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Taste our Island - an award to honor chefs and restaurants who purchase and promote PEI agriculture

So near, so delicious!

Freshness is key in Chef Stephen Hunter kitchen
at the Victoria Village Inn. Mickey Rose delivers
fresh seafood. Other local suppliers bring in meat,
eggs, chicken, and vegetables.

GROW IT LOCALLY, buy it fresh, keep it simple. That could very well be Stephen Hunter’s motto. As owner and chef at the Victoria Village Inn, and 2010 winner of the PEI ADAPT Council’s “Taste Our Island” Award, Stephen is passionate about cooking, and about Prince Edward Island. So while his guests may have traveled a long way to reach his table, he makes sure their food has not. “Visitors want to taste what has grown out of our soil, or been fished from our waters. Using local ingredients means they’re always fresh, and that makes a huge difference in the quality of the meal.” A graduate of the Culinary Institute of Canada, Stephen has worked in a wide variety of food-related fields. Since 2001, he has combined that depth of experience, just as he combines the perfect ingredients in his kitchen, to create a masterpiece in the Village of Victoria. In the process he has also helped connect restaurants with local suppliers, and introduced his customers to the wonders of PEI’s bounty. At the Victoria Village Inn, dining guests can meet the chef who prepared their grilled Atlantic salmon, pan roasted chicken breast, or Argyle Shore green salad. And if they’re wondering what made their meal so delicious, Stephen will be happy to explain. Local, fresh, simple.

TASTE OUR ISLAND AWARD WINNERS

2010: With more than a hundred nominations representing eighteen different Prince Edward Island restaurants, the competition for the 2010 award was tougher than ever. See more on peiadapt.com. Chef Stephen Hunter is this year’s proud recipient. His restaurant at Victoria Village Inn is open 5 pm -10 pm daily from early June through September, on weekends, and for special events year-round. Stephen is also available for in-home catering and culinary tours. Visit victoriavillageinn.com for a sample menu and more information.

2009: Chef Shirleen Peardon has been cooking for more than 20 years, but she has certainly not forgotten her rural Island roots. Shirleen is head chef at Merchantman Pub, the 2009 winner of PEI ADAPT Council’s “Taste Our Island” Award. The recognition is likely due in no small part to her close connections with the farm community.