A chef since 1980, Willy Beaudry currently operates the Waterfront Restaurant out of the Crest Hotel in Prince Rupert BC, Canada.
Team TS got the golden opportunity to pick his brains, and boy, were we in for a ride. We asked him to name his favourite spices, and pat came the reply: “Salt and pepper!” On that note, here is one of his signature salmon recipes:
Waterfront Salmon Tataki
“This appetiser is one of our best sellers among visitors and locals.”
Ingredients :
Wild British Columbia salmon 7-8 oz. fillet, boned, skin off if you prefer
1 tsp onion powder, cayenne, garlic powder
1 tbsp dry parsley flakes, ginger powder, paprika, sea salt
¾ tsp white pepper, black pepper, thyme leaves, oregano leaves
(mix all spices together)
Method:
Cut salmon into 4 pieces and dredge in seasoning on both sides.
Pre-heat a cast iron pan with oil or BBQ and cook the salmon to your
Preference. We cook it to medium rare or rare
Garnish with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy (we use Kikkoman)
In the old days, everything was well done, but at last we have evolved a little bit in Canada and now appreciate the freshness and delicacy of our local fish more.
Beaudry’s Bytes:
- Our salmon is caught locally and wild. We generally use King (Chinook Salmon).
- When our fish comes in from our local fish plant, I will take note of the eyes to see whether they are clear or glazed over. If the eyes are clear, the fish is fresh.
- The salmon should be firm to the touch. Soft is old and possibly mishandled in several ways, such as weight and water damage, temperature swings). Also take a whiff: if it smells fishy, it is old.
- Once I’m happy, the fish makes the grade and we repack into ice and date it.
Having a way with food is not the only feather in Chef Beaudry’s hat. He is also the director of 333 Trinity House, a men’s recovery home he set up in 2018 to help people on their journey to recovery. Perhaps, this is what makes him such a special man. Follow his work here.
