Quoted: A whole bunch of Vancouver food people on whether their city is on the cutting edge
If you compare us to New York, no. If you compare us to Regina, yeah.
— Brad Miller, chef and owner of Vancouver’s Red Wagon, responding to the question of whether Vancouver is on the cutting edge of culinary trends. The quote comes from an interesting piece in the Georgia Straight which surveyed 100 people in the industry about their city’s standing in the culinary world. Some lauded the city’s Asian cuisine and pointed to the new Japadog location that recently opened in New York. Others lamented the only very recent rise of the macaron and Neapolitan pizza, a sure sign that the city is behind the times. Vikram Vij argued that Vancouver’s sheer indifference to trends is what makes it, well, trendy. Sure, the piece has little to do with Toronto. But sometimes it’s just nice to see evidence that Toronto isn’t the only Canadian city with the occasional crippling inferiority complex. [Georgia Straight]
It’s really a shame that cities like ours are victims of constant navel gazing. It has such a detrimental effect on our progress. Both Toronto and Vancouver have come leaps and bounds from our rather dull towns of yesteryear. As individuals and cities, once you just relax and get comfortable in your own skin, you find your own way of doing things, and that’s what makes you interesting. Just look at smaller cities like Montreal and Portland (compared to NY, that is). They don’t look to the big boys for direction and approval. They’re just doing it, and doing it brilliantly.
+1 Danielle
The only time I read about TO’s inferiority complex is when I read Toronto Life.
I think Vij’s comment should apply to all of the city, not just its food.
“…sheer indifference to trends is what makes it, well, trendy.”