Chef Ashley Kurtz Returns to St. Lawrence as Executive Chef and Business Partner — Miss Eileen Soo

Aug 26

Aug 26 Chef Ashley Kurtz Returns to St. Lawrence as Executive Chef and Business Partner

Chef Ashley Kurtz Returns to St. Lawrence as Executive Chef and Business Partner

Along with leadership changes, Michelin-starred favourite announces exciting new menu format for fall

Jean-Christophe (J-C) Poirier, chef and owner of Vancouver’s Michelin-starred St. Lawrence restaurant, is thrilled to announce the exciting return of Ashley Kurtz to the kitchen team. Kurtz will be taking over as Executive Chef, as well as joining J-C as a business partner.

“We are thrilled to welcome Ashley back to St. Lawrence especially as I’ve known for a long time that I want to partner with him,” said Poirier. “He was my Chef de Cuisine when we opened, and we had a shared vision for this concept since day one. Now, with more experience running kitchens, he’s at the right point in his career to take over this one.”

Fans of St. Lawrence needn’t worry: Poirier will still be in the restaurant for service every day and will work closely with Kurtz on menu development and creation of new dishes. The change will allow him to spend more time in the front of house with guests, as well as find balance at home with his family. Poirier added: “This is my baby; it’s contained my creative content for so long . . . I know I can trust Ashley with it.”

For Kurtz, who most recently led kitchens at Restaurant Vignette and Bar Susu, stepping into this role feels like coming home. “I can’t think of any other restaurant in the city I would want to work with. I have immense respect for J-C and consider him a mentor – not only for his great culinary skills but also his business acumen and ability to retain staff.” Kurtz fully intends to do the same, with the aim of truly educating and developing aspiring chefs.

Together, Poirier and Kurtz are planning the next chapter in the story of St. Lawrence. They’re expanding the description of the restaurant’s cuisine, from “Classic French” to “French” (and Québecois, of course); and beginning in October, the Michelin-starred restaurant will exclusively offer a seven-course Chef’s Tasting Menu. The menu will be updated regularly as they find inspiration in the seasons, but will always retain an element of surprise depending on what is available from the local farmers, fishers and producers they collaborate with. Guests will have the option of seeing the menu, but the recommendation from the pair of chefs is to put their faith in the kitchen and enjoy the courses as they come.

“A restaurant needs to evolve, change, and adapt. This style of menu is what I’ve always wanted to do, but the trust has to be there first,” said Poirier. “I think where we are now, we have it. The guests will inform us about preferences and allergies, and then we’ll create a story for them. It gives us so much more freedom, it flows very well, and it pushes all of us to get better every day.” Sommelier David Lawson will provide wine, cocktail and zero-proof pairing suggestions for an all-encompassing, elevated dining experience. A selection of St. Lawrence favourites will always be on the menu.

The first iteration of the new menu will be available October 3, with tickets on sale September 1 for $125 per person, plus tax and gratuity, at stlawrencerestaurant.com/reserve.

For more information or to stay up to date on all the latest news, visit stlawrencerestaurant.com, become a fan of /stlawrencerestaurant on Facebook and follow @stlawrencerestaurant on Instagram.

ABOUT ST. LAWRENCE | Launched in Vancouver’s Railtown Design District in 2017, St. Lawrence is an exciting restaurant concept that offers a marriage of classic French cuisine and the gastronomic identity and culture of Les Québécois. St. Lawrence is a passion project for acclaimed Chef/Owner and 2019 Vancouver Magazine Chef of the Year Award winner Jean-Christophe (J-C) Poirier, who brings his razor-sharp focus and dedication to craft and time-honoured traditions to an elevated-yet-approachable enclave where food, drink, and ambiance combine for a transportive dining adventure unlike any other. Since opening, St. Lawrence has been singled out as Best New Restaurant at the 2018 Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards; No. 4 on enRoute Magazine’s 2018 compilation of Canada’s Best New Restaurants; No. 2 on the prestigious annual ranking of Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants 2020; and consecutive awards as Vancouver Magazine’s 2018 and ’19 Restaurant of the Year. In 2022, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in the inaugural Michelin Guide Vancouver.

269 Powell Street, Vancouver BC V6A 1G3 | 604-620-3800 | Tuesday - Saturday, 5 p.m. to late | stlawrencerestaurant.com | Facebook: /stlawrencerestaurant | Instagram: @stlawrencerestaurant