Professional Spotlight – Kenneth Titcomb

Kenneth Titcomb,

Grand Offic ier Maître R ôtisse ur Honoraire

Born in Winterthur Switzerland, raised and educated in Canada, Executive Chef Kenneth Titcomb, Grand Officier Maître Rôtisseur Honoraire is a study in contrasts: Executive Chef at 5 Star establishments around the world, Ski Racer, Cyclist, Mountain Climber and Art Lover. Intronized in 1990 at age 30 into la Chaine des Rôtisseurs, becoming one of the youngest Maître Rôtisseur members of the Bailliage du Canada at the time, Executive Chef Titcomb was promoted to Officier Maître Rôtisseur at the 2014 national Meeting held in Calgary and again in 2019 to Grand Officier Maître. On June 9th this year he took Honoraire status. Kenneth sees a real connection between a passion for the Outdoors, extreme sports and the Culinary Arts. “Why are all extreme sports important to me in terms of Physical Endurance and Technical Excellence? They all relate to working in a Kitchen under great pressure. Working very precisely, yet with speed and sometimes facing an avalanche of chits flooding into the kitchen at once. It’s just as applicable in a large scale operation where 1,000 portions of a certain Hors d Oeuvres might be needed, or 1,000 portions of turned potatoes - all the same size, or 100’s of fully deboned quails please. During my Apprenticeship, Chef didn’t order semi deboned! To all the young culinary students today, stay in the best physical shape you can to enjoy as long a career as possible, it will serve you well. To be cooking at a very high level is not easy, stay in shape and enjoy your surroundings wherever you are.”

At the same time, his appreciation for the beauty of art is no less relevant to an appreciation for the masterpieces that are created in Chaîne Kitchens around the World.

His career has been a pattern of all of these aspects, woven together into a tapestry of success.

Kenneth’s maternal grandparents were Italian and Swiss German, while his father was English-speaking from the Canadian province of Quebec, meeting his mother in Switzerland while working as a mechanical engineer on the Swiss Electric Locomotive works in building & design. “My Mother’s cooking inspired me towards the Culinary Arts and experiencing many different ethnic cuisines through my travels”. The family moved back to Canada when he was 2 years old, living for a few years in Brockville, Ontario and then moving to Fort McMurray, Saskatoon (both very brief stays) and finally to Edmonton, Alberta when he was12.

After graduating from high school in Edmonton, Kenneth attended NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) studying the Culinary Arts/Chef Training from 1978 – 1981, while also taking part in a Westin Hotel Corporate Apprenticeship. In 1981, he was recognized as the Top Apprentice of the Year.

1980 Top Westin Apprentice in Alberta/Canada.

Upon graduation, he was drawn back to Switzerland, taking his first position at the Hotel Sourie in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland in the town of HauteNendez, part of the mega resort of Verbier. From the French part of Switzerland, he travelled to his Mother tongue and the German part of the country, joining the brigade at the amazing 5 Star Gauer Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern where he worked briefly as an Entremetier before being promoted to Demi-Chef Saucier, meeting the legendary Swiss Chef Anton Mosimann during a guest Chef appearance. In total, his Swiss experience also included a quick stop with Hans Stucki Restaurant Bruderholz in Basel a few years later.

It was in Switzerland that his passion for the outdoors, especially in the Mountains, and the Culinary Arts first combined. During his high school years in Alberta, Kenneth was a competitive level Alpine ski racer, giving it up for the most part once he chose to Apprentice with the Westin Hotels Company. On arriving in HauteNendez for his first Culinary position he was surrounded by over 140 ski lifts and 2.5 times the vertical drop of Lake Louise in Canada’s Rocky Mountains. A match made in heaven! Skiing at a high level served him well on Verbier’s (in Europe most Kitchen Staff work split shift Skiing every afternoon) incredible off piste runs that were open to the few brave souls that understood what they were into! The warning “If you fall you might die” is not without reason!

Skiing at Lake Louise 2020/21.

On returning to Canada, Chef Titcomb joined Westin Hotels & Resorts as Chef Saucier at The Westin Hotel Ottawa and was quickly promoted to SousChef / Restaurant Chef of one the busiest Restaurants in the Company at that time. Moving on to the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver, B.C. as Senior Sous-Chef he was instrumental in the Hotel’s Grand Opening for Expo 1986 held in Vancouver. In January 1987, Kenneth rejoined Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts working from Beverly Hills to Boston as Executive Sous-Chef.

In 1989, he returned to Western Canada as Chef de Cuisine at the Post Hotel Lake Louise, becoming Executive Chef at age 29 and helping to take the property to its current Relais & Châteaux status. While in that position, The Post Hotel became internationally recognized as one of the great restaurants in all of Canada and Chef Kenneth received numerous write-ups in magazines, books, and newspapers from New York to Los Angeles.

Chef Kenneth with Beat Hegnauer, Calgary Bailli Honoraire.

In 1994 he accepted the invitation to become Executive Chef at the prestigious Ranchmen’s Club of Calgary, where he has been innovating for the past 27 years. The Ranchmen’s Club was founded in Calgary in 1891 by seven ranchers, a banker and a barrister. For almost 130 years, the Club has been the pre-eminent gathering place for Calgary’s community and business leaders, who enjoy the social camaraderie, meeting, banquet and business facilities the club offers. Members and their guests savour some of Calgary’s finest dining experiences in both casual and formal dining rooms, including an extensive cellar offering an impressive variety of wines.

The Ranchmen’s Club.

During his time at the Ranchmen’s Club, Kenneth has hosted many events for la Chaine des Rôtisseurs and a wide array of Wine Dinners for several wellknown Wine Organizations including La Commanderie de Bordeaux, The Grand Cru Society, Wine Maker Dinners with some of the world’s best houses; Chateau Haute-Bailly, Maison Joseph Drouhin, Paul Jaboulet Aine, Paul Jaboulet Aine, Taittinger, Robert Mondavi, Veuve Cliquot, Alberto Zenato, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, Eduardo Chadwick, James Sichel of Chateau Palmer. Alex Sokel Blosser, Chateau Pichon Longuville Cotesse and numerous Scotch and other Spirit Tastings and Dinners. A member of Culinary Alberta Team, 1995 he has also competed at a range of Culinary Arts Shows receiving many gold medals.

Five Ribbons acquired over the years.

His return to Alberta and the Rocky Mountains allowed Kenneth to re-establish his love of the outdoors. While skiing remains close to his heart, his biggest passion today is cycling on either Road Bikes or full out Mountain Bikes. The love of cycling came early while he was in Junior High School in Edmonton in the summer of 1974 when his Italian Grandfather came for a visit. He wanted to time Kenneth to see how many minutes it would take him to ride around the neighborhood. He thought he was in the Tour de Giro doing a time trial and another lifelong love affair was born. The next year he talked his science teacher into taking the whole class on a late June bike trip from Banff to Jasper over Bow Pass & the Columbia Ice Fields. In high school it was commonplace for him to from Bike Edmonton, Calgary or Banff to Jasper for his summer job.

This served him well later in his 20’s in Switzerland. Once the ski season came to a close in the spring it was time to explore the Swiss Alps on his Road bike. “It was not uncommon back then to cover up to 200 kms on a day off from Kitchen duties, with very serious mountain climbs like going to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn and back to Haute-Nendaz”.

Hiking in Larch Valley Lake Louise Oct 2020.

Kenneth’s other passion is mountain climbing. As he put it, “I feel so blessed no matter where I worked during my career, I always bumped into amazing people that often became good friends. Going back to where I suppose my cooking career started, the old Columbia Ice Fields Tea House in the summer of 1977, as a grade 11 student, I met two young world class Mountaineers from Colorado (world class but not yet famous). Both were a few years older than me. They had very little money but enormously big appetites. I worked in a Kitchen with leftovers from a buffet every night, so packed some up at the end of my shift to feed these two gentlemen. I listened to their dreams of going to Everest & K2 and was able go climbing with them a few days. Years later these two individuals would go on to make a movie on Mount Everest for IMAX. When telling this story to a well-known mountain guide in Canmore, AB he asked me if I remembered their names. I replied, of course, they were Breashears and Higbee. His jaw dropped open and he replied do you have any idea who you were climbing with? He went on to tell me they were two of the top dozen American Mountain Climbers of all time.”

This tale just illustrates how the comradery of the table, no matter how humble, can lead to life-long memories, friendships and experiences well beyond the norm.

Service in action, 2014

His time at the Post Hotel put Kenneth in a location where all the sports that he loved to do were now once again at his fingertips: Cycling, Mountain Climbing and Skiing. He wondered “Did I just die and go to heaven plus I’m being paid well to be here.

While a young journeyman in Switzerland in the early 1980’s, Kenneth would watch a few minutes of live Ski Racing from across Europe on a Saturday morning. The “Crazy Canucks” lead by Ken Read and Steve Podborski were at the top of their game, holding up 1st place trophies from the most prestigious races in the World.

Chef Kenneth and Werner Pils, Executive Sous Chef. Love those copper pots.

Flash forward ten years. As Kenneth put it, “The Post Hotel in Lake Louise had been hosting the Ken Read Diet Coke Invitational Ski Race for Cystic Fibrosis. I asked Hotel owners Andre and George Schwarz if we could put our own Post Hotel Team into the competition. They agreed. I was so proud to be part of that winning team that beat 39 other Corporate Teams for three years straight. The best part was that one of my teenage heroes was waiting at the bottom of the course to watch me ski against his time. That was Ken Read and Chef got within 30/100th of a second of his top time. Then I had to run back to the Post Hotel Kitchen and make sure the Gala Dinner would be splendid as always.”

At The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Dîner Amical May 3, 2008. (left to right) Mayah Alima, Director of Human Resources the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; Chef Rôtisseur Kenneth Titcomb, The Ranchmen’s Club; Angela Kolias.

Chef Kenneth receives plate from David Tetrault. The plate now hangs above the doorway to the A.E. Cross Dining Room. Year of the Cowboy Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Dinner, June 20 1998.

Chaine World Tour Extravaganza, National Meeting 2019. With Yukiko Kaizuka and her assistant.

In contrast to his fast-paced activities in the mountains and in the kitchen, Kenneth is also an avid collector of Western Canadian Landscape & First Nations Indigenous Art. “I was fortunate to have been immersed with Museum quality Art in the Ranchmen’s Collection which I have been a sitting Member of the Club’s Heritage & Art Committee since 2014. I began putting together and collecting many of the same historic artists in our own personal collection. I have some of the finest artists that have painted and lived in Alberta. I always enjoyed merging the Art of say the Group of Seven Artists into beautiful events with Themed Food and World Premier Movie Screenings all in one. I also love going to local art auctions Galleries such as Masters or Lochs.”

First Art purchase at Auction back in 2003 by legendary First Nations Artist Norval Morrisseau 1974. The piece represents the Cosmic Creation of All from One Source to Kenneth.

Also in Kenneth’s collection H.G. Glyde RCA Sunshine Meadows 1946.

Kenneth has again combined his love of an activity with the culinary world. He is heavily involved in helping to produce several interesting and unique Gourmet Art Themed Dinners.

Most recently, this involved an Ontario Themed Dinner around the World Première launch of a White Pines Production Movie "Painted Land" featuring the work of The Group of Seven.

Previously, with the help of Calgary's renowned Master's Art Gallery, Kenneth put together a very Special Evening & Dinner for Joe Fafard featuring a Saskatchewan Themed Menu with many of Mr. Fafard's favourite animals being included.

Chef Kenneth and Joe Fafard enjoying some after dinner Camaraderie. Joe Fafard Dinner May 2014.

To round out this article, Kenneth was asked for his “rapid-fire responses” to a series of questions posed by the author. Here are his responses:

Can you list out some of your “Favourites”, of all types, in the Culinary World?

 Favourite Organization; Chaine des

Rôtisseurs (Inducted Member in 1990)  Favourite Fun Ethnic Food; East Indian,

Middle Eastern & Japanese  Favourite Guest Chef in my Kitchens; Betty

Vazquez (Mexico)  Favourite Cooking Material; Copper (Mauviel of France)  Favourite Chef to Follow on Instagram; Anne-

Sophie Pic (France)  Favourite Hotel General Manager; Steve

Halliday (Canada)  Favourite Private Club General Manager;

Patrick McCann (Canada, Ireland)  Favourite Chef All Time; Alain Ducasse (France)  Favourite Culinary Comedy TV Show; Chef

What about in your Personal Life?

 Favourite Hockey Team; Go Edmonton Oilers

Go (I am a Canadian after all)  Favourite Automobiles; German Engineered & Built; Mercedes, Audi BMW & Porsche  Favourite Bicycles; Hand-made Italian - The

House of Colnago, followed by Bianchi.  Favourite March Music; John Philip Sousa (USA)  Favourite Classical Composer; Mozart,

Wolfgang Amadeus (Austria)  Favourite Opera Singer; The Diva Maria

Callas (Greek)  Favourite Team I belong to; TCR Sport Lab (Masters Group)  Favourite Female Ski Racer; Anita Wachter (Austria)  Favourite Male Ski Racer; Ken Read (Canada)  Favourite F1 Driver; Michael Schumacher (German, Ferrari of Italy)

Who were the most memorable people you cooked for?

 Queen Elizabeth II  Prince Charles & Princess Diana  Julia Child  President Mitterrand  Multiple Canadian Prime Ministers  Most of the Alberta Premiers going back to

Peter Lougheed  Several Presidents from Mexico & other

South American Countries  The extraordinary Members of The

Ranchmen’s Club every day for 25 years  AND Of course, all the amazing Chaine des

Rôtisseurs events over 30 plus years as Chef

Can you list the Chefs that mentored you along the way?

 Fred Zimmerman (Canada, Switzerland)  Ernst Dorfler (Canada, Austria)  Fritz Painis (Canada, Austria)  Otto Daniels (Canada, Hungary)  Beat Hegnauer (Canada, Switzerland)  Christin Rassinoux (USA, France)  Mark Baker (USA)

 Werner Pils (Canada, Germany)  Hans Wiegand (USA, Germany)  Tony Burrows (Canada, UK)

Who was your best Apprentice that went on to become an Extraordinary Chef?

 Brad Gillespie  Four Seasons (Boston, Edmonton & LA)

Which did you feel was the best Hotel Company for Thinking out of the Box?

 Westin (Ottawa & Edmonton)

Which was the best Boutique Hotel you worked?

What were the best Short Time Stages for you?

 Post Hotel (Lake Louise)

 Restaurant Hans Stucki (Basel)  Commanders Palace (New Orleans)

What was the best Hotel Opening you worked?

 Pan Pacific Hotel (Vancouver)

At Summer l’Ordre Mondial event July 13 2010 at the Ranchmen’s Club (left to right) Jurgen Bahr, Vice-Chancelier Argentier; Kenneth Titcomb, Chef Rôtisseur, Executive Chef; and Fritz Painsi, Bailli Provincial, inspect the veal chops barbecued by Werner Pils, Executive Sous Chef.

At Ranchmen’s Club Diner Amical, Sept 2013 (left to right) Fritz Painsi, Executive Chef Kenneth Titcombe and Susan Bauerfind, Calgary Chargée de Missions.

At Post Hotel, Lake Louise Dîner Amical May 2015.

Toronto National Meeting Dine-Around at Richmond Station, Oct 2015. At Post Hotel, Lake Louise Dîner Amical May 2017

Edmonton National Meeting, Oct 2018 (left to right) Kenneth Titcomb, Officier Maître Rôtisseur; Ron Ryland, Edmonton Bailli Régional; David Tétrault, Bailli Délégué du Canada ; Eric Jones, Chargê de Presse du Canada.