Where does your passion for food stem from?

My Mom mainly. I had the good fortune to grow up in a household where my folks were able to afford to bring up me, my brother and sister on one income. Being the youngest, I seemed to get a bit more attention from my Mom. She was one heck of a good cook!!

She had this hand-written book of recipes as large and varied as the Professional Chef Manual I used in culinary school. To this day, even with my Mom passed on, my Dad still uses this book on a daily basis and cranks out great meals whenever I visit.

Tell us a bit about your culinary background.

My culinary adventure started out in a popular chain restaurant in High School where, after being hired as a dishwasher, I was able to ascend to line cooking within months. After graduating from school, I went full time. Wthin a year I was an Assistant Kitchen Manager and then later Kitchen Manager, working between two locations.

After six years in this chain, I decided to branch out and broaden my culinary knowledge. I worked for a few years in a local hotel, a golf course and then into a busy Halifax waterfront operation where I was encouraged by the Chef to sign up as an apprentice.

Most of my formal training came after I joined a gourmet catering business called 'BonneCuisine' which translates to 'The Good Kitchen'. The owner is a classically trained Chef from England with her CCC designation and was past president of the Chefs' Association in Nova Scotia. With 4 years of training under her and going to Culinary School, I achieved my Red Seal in 1998 and truly developed my passion for savory cooking.

After a few more years as a restaurant Chef, I moved into Foodservice Sales with a Broker and then on to High Liner in 2008. I've kept very close ties with the NS Chefs' Association over the years and support them at their monthly meetings and conferences, as well as the occasional Seafood Sustainability lecture at various campuses around the province.

What was the first meal you remember preparing for someone other than yourself?

My first real standout memory dates back to my first Mother's Day shift at the chain restaurant. I was in awe of the level of organization and team work that it took to make every family that came in that day leave with a smile after a good meal. The day for me lasted 13 hours and at the end we had turned a 300 seat restaurant 5 times.

What is your favourite High Liner product?

Being an East Coaster, it has to be our Frozen-at-Sea Scallops. They are elegant in their simplicity and can be utilized as a seared centerpiece to a signature dish or as an appetizer in a ceviche.

When cooking them, I prefer to season with a little coarse ground sea salt & pepper and sear them a hot skillet with a mix of butter and extra virgin olive oil. If you leave them a little translucent in the center they will melt in your mouth!

Brian Jobe is part of a team of seafood specialists on Canada's East Coast. Is your establishment in need of some seafood renovations?  Drop us a comment below or send an email to info@highlinerfoodservice.com and we will be happy to assist.