Photos by Pam Dobbs
Chef aims for “refined but approachable” cuisine
Chef Nate Catto, Qualicum Beach Café
- Born and raised in Sooke, British Columbia.
- Culinary training): Culinary Arts Program at Camosun College in Victoria, followed by apprenticeship and Red Seal certification. Most “real” education came from working in destination resorts, farm-to-table kitchens and alongside farmers, fishermen and producers across BC.
- Years cooking professionally: 20-plus years in professional kitchens, with over 15 years in executive leadership roles.
Did you have an “aha” moment when you knew you wanted to be a chef?
I grew up around food and the outdoors in Sooke—fishing, foraging, being close to the land. I didn’t have one dramatic “aha” moment. It was more a realization that kitchens felt right to me. I really fell in love with food and the industry while working at the Delta Victoria in Lure Restaurant. It was a really cool team, and I fed off their passion. I love the energy, the pressure and the ability to create something that brings people together.
Once I got into it professionally, I knew it was where I belonged.
How would you describe your cooking style or philosophy to someone sitting down at your table for the first time?
Ingredient-driven, seasonal and honest. I don’t try to over complicate things. I focus on great product, thoughtful technique and balance. If I can showcase a beautiful piece of fish or local produce in a way that feels refined but approachable, that’s success to me.
Is there a dish on your menu that best represents who you are as a chef right now? Why?
I’m super happy with our Feta saganaki dish. It features feta cheese from Little
Qualicum Cheeseworks, flambéed tableside and served simply with bread and fig
chutney. I also can’t get enough of this beautiful local lingcod and albacore tuna from our friends at Natural Gift Seafoods.
What three ingredients are always in your kitchen at work or at home?
Fish sauce, fresh herbs, hot chilies. Hard to narrow it to three ingredients!
What’s your go-to meal when you’re cooking just for yourself?
It’s certainly not glamorous—I make a toasted aged cheddar cheese sandwich with
mayonnaise and a ton of black pepper. Or leftovers of whatever fantastic meals my wife has cooked up!
What is a good simple piece of advice for pairing wine and food?
Match weight with weight. Light dishes with lighter wines, richer dishes with fuller wines. And when in doubt, acidity is your friend: wines with good acidity make food taste brighter and more balanced.
What’s one small detail home cooks often overlook that makes a big difference?
Seasoning properly and seasoning at the right time. Taste as you go. Also, let your meat rest. Those two things alone elevate a dish dramatically.
What does a perfect day off look like for you, food included?
Being outside with my family—maybe at the beach or in the garden with something cooking over a fire—sharing some drinks, keeping it relaxed and unhurried. Good food doesn’t have to be complicated. It just has to be made with care.
West Coast Seafood Chowder
—from Chef Nate Catto, Qualicum Bay Café
Yield: 3.5 L
West Coast Seafood Chowder
—from Chef Nate Catto, Qualicum Bay Café
Yield: 3.5 L
West Coast Seafood Chowder
— from Chef Nate Catto, Qualicum Bay Café
Yield: 3.5 L
Ingredients:
250 g Carrots
250 g Celery
250 g Yellow onion
250 g Potato
10 g Garlic
1 tsp Tarragon, dried
0.5 tsp Dill, dry
1-2 each Bay leaves
125 ml Capers
0.5 lbs Butter
0.5 lbs Flour
0.5 L Cream, heavy
2 L Fish/seafood stock
125 ml White wine
1 tsp Tabasco
Lemon, juice and zest (to taste)
Available seafood
Method:
Cut carrots, celery, onion and potato to desired size. Finely mince garlic. Melt butter in a pot (at least 4 L in size) on medium heat and add chopped vegetables, dried herbs and capers. Sweat until onions turn translucent, then add flour all at once. Continue to cook on medium heat for at least 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, to form a roux. Turn off the pot and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a separate pot, combine seafood stock and white wine and bring to a boil. If you don’t have access to seafood stock (it’s easy to make if you have some fish bones or crab shells) you can either use water and a fish/seafood base, or clam nectar (available at most grocery stores) or some combination of these.
When the mirepoix and roux have cooled slightly (it doesn’t need to cool all the way to room temperature, just not piping hot), and the stock is boiling, you can start to combine.
On medium heat, scoop one or two ladles at a time of hot stock onto the roux, stirring constantly to keep it smooth. If you add too much at once, you can “float” the roux and create lumps. Once all the stock is combined with the roux, continue stirring until it comes up to a boil. Add cream and reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are cooked through.
Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, Tabasco and lemon juice. If you used a seafood base, you can add more at this point in lieu of salt. In the restaurant, we make this soup ahead of time and cook the seafood garnish to order so it doesn’t get overcooked and is as fresh as possible. You can use whatever seafood you have available. On our menu, we use Tofino lingcod, Salt Spring Island mussels, local manila clams, baby shrimp and smoked salmon. You can cook your seafood directly in the soup, or separately in a pan so you can show off your garnish on top!