chefs in the kitchen, we’re very excited to announce our first Executive Chef position to be filled by a woman,” said Jean Michel Offe, the hotel company’s Vice President, Food & Beverage.
Dana soon discovered her culinary cravings and enrolled in the culinary program at Canadore College. Her apprenticeship began at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge where the Executive Chef immediately recognized a natural talent; offering Dana the option to complete her apprenticeship at the resort. Leaping at this opportunity, Dana enrolled in the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology’s professional cooking program.
From the shores of Bermuda to the epicenter of Toronto; Chef Hauser has an extensive career with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. “We are thrilled to have Chef Hauser join our team at The Fairmont Waterfront,” comments General Manager, Ian Pullan. “We have undergone significant changes at the hotel with the recent meeting space renovations and the revitalization of Herons West Coast Kitchen + Bar. Dana brings a wealth of knowledge and we are excited to have her lead our West Coast epicurean experience.”
“It is a perfect time to be joining the Waterfront,” comments Dana. “This is a very talented team, complemented by warm, welcoming service and an unparalleled waterfront location. I truly can’t wait to add my own element to this dynamic hotel and destination.”
Heron’s West Coast Kitchen + Bar is located in The Fairmont Waterfront Hotel at 900 Canada Place Way
Open for
Breakfast
Sunday-Friday (buffet) – 6:30 am to 10:30 am
Sunday-Friday (à la carte) – 6:30 am to 11:30 am
Saturdays (buffet and à la carte) – 6:30 am to 11:30 am
Lunch
11:30 am to 2:30 pm
Dinner
5:30 pm to 10:00 pm