Locals - Food from the Heart of the Island
Press Release

June 26, 2008

He is by nature a quiet, unassuming man. However, ask him about cooking and you’ll find his enthusiasm bubbles over and his passion contagious. Chef Ronald St. Pierre is a Certified Chef de Cuisine who loves his work.
Chef St. Pierre began cooking when he was 14 and his passion soon became evident. He could occasionally be found “sleep-cooking” as a teenager, waking his mother up with his midnight sojourns in the kitchen. His teenage years often involved farm work whether picking strawberries or tossing bales of hay. As well, there was always the large family garden to tend.  Growing up so close to the earth taught Ronald an appreciation for the love, attention and hard work that is needed to provide healthy food; “I don’t think I remember my mother ever buying a vegetable. We grew and processed everything. We were a family of eight and we worked together to put up the food for the year”. 
Ronald left his small town in Quebec to study the art of cooking at the ITHQ; L’Institute D’Hotellerie du Quebec. After graduating, he worked for a number of years with European Chefs who expected nothing short of excellence. With solid traditional cooking skill sunder his belt, his adventuresome spirit drew him to the West Coast where he met his wife, Tricia in Vancouver.  When it came time to start their family, Ronald and Tricia began travelling the Island looking to relocate to a small coastal community. The Comox Valley won their hearts because of its beauty, bounty and pristine environment. Ronald was enthralled with all that was available in the Valley for fresh meat, game, fish, seafood, fruits and vegetables.
He began to place his mark on the local culinary scene when he came to town 18 years ago. Over the years he developed professional relationships with many Valley and Island food producers. These relationships are the inspiration for the concept of the restaurant: “Locals- Food from the Heart of the Island”. Ronald’s mission is to showcase producers and foods that are readily available in the Comox Valley and Vancouver Island. It’s about celebrating community, making connections and developing relationships. As well as recognizing the amazing food and wine that is available here, Ronald wishes to recognize and celebrate the people behind the products. Locals responds to the trend of people wanting to know how, when, where and by whom their food is produced.  The walls of restaurant are covered with a photo exhibition that depicts food products at their source and puts a face to our local food producers, bringing their stories to life; “We want people to know what is available here in the Valley, and come to recognize the people who make it happen. We want people to appreciate locally grown products and think twice before buying products that may have traveled thousands of kilometres before arriving in the local supermarket”.        
                                                                                                                                                             Many people of the Valley are not aware of the vast array of local products that are easily accessible. Fortunately, consumer practice is changing and the gap between the local food producers and local food consumption is beginning to shrink, as evidenced by the enormous support of the local Farmer’s Markets.  Through Locals, Ronald is hoping to shrink the producer – consumer gap, in the story telling on the menu and in the photo journey; “We need to support our local producers so their livelihood is sustainable”.
The concept of Locals also supports the “Hundred Mile Diet” food trend. This “diet” advocates eating only foods produced within a hundred mile radius of one’s home community. Locally grown and produced foods are fresh, and fresh is synonymous with healthy. As the baby boomer generation ages, there is greater awareness of health benefits gained through quality food consumption. These savvy consumers recognize that “good value for the dollar” no longer applies to the cost of a food item, but more so its nutritional value. Health conscious people are willing to make the extra effort to source their food locally.
The trend in dining over the last 30 years has been to acknowledge and revere the chefs who produce the dishes we eat. Chef St. Pierre recognizes that we are now seeing is an increased awareness about the significance of the source of the foods we eat, as to how they are grown, and where they come from; “Everything we eat has a unique story. Locals is bout sharing the stories”.
The menu at Locals is a tribute to the quality of food production in the Valley. Chef St. Pierre is renowned for his creative cuisine, and has now taken it to an even higher level at Locals. Everything about Locals is fresh. The decor is crisp and welcoming; “We want people to enjoy fine dining in a casually elegant setting, with quality service.” The Market Sheet changes depending upon availability, ensuring that only the freshest ingredients are used. The wines have been selected to pair with the menu, providing a mix of locally produced wines, “new world wines” and “old world wines”. “We are really enjoying coming to know the local wineries and the vintners. The Comox Valley is producing some beautiful wines. It just keeps getting better!”
Locals is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner at number 364 8th Street. Please call ahead for reservations; 250-338-6493.