Let me tell you about #cookhatter.
My name is Tomoko Tahara, I have been cooking since 1998 when I was in Japan, if my memory is correct.
After I moved here in Vancouver in 2004, including a few years break, I worked under wonderful chefs at several restaurants in town.
Earlier time when I just started working in Western kitchen at Pizzeria farina as well as Pourhouse restaurant, I learned about important basic cooking skills and knowledges under chef JC Poirier.
After years, I started working at The Acorn restaurant , which gave me a lot of inspiration.Chef Brian Luptack and chef Rob Clark, changed my view of vegetarian and vegan cooking. Using ingredients from forests and farms with unique techniques, creating cool plating, I found vegetarian or vegan cooking to be sort of romantic.
I am fascinated by foraging since I started working with them, one of foragers(I want to call her "wild crafter") for the Acorn, Camille Franjack (The museum eats) is my foraging teacher when I go to the forests.
Back to talk about restaurants, another inspiring restaurant is Cacao, where worked under chef Jefferson Alvarez, day to day, I had full of curiosity "what is next" at work - using ingredients of which I haven't seen or heard in other restaurants, molecular cuisine techniques..everyday was fun, the days went so fast.
The name #cookhatter is originally from a hush tag on my instagram account, still I am using it so check it out.You can see my current activity and plates.
My cooking is mostly Japanese shojin (monk food) inspired with a western twist, respect to the seasonal ingredients.On the other hand, my baked goods are inspired by rustic, good ways of old fashioned western style baking with unique modern twists.
This is an extra subject, I have an another profession, I am a hat designer since 1996. My website tells about my hat history.
So, I am a cook, as well as I am a hatter. Therefore I named myself #cookhatter.
My name is Tomoko Tahara, I have been cooking since 1998 when I was in Japan, if my memory is correct.
After I moved here in Vancouver in 2004, including a few years break, I worked under wonderful chefs at several restaurants in town.
Earlier time when I just started working in Western kitchen at Pizzeria farina as well as Pourhouse restaurant, I learned about important basic cooking skills and knowledges under chef JC Poirier.
After years, I started working at The Acorn restaurant , which gave me a lot of inspiration.Chef Brian Luptack and chef Rob Clark, changed my view of vegetarian and vegan cooking. Using ingredients from forests and farms with unique techniques, creating cool plating, I found vegetarian or vegan cooking to be sort of romantic.
I am fascinated by foraging since I started working with them, one of foragers(I want to call her "wild crafter") for the Acorn, Camille Franjack (The museum eats) is my foraging teacher when I go to the forests.
Back to talk about restaurants, another inspiring restaurant is Cacao, where worked under chef Jefferson Alvarez, day to day, I had full of curiosity "what is next" at work - using ingredients of which I haven't seen or heard in other restaurants, molecular cuisine techniques..everyday was fun, the days went so fast.
The name #cookhatter is originally from a hush tag on my instagram account, still I am using it so check it out.You can see my current activity and plates.
My cooking is mostly Japanese shojin (monk food) inspired with a western twist, respect to the seasonal ingredients.On the other hand, my baked goods are inspired by rustic, good ways of old fashioned western style baking with unique modern twists.
This is an extra subject, I have an another profession, I am a hat designer since 1996. My website tells about my hat history.
So, I am a cook, as well as I am a hatter. Therefore I named myself #cookhatter.