Private Chef Tom Kral

Over 25 years of professional cooking experience and a bloodline of cooks has evolved Tom Kral into Nature’s Chef. From a child growing up in a Czech deli and spending time foraging at his family cottage, he developed a deep connection with nature. After being trained by some of the worlds best chefs and owning a renowned restaurant and catering business in Toronto, a chef burn out led to a spiritual awakening and finally to settling in Wild West of BC. With his passion for connecting people back into nature and putting medicine back into our food, he now stewards land in Metchosin with his family, and offers a wide range of wild & unique culinary experiences, foraging workshops and community gatherings.

For me, cooking is...

More than just food, it's the story of our relationship to the Earth. From sea to forest to farm, I connect to the source of ingredients.

I learned to cook at...

Apprenticed under John Higgins at King Edward hotel in Toronto. Also friend of Susur Lee so I have trained under him as well plus other great chefs.

A cooking secret...

Infusing the meals that I create with things I forage, nature is the way.

My menus

Taste of Spring

STARTER

All inclusive

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Cold Smoked Sablefish, Sourdough Spelt Flour Waffle, Horseradish Beet Nut Cheese, Micro-Greens, Capers, Roasted Wild Nori, Pickled Duck Eggs

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Cowichan Grass-Fed Grilled Strip-loin, Salish Salt, Potato Rosemary Rosti, Creamed Parsnip, Morels, Asparagus Spears, Water Leaf Greens, Black Garlic Demi Glace, Crispy Leeks, Burnt Leeks

DESSERT

All inclusive

Stinging Nettle Shortcake, Blackberry Lavender Icing, Apple Chips, Wild Flowers, Elderflower Rose Empress Gin

Taste of Summer

STARTER

All inclusive

Cowichan beef carpaccio, potato rosti, pickled nettle seeds, mustard aioli, porcini powder

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Tomato tart, Salt Spring goats cheese, salad greens, blackberry balsamic dressing

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Kelp crusted ling cod, roasted yam, corn cake, duck egg chilli aioli, stir-fry vegetable noodles, micro radish

DESSERT

All inclusive

Vanilla leaf pavlova, Nootka rose honey creme, minted macerated berries

Taste of Autumn

STARTER

All inclusive

Baked Oysters, Creamed Spinach, Sourdough Breading, Kelp Flakes, Pecorino Cheese

FIRST COURSE

All inclusive

Spot Prawn Bisque, Smoked Tomato, Charred Corn, Cultured Creme, Wild Fennel, Roasted Bull Kelp Fronds

MAIN COURSE

All inclusive

Braised Cowichan Beef Ribs, Fingerling Potato Leif Gratin, Island Gouda, Chanterelles, Roast Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Crispy Leeks, Nettle Powder, Kelp Kraut

DESSERT

All inclusive

Roast Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake, Big Leaf Maple Syrup Chantilly, Chaga Chocolate Ganache, Hazelnut Brittle