Exploring the planning, tasting, and inspiration behind the culinary creations
With Executive Chef Christopher Matthews
As the leaves start to change, so does the inspiration in the kitchen at Eatertainment. The Fall/Winter season brings a new palette of ingredients, flavours, and ideas that shape our seasonal menu.
To give you a glimpse into what goes into planning, we sat down with Executive Chef Christopher Matthews to talk about the process from brainstorming to the final dishes on your plate.
Q: Planning a menu for a new season sounds like a big task. How far in advance do you start?
Chef Chris: “It’s definitely a lot of moving parts! We’re always thinking about the next season, even when we’re focused on the current one. For fall and winter, we started seriously planning about 6 to 8 weeks before launching. In that time, we bring together ideas we’ve collected over months—whether that’s new ingredients we’ve come across, flavours we want to explore, or seasonal dishes we’re excited to share.”
Q: That sounds like a pretty long timeline. Can you tell us more about the initial planning process?
Chef Chris: “Sure! We have a running list of ideas year-round because inspiration doesn’t always follow a schedule. But about two months before we want the menu to go live, we get together with our culinary team and start piecing together what we envision. That’s when the puzzle really starts to come together. We look at trends, our own ideas, seasonal ingredients, and, of course, anything new that might have become available. There’s always a lot of energy in the room during these early stages!”
Q: Let’s talk tastings. When does that phase start, and how do you decide on the final dishes?
Chef Chris: “Tasting is probably one of my favourite parts of the process, and it starts around two weeks into development. We begin by testing a few of the dishes we’re most excited about, trying them in various ways to see where they might fit best on the menu. For example, rainbow mushrooms were something we had on our list early on. So, we tried them as a canapé, a small plate, and even as part of a main dish. It’s all about finding where each ingredient or dish can shine in a way that’s most appealing for our guests.”
Q: What’s the inspiration behind the new flavours and dishes this season?
Chef Chris: “Inspiration comes from everywhere, really! We start by going through our idea list and new products, like spices, fresh produce, or specialty items we might have sourced. But this season, we wanted to highlight warming, hearty flavours that celebrate fall and winter ingredients while keeping it fresh and exciting. We also love drawing from diverse culinary traditions. This season, we’ve incorporated ingredients that speak to the depth of winter while adding new twists that our guests may not expect.”
Q: Were there any challenges or memorable moments along the way?
Chef Chris: “Oh definitely. One of the biggest challenges—and most satisfying moments—was developing a vegan crème caramel. Our goal was to create a dessert that everyone could enjoy, regardless of dietary preferences, and make it just as luxurious as the traditional version. After a lot of trial and error with plant-based ingredients, we nailed it! When our team tried it, no one could tell it was vegan, which was exactly what we were going for.”
Q: Any final thoughts about this season’s menu?
Chef Chris: “This season’s menu has been a true labour of love, and I think it shows. We’ve put thought into every detail, from the balance of flavours to the way each dish is plated, all to create a memorable dining experience. We’re excited to bring guests a menu that celebrates the season and offers something a little unexpected at every turn. Can’t wait for everyone to try it!”
From inspiration to execution, the fall/winter menu at Eatertainment is about more than just delicious food, it’s a journey of creativity, collaboration, and passion.