The new JW Marriott in Edmonton’s ICE District is also home to Braven Restaurant—and at its helm is Jeremy Korten. The executive chef has a long history with the Oliver & Bonacini restaurant group, moving to Edmonton specifically to open Braven. Meet Jeremy Korten…
What do you love most about cooking and the industry?
When it comes to cooking, I am passionate about prepping, planning, and executing classic dishes that have been around in some form or another for hundreds of years. There’s something magical about taking a recipe that is so rooted in history and people’s memories and then putting your own little spin on it… As for working in a kitchen, I love managing a large team of cooks and sous chefs. There’s a lot of intensity in the kitchen, and we thrive off of that type of momentum. At the end of the day, teamwork is vital. I get really excited about having the opportunity to mentor my cooks and see them grow into sous chefs to chefs to restaurant owners themselves. I also learn so much from them, and they’re always expanding my perspective and offering me new ways of looking at a recipe or ingredient. It feels like a true partnership.
What’s a dish you’re most proud of?
The maple rum roasted B.C. black cod with Newfoundland screech! There’s a lot of history in that dish…The screech brings a robust depth of flavour to the dish. It’s super Canadian. We work with Steve Johansen and the crew at Organic Ocean to source the fish, which is line-caught in B.C.
As a new transplant to Edmonton, what would you say to others who are new?
Be prepared and be excited to meet nice people. The people here are so pleasant!
What are some of your favourite Edmonton restaurants?
Believe it or not, I haven’t really had much time to go out to eat yet! But when I do have time, I love Bodega, DOSC, Uccellino, and Rge Rd.
—By Tamara Aschenbrenner
