WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: CELEBRATED LOCAVORE CHEF DAVID GUNAWAN UNVEILS MENU FOR SECOND “UGLY DUCKLING” DINNER AT ROYAL DINETTE
Gunawan’s Latest Five-Course Dinner Informs, Educates Guests via Dishes Crafted from Commonly Discarded Cast-offs, Scraps
Building upon the success of the inaugural Ugly Duckling Dinner this past October that showcased the concept of “Trash Cooking” cuisine, Royal Dinette Chef/Owner David Gunawan has unveiled the menu for his upcoming dinner on Nov. 24.
Named for the “ugly ducklings” of the culinary world, Gunawan’s unique dinner series calls attention to food-waste awareness and sustainability issues by serving up unforgettable fare that features underutilized, often discarded kitchen scraps and offcuts like stems, stalks, leaves and rinds.
Thoughtfully curated by Gunawan and head chef Jack Chen, the new five-course Ugly Duckling Dinner menu also features similarly inspired libations such as a ‘root to tip’ cider cocktail and fermented sunchoke beer.
UGLY DUCKLING MENU
Snacks
Brandade with Sunchoke Skin
Smoked Salmon Skin with Tartare
Tsukemono Vegetables
‘Sake to Me’ Cocktail
Dinner
Broken Shellfish, Pea Juice
Nikolaihof Riesling 2011
Scallop Skirt Dashi, Black Cod, Turnip, Scallop Roe
Bella Rose Sparkling Wine
Kale Stem Risotto, Whey
‘Root to Tip’ Cider Cocktail
Beef Tongue, Squash Trim Hollandaise, Pumpkin Seed & Vegetable Trim Condiment
Denavolo Catavela Emilia IGT 2012
Mushroom Stem Custard, Old Bread Tart, Sunchoke Trim Ice Cream
Fermented Sunchoke Beer
“We were extremely pleased with the response to our first Ugly Duckling Dinner and look forward to building on the momentum by showing our guests that all too often people tend to toss food scraps that can be used to create delicious and thought-provoking dishes,” says Gunawan. “These dinners highlight the need to rethink and reconsider the unnecessary waste that commonly occurs at every link in the food chain.”
TICKETS
Royal Dinette’s second Ugly Duckling Dinner takes place on Tues., Nov. 24 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.royaldinette.ca/events and include a reception and five-course menu with beverage pairings for $79 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
About David Gunawan | A celebrated champion of locavores and a staunch proponent of ecological gastronomy, Chef David Gunawan sharpened his skills at acclaimed kitchens in Chicago, Seattle, Vancouver and Belgium before opening Farmer’s Apprentice in 2013, and Grapes & Soda and Royal Dinette in 2015, each setting a new standard for sustainably sourced farm-to-table cuisine. His culinary approach is dictated by whatever fresh produce arrives at his door from local farmers each day, with Farmer’s Apprentice being named Restaurant of the Year and Best Casual Restaurant at the 2014 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards as well as No. 2 on En Route Magazine’s 2014 list of the Best New Restaurants in Canada.
About Royal Dinette | Located in the heart of Vancouver’s financial District, Royal Dinette revolves around celebrated chef David Gunawan’s signature focus on bringing together the best fresh, locally sourced ingredients for a true farm-to-table feast for the senses. With an ever-changing seasonal menu, fresh pasta, pastry and butcher stations and a bar menu offering an array of local craft beer, sparkling wine and handmade classic cocktails, Royal Dinette pairs the laid-back, informal atmosphere of a bygone diner with an elegant standard of service to bring quality, value and creativity of cuisine to a whole new audience.
905 Dunsmuir St., Vancouver B.C. V6C 1A8 | (604) 974-8077 | www.royaldinette.ca
Lunch Mon – Fri 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Dinner Mon – Sat 5 p.m. – late | L’Apéro Happy Hour Mon – Sat. 4:30 – 6 p.m. | Twitter @royaldinette | Instagram @royaldinette
Featured image: Fred Fung
