Trudeau lose his Chef

Looks like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is searching for a new Chef.

After a 15-month stint at 24 Sussex, where the PM doesn’t live while he waits the residence to repair itself, Katie Brown Ardington is going back to the private world and is becoming the Executive Chef at Steve Beckta’s three sister restaurants: Beckta, Play Food & Wine and Gezellig.

I am thrilled to announce that Katie Ardington has rejoined our restaurant family as Executive Chef of @Becktadining @playfoodandwine & @gezelligdining after a 15-month stint as the private Chef for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. #welcomehome pic.twitter.com/iKP5vQ5yNL

— Stephen Beckta (@stevebeckta) 17 avril 2018

As a teenager, Ardington got started in the food industry as the “dish pit” at the Isaac Brock pub in Brockville (now known as The Union Jack pub). She moved on up the pub’s food chain, becoming prep cook, garde manger, and then fry cook.

She joined the culinary management program at Algonquin College, and cut her teeth at the same time at the Keystorm Pub in Brockville, at Smugglers’ Run restaurant in Ivy Lea and at Flying Piggy’s.

Upon graduation, she was hired by Beckta, starting as garde manger and then working once again her way up the food chain, working as sous chef at Play, before returning to Beckta as the top chef.

As Executive Chef, Ardington will also oversee the changes Beckta is making to its fine-dining experience: come dinner time, Beckta will now be offering an a-la-carte menu in addition the their five-course tasting menu. Gone is the three-course prix-fixe menu.

As an appetizer, you can currently choose the Alberta Lamb Tartare or the New Brunswick Caviar. As a main course, maybe some Red Fife Tagliatelle or some Poached Scallops.

With Ardington’s comeback and Spring in the air (for real!), you can expect more changes to the menu in the coming weeks.