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I spoke with Thompson about his new restaurant, located at 9802 Jasper Ave. This interview has been edited and condensed.

Q: How would you describe the food at the Alberta Hotel Bar and Kitchen?

A: It’s farm to fork. We have a small farm, eight acres, near Lacombe. This season, we’re growing the whole gamut, from potatoes to radishes to tomatoes, green beans, carrots, garlic, a few varieties of squash. We’re trying to find heirloom vegetables native to Alberta, and over the next five years I want to make connections with the people who save those seeds.

But we’re also about overall excellent ingredients that we can stand behind, like Italian truffles and Belgian chocolate. It’s simple, comfort food refined on the plate. We tweak it so it’s beautiful when presented. It comes back to people eating first with their eyes. It’s how you establish clientele.

Q: Who are your chef influences?

A: In town, it’s chef Sonny Sung of Bistecca. He pushed and mentored me for the first five years of my career and really made me fall in love with the industry. Outside of Edmonton, Thomas Keller (of The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in New York) has done so much for the industry. You can look to him to learn how to be a leader. Leadership is about giving your team responsibility and making them go to the next level. Keller’s main guys have moved on and opened their own spots. It’s cool how you can have an effect on the industry that way, even in Edmonton.