Blunt Inquiry Asks... Chef Ryan O'Flynn

What is your idea of a perfect restaurant?
It will be when creative, honest Canadian restaurants open in other parts of the world. Offering our currently unrecognized culture to those who are deserving, wanting and willing. … Think about it.

What is your greatest fear at work?
Tom Brody

Which working Chef do you most admire?
The newest member of my team. I’m only as strong as they are.

What part of work ‘you’ do you most deplore in yourself?
No idea what that means. 

What would instantly make you fire someone?
Self-righteous ignorance with a lack of respect for the team and ingredients and culture.

What was your most extravagant purchase for your restaurant?
It’s not my money, but I will need to say the Guild is the most amazing thing that I’ve seen restaurant wise. But my Birkenstocks ain't cheap, eh!  

What is your favourite food journey?
My life.

What words or phrases do you overuse most at work?
I dare you to taste this.

What do you regret most after all your years in the business?
Maybe be more family-oriented, but that being said, my loved ones love me for me and my passion for food.

What do you love most in about this industry?
Cooking, eating, travelling, culture, life and did I say LIFE!

What is your current state of mind?
I like red crayons. They taste like candy.

What do you consider your most essential ingredient?
A great food supplier.

The work/life balance struggle is real.  How good of a juggler are you?  Tips?
Love the right partner. Never ever change for anyone.

I’ve seen more good chefs fall to their choice in partner than any other personal choice.

What is your most treasured kitchen tool?
My hand and tongue.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Eating a gluten free diet when not a celiac (or)

Uneducated food writers who are widely regarded in the arts of food.

When you finally retire, were will you live?
6 feet under.

What is your most marked characteristic?
My laugh.

What is the quality you most like in a chef?
Passion and dedication! Honesty.

What is your greatest inspiration/motivation?
My lineage. Ingredients, terroir. Life and love.

Superman or Spiderman?
No idea. Not my thing.

What is the first thing you remember cooking?
White sandwich bread with root beer in the oven. I was about 6 years of age. I still do it now. 

Beck or Clapton?
I’m a loser baby. 

You have to cook Escoffier’s death row meal.  Menu?
I would break him out of jail. Why would he be on death row?

Make him cook for me, he would owe me one.

Favourite kitchen word or phrase?
“Did you season the F***ing thing?”

The Guild

Learn more about the Guild and what's to come for Chef O'Flynn here.