The Restaurant at Naramata Inn Puts the Spotlight on Okanagan Bounty

Chef Ned Bell’s new venture sure to become “destination dining”  highlight on the Naramata Bench

Garlic scapes from the neighbours, prosciutto from up the hill, apples from a few orchards over, and wines from throughout the valley: the much-anticipated Restaurant at Naramata Inn is set to open on Monday, June 29, focusing on Chef Ned Bell’s celebration of the unique ingredients and flavours of Naramata.

The lauded Canadian chef has spent decades in high profile kitchens across the country. With deep connections to the Okanagan valley, Bell and his wife and partner Kate Colley return to the place that has long captured their heart and soul, committed to creating a culinary experience like no other.

Open for dinner seven nights a week, diners can expect dishes like wild sage cured and pan seared Road 17 char, raised in the middle of an Oliver apple orchard, and kohlrabi from Medley Organics just across the lake in Summerland. Organic beef from Blue Goose is served with browned butter hollandaise and vegetables grown by Jordan and Vanessa from Unearthed Farm. That prosciutto comes from just 1 kilometre away at Bella Wines, where Jay and Wendy’s pigs put the Restaurant’s kitchen scraps to good use.

“Supporting local farmers and small producers has never been more important,” says Bell. “I really want to highlight these amazing ingredients with the tender love and care they deserve, right here where they’re grown. This is ‘Naramatian cuisine.’ We literally could not create this dining experience anywhere else.”

Bell has assembled an all-star team, with sous chefs Stacy Johnston and Minette Lotz relocating from Vancouver to join him in the kitchen, excited to push the envelope of hyper-local dining in the Okanagan. Served in the stylishly updated heritage dining room, and on the gracious verandas, the food will be matched by one of the most comprehensive lists of Naramata and Okanagan wines available anywhere.

“Naramata is like no place else in the world, “ says co-owner Paul Hollands. “Being right on Lake Okanagan and surrounded by mountains, orchards and vineyards, it is blessed with an amazing agricultural bounty. For 112 years, Naramata Inn has been the heart of this wonderful place. Revitalizing the Inn, and launching the Restaurant has been a dream come true.”

Having been lovingly guided by Creative Director, Maria Wiesner, the launch of our Restaurant follows the reopening of the historic Naramata Inn’s boutique accommodations earlier this month. To comply with all BC government health protocols, the restaurant will initially open at reduced capacity to ensure that guests, staff and the Naramata community are kept safe. The restaurant is guaranteed to be a sought after reservation.

Reservations for the Restaurant at Naramata Inn are available now.

About Naramata Inn:

Constructed 112 years ago by the town’s founder, J.M. Robinson, Naramata Inn would welcome some of the Okanagan’s very first tourists and go on to weave a colourful thread throughout Naramata’s history. Naramata Inn is still making headlines as the best way to enjoy the full bounty of the Okanagan Valley. The Inn delivers a proudly “Naramatian” experience, from the best local growers and artisans in Naramata and the Valley, through to showcasing the true depth and breadth of award-winning wines produced by British Columbia’s winemakers.

About Ned Bell:

Ned is a well-known Canadian culinary talent who has forged a path as a chef advocate, keynote speaker and educator, and now owner and chef at Naramata Inn. As one of the country’s leading chefs, he has used his voice, outgoing personality, and indomitable spirit to stand up for the world’s lakes, oceans and rivers. Ned has earned many honours over the years, most recently: Fellow of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society (2019), Honorary Doctorate in Technology from Vancouver Island University (2019), SeaWeb Seafood Summit Global Champion Award (2017), and author of best selling cookbook Lure: Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the West Coast.

Media release and image provided by Krista Lochhead, Colley Communications Inc.