Raised in England where he was also trained, Chef David O’Connor polished his skills at the Savoy in London, a Michelin star restaurant near London, and the Hauptbahnhof, the largest train station in Switzerland renown for gourmet dining.
Adept in food art, he won gold in the Salon Culinaire competition. Eventually O’Connor made his way to Edmonton first working at the River Cree Resort before taking the position at the Sutton Place Hotel. With such a long and varied career, O’Connor has amassed a store of ancecdotes. “One time I cooked for a Greek wedding and when they went to smash the plates they bounced back because the floor was made of rubber,” he says wryly.
It is this English sense of humour that revels in what would seem like a misstep as well as O’Connor’s open and endearing friendliness that mark not only the man but his food. “We try to keep the community feel in the food–simple, elegant, tasteful.” Signature dishes like the twelve mushroom soup, osso bucco and duck confit exhibit his European training through voluptuous flavours.
For more about Chef David O’Connor in the Summer 2010 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
