Mission Hill in Michelin Territory
When Anthony von Mandl ceremoniously unveiled the planting of the 16,000-pound Keystone into the entry arch of Mission Hill Winery, way back in 2002, he no doubt had a thought or two about fine dining in this splendid place. Even during Covid times The Terrace at Mission Hill made for a memorable dining experience, that challenging year of 2020, in the splendid Chagall Room. But things have come back very nicely. If anything, Chef Patrick Gayler and his team have continually, over these years, built Michelin- quality momentum.
Sharing food with friends is always a special thing, no doubt. The Terrace is almost hypnotic in intensifying this communal spirit. The setting could not be more splendid and serene, the restaurant overlooking in the short frame some Mission Hill estate vineyards, and in the longer frame the width of Lake Okanagan, a hint of Senator Ross Fitzpatrick’s house just barely visible across the expanse. On a clear day you can see forever. And the house. And Cedar Creek. Vistas to the left of me, perspectives to the right, and here we are in the middle of it. The Senator sold his Cedar Creek winery to Mr. von Mandl a few years back, wanting to ensure a sustained quality imprint on the region, and the property has only flourished. It is flanked in fact by Martin’s Lane winery, a severely boutique spot that produces world class pinot noir and riesling, overseen by the intrepid Shane Munn. Which in its turn followed the boutique winery known as Checkmate, where merlot and chardonnay climb to Zeusian heights.
You can see where this is going. With The Terrace, there is a plenitude of community, resources, cross-referencing available. But most of all, there is Chef Gayler and his dedication to local and regional ingredients to make his menu sing a true, long song. “Kelowna has really changed in the past four or five years,” he says. “Small scale farmers and producers have increased. They find they can make a living at it, and the restaurants support them. We support them by building steady relationships. We try to stay within 50 kilometres of the restaurant for ingredients, and we work with several individual farmers to make things happen.” Chef Gayler is well aware of the context, too. “Our mindset is really the same as it is for the wineries. We have very few preconceptions, are open to learning, and are tuned in to the seasonality of our work. And we work with what the harvest gives us.”
The menus change weekly, one week lunch menu next week dinner menu, during open season. But what are we really talking about? A charcuterie board as a talisman, of flavour, quality intricacy. Local cheeses, and a splendid Brie from Salmon Arm. House-made preserves, bread you have to stop yourself from eating too much of. Pate, salumi of the highest order. Four or five people pleased and hungry for more. Appetizers like a Black Angus carpaccio or wild rose quince-marinated baby beets with Jackalope walnut crumbs and local goat cheese. Gimme more.
Two Entrée options, such as Seared Pacific scallops in a vadouvan curry broth, or a slow-roasted duck breast, just amazing. And for dinner there are three options, to take your culinary experience well into the night. And even so, in a setting this splendid, who really wants to leave.
When the restaurant is closed, from usually October to May, it is not dormant at all. In fact, as Chef Patrick says, “I am so happy with our culinary classes programs, which operate all year long. We build culinary class menus, and teach the classes. Cooking at home can be a great exploration, and our team here just puts a bit of guidance into it.”
The off-season is also dedicated to making preserves. Jellies, jams, pickled vegetables of all description. An in-house cured meats facility, to make salumi, prosciutto, pate. And all these things make it, in some way, onto the on-season menu.
Each lunch and dinner course comes with an optional wine pairing, which Chef Gayler says is “in no way incidental. We work through the flavours with our winemakers, and arrive at really the best possible matches for the food coming out of the kitchen.”
The phrase “Okanagan Wine Country” has changed meanings many times over the years, and most always for the better. A visit to The Terrace at Mission Hill will, in a couple of hours, confirm you are in world-class wine country. I recall my own daughter refusing to eat anything from the menu, and the chef offered her a grilled cheese sandwich. She swooned over it, and in subsequent visits trusted the chef to do his thing. Her palate has grown, and The Terrace is partly responsible. On our last visit, she was all over the carpaccio and the scallops.
With the impeccable service levels, pristine and fully focused, bursting-with-flavour plates, this restaurant is unique. Not in its greatness, but in its context. Sitting in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, in dear old Canada, destined to always be its own sovereign country, international levels of wine and of food are greeting us every day.
