Spotlight on (Un)Common Threads: Culinary Creativity
You don't have to be in an artist's studio to see creativity at work. We all have the capacity to be creative. It's something that flows all around us (if we pay attention) and that we apply daily, whether it be in our garden, at our workplace, or even in our kitchen.
Ted Blades interviews Ross Larkin and Celeste Mah of the St. John's restaurant Portage during Business & Arts NL's (Un)Common Threads: Culinary Creativity event at The Majestic's Theatre Hill Bar + Cafe on June 12. Photo: Zach Bonnell
Ross Larkin and Celeste Mah of the popular St. John's restaurant Portage served up some tasty treats and lively conversation during Business & Arts NL's latest (Un)Common Threads event in June.
This time, the focus was on culinary creativity, and the duo did not disappoint as they shared the integral role that creativity plays in running a successful food business and the importance of risk-taking, resilience, being flexible in a stressful environment and learning from failure. They also dished on how collaboration and teamwork are crucial ingredients for success (including coming to decisions together as a team, making everyone feel part of the experience), and shared some behind-the-scenes stories with the crowd.
Celeste Mah and Ross Larkin of Portage share their recipe for success. Photo: Zach Bonnell
Partners in life and work, Larkin (winner of Top Chef Canada 2018) and Mah (Canada’s Best Pastry Chef 2019) are celebrated nationally for their culinary creations, which honour Newfoundland and Labrador through local ingredients like blueberries, cod and chanterelles. The pair also provided insight into how they find inspiration, roll with ingredients that are on hand to create innovative new combinations and menu items, and stay fresh and interesting in a highly competitive industry.
Musician and producer Kelly McMichael performs for the crowd during the (Un)Common Threads: Culinary Creativity event. Photo: Zach Bonnell
The sold-out event, which took place at the Theatre Hill Bar + Cafe at The Majestic Theatre in downtown St. John's, was guided by Ted Blades, retired journalist and former host of CBC Radio's On The Go, and featured a musical performance by local artist and producer Kelly McMichael.
Kelly McMichael. Photo: Sheilagh O'Leary
While the discussion focused on creativity in the kitchen, the lessons extended far beyond the culinary world and helped show how embracing change can help us navigate challenges and find creative solutions.
Business & Arts NL's Executive Director Amy Henderson speaks to the crowd. Photo: Sheilagh O'Leary
This was the third event in Business & Arts NL's (Un)Common Threads series, which highlights the commonalities between the business and arts community (including the desire to make Newfoundland and Labrador a vibrant and compelling place to live, work and play), while following the threads of our shared traits, interests and aspirations. Many thanks to our funders at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and Celebrate NL, and to our sponsors at Carvel & Helm, Ochre House Retreat and Noseworthy Chapman Chartered Professional Accountants, for supporting this event.
Members of the audience answered the question: "What food tastes like home?"
Members of the crowd also shared unique ingredient combinations they enjoy.
Coming up next in the series is our (Un)Common Threads Creativity & Innovation Summit on November 7 at the Sheraton Hotel in St. John’s (our biggest event yet!). Click here to learn more about the summit and purchase advance tickets.