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Kitchen Stories Fred Morin
THE GOOD EXCUSE COCKTAIL QUICK CHARRED CABBAGE SALAD OYSTER AND CLAM BBQ REVERSE-SEARED SIRLOIN RHUBARB SLOW-BAKED IN VERMOUTH
FRED MORIN was chef de cuisine at a Montreal supper club when he and the executive chef, David McMillan, and Allison Cunningham, a ser ver, decided to go out on their own. Jaded by the cit y’s hectic restaurant scene, they built a place all about “delicious food and fun — in the kitchen and dining room,” Fred says. They named it Joe Beef, decorated it with antique bric-a-brac and hung a chalkboard for the menu. Then they cooked what they loved to eat: dishes inspired by French cuisine and whatever was fresh at the market. Since it opened in 2005, the restaurant has spawned a cookbook (with a second coming in 2018 ) and t wo sister spots, Liverpool House and Le Vin Papillon. Anthony Bourdain and David Chang are fans, and in 2015, Joe Beef made the World’s Best Restaurants list, the first Canadian entr y since 2010. As for the par tners, they’re as tight as ever. And in the case of Fred and Allison, a bit more: They’re married with three kids. We joined them for dinner at their Montreal home.
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“When I was a kid, I had a Walt Disney cookbook. For some children, it’s a hockey book or something else that stirs their pot. But for me, that cookbook was a catalyst. I remember where it was when I was a kid; I remember where I put it when I moved to my first apartment. It was always there. The other book I loved was my grandmother’s Encyclopédie de la Cuisine Française, from the 1960s. Which is not surprising, considering the food I cook.
“I was never a very good student — I couldn’t pay attention. I got really good at getting out of my homework and not mentally showing up. After three years at agricultural college, I bailed out and got my first job in a kitchen. Right away, it felt different. The chef needs the leeks for leeks vinaigrette in 20 minutes; that, I could accomplish. It was satisfying. Then you have to cook 20 steaks, so you cook 20 steaks. And when you leave work, you’ve checked 20 things off your list. You spend
Fred Morin with his wife, Allison Cunningham, a co-owner of Joe Beef, and their kids, Ivan (left), Henry and Eleanor. Runner, Tapis H. Lalonde & Frère.
Fred’s beloved Disney cookbook. He jokes that one day he’ll serve a Lady and the Tramp–style single noodle at the restaurant.
Fred made their dining table in his backyard workshop. The banquette was chosen for “pure practicality and cosiness,” says Allison. “Why would you ever sit in a chair if you had a banquette?” Rug, Tapis H. Lalonde & Frère; vase, H&M Home; napkins, Williams Sonoma. years doing that, and you get your own ideas. After I started working with David and Allison, we had so many things we wanted to do but couldn’t unless we had our own, more peaceful place.
“When we opened Joe Beef, we didn’t want to do yet another big-budget Montreal restaurant (and we didn’t have the cash). We found a place with a little yard, and it was cheaper to plant an herb and vegetable garden than to pour concrete. The restaurant took off — and I still have that Disney book.
“When we entertain at home, I love it to be spontaneous. We get a bunch of people round after playing some hockey or soccer, and we just hang out and it turns into a nice, simple dinner, you know? If you go to a Russian restaurant, they crank up the violin and the keyboard, and dance. That’s always my hope. If there’s dancing at our house, it was a really good night.”
The couple renovated their ground floor in 2015, pulling down the wall between the cramped kitchen and dining area to create a space that’s great for a family of five to hang out and cook. What you won’t find is a flame-spitting pro-level stove. Instead, they bought a smooth-top electric number, which makes sense, considering where they spend their working hours. “The last thing we wanted was a restaurant stove!” says Allison.
