Kelowna's Juicy Tips

A point of pride for us in Kelowna are the outstanding Chefs that wine country attracts. Names like Rod Butters, Bernard Casavant (recently snapped up by Kelowna’s Wild Apple Grill), Ned Bell, Mark Filatow, and others — these are serious stars on Canada’s food scene. This article from Western Living Magazine praises our area as being the epicentre of a culinary revolution, naming the chefs above as ringleaders and revolutionaries. I caught up with Chef Rod Butters at RauDZ Regional Table in downtown Kelowna – a chef praised as a Pioneer of this culinary revolution – to find out about his restaurant’s take on sticking with locally-sourced foods through the winter months.

The setting at RauDZ Regional Table in Kelowna.

In the video below, Chef Butters took me behind the scenes in his kitchen to show us (you and me, that is) some great ingredients he uses in his wintery dishes. The atmosphere at RauDZ (a combination of his name and Audrey, his life and business partner) is comfortable and unfussy. Photographs of some of the farmers and producers that he sources ingredients from hang on the walls over cozy booths. In the centre of the room is a long table designed for communal dining – meaning that anyone can take a seat here and meet their noshing neighbour.

Stylishly comfortable: booths at RauDZ.

At the same time, there is a real respect here for artistry and people who put their souls into growing, producing, mixing and making the foods and drinks you order. The bartenders are called Liquid Chefs (who make a mean Okanagan Martini with local organic fruit purées). The photographs of Chef’s suppliers show his deference for what they do. The kitchen is open such that diners can see exactly where and how their food is made. When you watch the chefs in the kitchen, it is remniscent of a choreographed dance: they are aware of each others movements and positions. There’s no question that Rod Butters has earned his place on the BC Restauranteur Hall of Fame.

RauDZ's liquid chefs.

Besides putting his energies into creating a delicious ambience for his diners, Chef Butters also tirelessly promotes local dining and the bounty of our region. His new podcast called Home Plate is featured under iTunes New and Notable section, and is hugely popular. But at the end of the day, it’s all about enjoyment of food, and especially comfort food for Rod. Watch the video below to see Chef Butters at work and hear about how he combines the foodie wisdom of our ancestors with social media platforms in order to bring his message to his fans.