September 2018 Digital Issue

FOOD FILE
spread izakaya culture, it was not easy to
get customers to understand exactly what
iakaya food and culture was,” she says. “It
wasn’t just the food, either — it was the
way Japanese people drink sake and beer by
sharing otsumami (bar snacks) with another
group of people, or the next table. It’s a
bit different from the way people drink in
North America.”
Yajima says Canadian multiculturalism
and open-mindedness was a large reason
why Guu eventually became so popular.
“When we started, people knew what sushi,
tempura and teriyaki were, but they had
no idea about karaage or udon noodles,”
she notes.
THE STORY OF FOOD
Guu’s popularity was the starting point for
one of the major ethnic-food trends we see
today. People are no longer looking
for “Indian” food or “Japanese” food —
they are interested in sub-categories of
these and other types of ethnic cuisine,
RAW FLAVOUR Guu’s Yuzu ceviche with
scallops, clams and octopus
whether it’s a regional categorization (such
as Southern-Chinese restaurants that specialize
in Hainanese chicken rice) or a cultural
categorization, such as izakaya-style
bar foods.
Carter says this trend can be largely
attributed to globalization and the fact
that most Canadian citizens are now welltravelled.
“The consumer’s understanding
of regional cuisine is much broader than it
used to be,” he explains. “Canadians, now,
are much more educated and understanding
[of new and different types of cuisine].”
In this light, he maintains foodservice
operators have a unique opportunity to be
more strategic in their output. “When you
travel around the world, you begin to see
exactly how young our country is,” he says.
“With continued growth from immigration,
so many people have now put their
stamp on Canadian culture — and today,
above all else, people want a story along
with their food.”
For restaurateur Victor Bouzide, who
founded Vancouver-based Lebanese restaurant,
Nuba, in 2003, opening a restaurant
was an attempt to celebrate his grandmother’s
recipes. Middle-Eastern flavours,
such as ras al hanout, tahini, rosewater and
za’atar, are currently popular, but Middle-
Eastern dishes also help maintain a healthy
lifestyle through its largely plant-based
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2018-05-15 3:37 PM