Fleeting flavours

Opening night at any restaurant is a beast of its own. It’s the culmination of months, sometimes years, of blood, sweat, and tears. Every detail is scrutinized: tables set, glassware polished, seating chart meticulously organized, mise en place done to perfection. You just pray you haven’t missed anything crucial. The feelings read like a recipe to a well-shaken cocktail:

2 parts stress
1 part anticipation
1 part excitement
A dash of fear ….

Now, take all that and compress it into a few insane weeks. Ramp up the stress, pile on the pressure. Welcome to an evening behind the scenes with In Jest Hospitality and the wild world of pop-up restaurants.

In Jest Hospitality

Established in 2024, In Jest is the collaborative effort of Zane Romano, Jeff Hall, Nicole Dodd, and myself. Between us, we have a wealth of experience in many different cuisines and concepts—and a shared goal of curating unforgettable dining experiences in the Comox Valley.

People often ask me, “Why do this to yourself?” And I ask myself the same thing sometimes. But the answer, like most worthwhile things, isn’t simple.

It starts with passion. As someone who can’t draw or paint, my canvas is food. Ask any chef worth their salt, and they’ll tell you: it’s one of the purest forms of self-expression. There’s a strange beauty in crafting a dish, plating it with precision, and sending it out, knowing it will only live on in the memory of the guest who enjoyed it. There is magic in those moments that can transport people to another time and place.

A pop-up also offers a rare opportunity to collaborate with other chefs you might not normally cross paths with. The ideas that come out of these meetings can be greater than the sum of their parts. Pushing each other out of our comfort zones allows our culinary imaginations to run wild—a rare treat in the often rigid world of professional kitchens.

The joys of producing on a smaller scale

For me, the biggest draw is the opportunity to produce on a smaller scale. It gives us the ability not only to be exceptionally detail oriented, but also to showcase the Island’s many local providers. We can offer a perfect snapshot of everything that is in season at that moment; with local farmers, foragers, vintners, and artisanal food makers brought together under one roof on full display for the community to see.

When the guests start to arrive, all the stress and anxiety fade, and the familiar adrenaline rush kicks in. It’s showtime.

Executing a new technique for the first time under the watchful eyes of expectant diners is a risk. But where’s the fun in playing it safe? You just have to rely on years of experience and your ability to improvise and solve problems on the fly.

While the kitchen might be controlled chaos, the dining room hums with a different energy. The low murmur of conversation, punctuated by hearty laughter or the clink of champagne flutes, tells you the mood is high. The first plate goes out—a lightly smoked local halibut and Fanny Bay oyster crudo with seaweed oil and sea urchin emulsion. It’s the perfect start, a representation of our local seafood that also sets the tone for the evening.

Crafting the entire experience

This is also our first chance to greet our guests face to face, explain the dish, and also talk a little bit about our philosophy and mission statement. After all, a pop-up is ultimately about more than just the food; it’s about an entire experience.

The rest of the snack course rolls out without a hitch. Wild-foraged morel mushrooms stuffed with crab and prawn mousse, a salad roll where the paper itself is made from local spot prawns filled with a bounty of local herbs and greens …. Each dish tells its own story.

By the time we hit the first of the five main courses, we’ve found our rhythm. The house-made raviolo stuffed with wild nettle and egg yolk, served in a Parmesan broth and topped with fresh summer truffle, is a hit. I see more than one person lift their bowl to get every last drop. I don’t blame them.

The evening’s star is the final savoury course: butter-poached halibut over local white beans in a house-made miso broth, topped with crab head hollandaise. Clearing the empty plates and seeing the contentment on everyone’s faces, I know we’ve hit our mark.

The dessert course is a cheeky, elevated take on the simple donut. It’s served with hopped caramel sauce and ice cream infused with Gilead, the resinous bud of the cottonwood tree, which adds a subtle vanilla and petrichor* flavour. As it makes its way to the table, it’s clear that all the hard work has been worth it.

After the guests have all left, our cheeks are rosy and spirits high. The cocktail we’ve spent weeks making has been imbibed. All that is left is to enjoy a nightcap, bask in the glow of accomplishment, and muse on the next culinary adventure.

Maybe the goal is simple after all: create lasting memories, challenge yourself, and help foster the community you want to see.

* Petrichor (pe-trahy-kawr, -ker) is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil.