Chopped Canada winner, Shelley Robinson, lands as chef at new casino near Rogers Place
LIANE FAULDER
Chef Shelley Robinson works hard, and plays hard. Ergo, the newest addition to the roster of chefs in Edmonton is a perfect fit for the city’s burgeoning food scene.
The winner of the first season of Chopped Canada, who also made the top six of the final season of Top Chef Canada, Robinson has just landed the executive chef’s position at the new Grand Villa Casino, which opened earlier this month next door to Rogers Place.
At 53, she’s a career chef intimate with all sides of the business, having owned a couple of restaurants (and a cheese shop) in Calgary and Banff. The co-author of four cookbooks, Robinson’s most recent gig was as regional executive chef for Coast Hotels in Vancouver, where she was born, raised and trained in culinary arts.
An avid skier and kayaker, Robinson craves adventure; a particularly satisfying gig was in Kamloops, as a chef for a heli-skiing outfit. There, she enjoyed the thrill of perfect powder and unlimited vertical when she wasn’t creating no-holds-barred menus for wealthy clients.
I talked to Robinson at Atlas Steak and Fish, modelled after company’s original restaurant of the same name in a Kamloops casino. Located on the second floor of the Grand Villa, Atlas pulses with lights, mirrors and music, but has the feel of a traditional steakhouse, featuring linen tablecloths and curved, padded banquettes.
Q: Why this move to Edmonton at this time?
A: I didn’t feel anything exploding in Vancouver. And I like to keep moving and, interestingly, that’s what drew me here. I’m inspired to join Gateway Casinos (which owns Grand Villa), it’s a progressive company, and growing. I’m the only female on the executive team and I think that’s important for other women to see. It’s another great career move. And it’s fair enough to say they wanted me. Money aside, it’s also about being appreciated for what you bring to the table.
Also, Vancouver is a really rough city to live in. I was in a 750-square-foot condo worth $725,000. Everything is more expensive. There is a lot more economic viability in Edmonton. Of course, I know there is the winter. But I have a Canada Goose coat.
Q: You’re in charge of two big restaurants at Grand Villa — the upscale, 150-seat Atlas Steak and Fish, and Match, a more casual resto-pub. What’s it like to work in a big casino, in charge of 100 cooks, sous chefs and dishwashers, when much of your experience has been with smaller, chef/owner eateries?
A: I’ve been to Vegas and I love it, but it’s a whole different thing. You can hear the activity below, people winning on the floor of the casino and there is constant music. Atlas is in an upscale niche, and the steak and fish program are unique to the Edmonton market. The Josper oven (a closed barbecue that combines roasting and grilling) is our signature, and it uses hardwood, mesquite charcoal. It’s a challenging way to cook 350 steaks a night.
