New P.E.I. restaurant already getting national acclaim

Each year, chefs and restaurant owners wait with great interest to see the November issue of Air Canada's enRoute magazine.

For 15 years, it has published its annual list of Canada's best new restaurants, and it's become the gold standard of success in the culinary world.

A placing in that list is an industry nod that a new restaurant is doing something very good in the kitchen, and in the complete dining experience.

Word gets out to the customers quickly too, say the people behind the list.

"I think that the public has got more savvy about food, and really is looking for something special when they're going out to eat," said Sarah Musgrave, the executive editor of enRoute magazine, as she joined CBC Radio's Karen Mair on Mainstreet.

FireWorks on short list

The short list of 35 in contention this year is out, and it includes a brand-new P.E.I. restaurant, FireWorks at The Inn at Bay Fortune.

It's the vision of Chef Michael Smith, who is no stranger to the enRoute list, because until this year, he's been one of the judges involved.

He knows very well how crucial making the final list could be to his new operation.

"It's wildly important, it's a huge big deal," he told Mair. "It's something that both chefs and restaurant owners, and also consumers pay a lot of attention to. And as you might imagine, with 15 years momentum, it has become the de facto award if you will for new restaurateurs.

"I can't overstate what a very big deal this is, so imagine me, I'm on the edge of my seat right now. I know that the list has been narrowed down to under 40 of the hundreds of restaurants that opened in Canada last year."

Innovation the key

Smith believes FireWorks has gained its early strong reputation because of some key differences.

"We grow all our own vegetables, we're a farm, we grow everything that we serve," he explained. "We cook everything that we do with live fire, the meal is 100 per cent prepared with live fire in full view of our guests.

"I think that the last little bit that we do, we call 'feast,' and it's a communal dining experience, it's a once-a-night food event of sorts, I think perhaps that's what may have caught the eye of the editors."

Musgrave agreed that innovation was the key as well: "It's such an unusual, such a unique concept for dining, that's really like a country feast but showcases all the bounty of P.E.I."

Public vote, prizes

The public also has a say in the list, with its' own online poll called Eat and Vote, which guides them to new hot-spots, and gives people a chance to win as well.

"It's a great resource for travellers, so you can see what the new openings are everywhere from P.E.I. to Victoria," said Musgrave. "So you can go visit and then vote online, and every time you vote, you have a chance to win a trip for two to any of the nominated restaurants of your choice.

"So you can choose a restaurant, we'll fly you there, put you up in a hotel, and then you have a night of culinary adventure."

Smith said he'll be nervous right up until the November issue of enRoute comes out, hoping to make the final 10.

As for the Eat and Vote contest, diners have until Sept. 30 to enter, at eatandvote.com.

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