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Local Chef

For the past 40 years, Town and Country Steakhouse has specialized in bringing a traditional steakhouse experience to diners. To find out what makes this downtown Barrie dining establishment so popular, this GoodLife reporter recently sat down with Steve Koussiouris, who runs the steakhouse with his brother Jim. Conversation topics ranged from the restaurant's history and house specialities to recent renovations and rebranding. More

IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Scott Carter

Chef Scott Carter is a graduate of the prestigious Chef School at George Brown College in Toronto and owner of one of Collingwood's finest restaurants, The Stuffed Peasant. Carter started cooking when he was a small boy and has always had a passion for food. More

IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Ester Sattler

Within the past two years, Ester and Kurt Sattler have opened two Fresh-a-Fare restaurants in Barrie (one on Weham Road, the other on Bayfield Street). Business has been so brisk that plans are underway to open more locations by the spring of 2013. To find out what makes these fast, cafeteria-style restaurants that serve fresh and slowed cooked food so successful, this GoodLife reporter sat down with the president and CEO Ester Sattler at the busy Bayfield Street eatery. More

URBAN DISH - In the kitchen with Nick van der Wal

New ownership and a reinvented menu are breathing new life into Urban Dish. To get the juicy details, this GoodLife writer recently sat down with Nick van der Wal, who has been a chef of this south-Barrie fine dining establishment for the past four years. During our chat, the 32-year-old culinary professional dished on everything from wine and his passion for street food to the eatery's upcoming cooking class series. Read More..

Diversity and Tradition: Beeton restaurant is ever-changing

Regulars to The Whistle Stop restaurant in Beeton know one of the first things to do after walking through the door is check the special menu board. Read More..

SAY CHEESE - Barrie shop caters to cheese lovers.

When it comes to artisanal cheese, I haven't met a variety I don't like. As a result, discovering Café Fromagerie, a fine cheese shop and café, was particularly exciting for this foodie. Recently, I had the chance to sit down with cheese purveyor and owner Lorna Allen to chat about cheese (Allen owns and runs the business along with her sister Alyson Wilson and Wendy Hunt). During the interview, the shop was so busy that Allen had to get up several times during our conversation to help her sister serve eager customers. From my vantage point, it looks like this cheese shop is onto something delicious. Read More..

IN THE KITCHEN: Ted's Range Road Diner

Take a Walk on the Wild Side - When Ted's Range Road Diner first opened its doors in 1987 there were about 15 cows greeting customers in the new eateries' gravel parking lot. Twenty-five years later not much has changed. Read More..

IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Shirley Dawson

With a bit of coaxing, the normally media shy Shirley Dawson recently agreed to be interviewed by this GoodLife reporter. Taking a break in between the lunch and dinner rush, the local kitchen icon relaxed at her bar and dished on everything from her self taught culinary skills, a soft spot for big portions, and why she doesn't want to change her menu. Read More..

IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Michael Stadtlander

No one epitomizes the avant-garde of the local food movement more than Chef Michael Stadtländer, and his latest project, which combines landscape artistry with gastronomical creativity, proves he continues to push epicurean limits. Read More..

In the Kitchen with Shawn Adler

In the quiet hamlet of Eugenia, you'll discover a rustic, ‘bistro' style restaurant with a lot of attitude. After a scenic stroll along the awe-inspiring falls at Eugenia, we had worked up quite an appetite when we spotted a small park and ball diamond (where we stopped to snap some photos) and further noticed a red sign across the road and old fence made of thick branches. Read More..

IN THE KITCHEN: Nottawasaga Inn Resort & Conference Centre

Popular resort prides itself in offering a variety of dining experiences. Read More..

IN THE KITCHEN WITH: Bistro Seven Seven

Fine dining in Alliston was taken to new heights six years ago when brothers Jason and Ryan Klausen opened restaurant Bistro Seven Seven Read More..

Spice up your life! - In the kitchen with Bijay Simkhada of Spice Indian Cuisine & Wine Bar

On a cold and snowy January morning, this GoodLife reporter sat down with Bijay Simkhada, the 40-year-old owner of downtown Barrie's newest Indian restaurant. While sipping chai tea, Bijay chatted about his one-year-old restaurant (in the former Nawab location), the key to good Indian food and his passion for superior customer service. Read More..

Jessica Valiant of Rawlicious

Over the years, I've interviewed oodles of restaurant owners. But chatting with Jessica Valiant, the 31-year-old owner of Rawlicious, Barrie's first raw eatery, was a new experience. Truth is, I'd never set foot in a restaurant without an oven or stove, so I wasn't fully sure of what to expect. In the end, my hesitations were quickly put to rest after sampling its flavourful menu, which features fresh and organic vegan and raw food. Read More..

Randy Feltis of Oscars

In late September, Goodlife sat down with Randy Feltis, the chef and owner of Oscars to chat about some exciting changes taking place at the popular downtown eatery. Read More..

The evolution of Cravings

An up-close look at the popular gourmet food shop and catering company. Read More..

A Culinary Passion

A local culinary educator dishes on food, his cooking philosophy and what it takes to be a great chef. Read More..