Professional Spotlight – Gregory Burns

Gregory Bu rns, Executive Chef Gio, The Prince Georg e Hotel

Appointed Gio Restaurant Chef in November 2018, Greg Burns has put his own culinary stamp on the cuisine of Gio with his keen interest in fine dining and working with an engaged and friendly team of culinary professionals to provide fresh, locallysourced dishes. The only four Diamond hotel with a four Diamond restaurant on site in Atlantic Canada, Gio has long been a mainstay of the Halifax dining scene but is not immune to change and adaptation. Greg suggests the new GIO’s focus on smaller, more shareable plates “provides more of an experience. I think this will provide more flexibility for guests to come as small groups. The menu design allows for them to try more dishes and more variety of flavours.” The menu offers a range of ethnic influences, partially due to the diversity of GIO’s kitchen and wait staff, which includes members of Lebanese, Indian, Nepalese, Jamaican and Indian descent, yet according to Burns, “there is always a French bottom note that grounds the dishes.” The menu continues to highlight unique ingredients, whether they be the once, but now less so, exotic octopus or celebrated local ingredients, such as locally-produced Ciro’s Burrata.

A “Red Seal” Certified and graduate of Holland College, The Culinary Institute of Canada, Burns’ CV includes an initial stint at a resort in the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia, time spent at the renowned Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland and work under the tutelage of chef Michael Smith (Inn at Bay Fortune, Prince Edward Island) and chef Martin Ruiz Salvador, Maître Rôtisseur (Fleur de Sel, Lunenburg - and now at Beach Pea) respectively. A self-described classically French trained chef, Burns suggests the diversity of cultures seen on the GIO menu reflects the way he cooks at home.

In action as head chef at Fleur De Sel Luneburg.

While his journey now finds him back in Halifax, he has built great relationships over the years with local producers and continues to ensure his dishes include Nova Scotia products. Most recently, working closely with Chef Salvador at Fleur De Sel, Greg’s culinary dishes flourished using locally-sourced items. No stranger to competition, he won Bronze at Canada’s Great Kitchen Party, Halifax 2019 (the Regional Qualifier for the Canadian Culinary Championships) with his “fruits de mer”. Stunningly beautiful, this dish was a collation of many delectable flavours and textures perfectly in keeping with the competition itself, a celebration and elevation of Canadian culture in food, sport and music.

“Fruits de mer”

This year, he will be participating in Halifax’s iconic “Chefs For UNICEF Water For Life Gala”, celebrating its 30th year supporting the world’s vulnerable children. Greg has also been recognized in local media with articles in outlets such as Global News, Saltwire, and BOLD Magazine.

Sea Bass with grated truffles

Cod Cheeks and buttermilk

Outside of the kitchen, Greg loves “the great outdoors” with a lot of ocean and lake swimming, hiking and foraging while camping and cycling. Of course, he also savours the food and wine he discovers across the Maritimes, in particular in Newfoundland and Halifax.