Bearfoot Bistro is a Whistler legend. A sabre-wielding founder who makes opening a bottle of champagne an experience and special events that feature wait staff in body paint tend to create a buzz.

But behind the theatrics is a serious restaurant with a wine cellar that has received awards from Wine Spectator, and an executive chef who won this year’s Gold Medal Plate competition as ‘Canada’s Best Chef.’ Melissa Craig is a shy and soft-spoken young women of 28, not quite the image one conjures up of an award-winning executive chef in charge of a very busy kitchen. That is until the conversation turns to Pop Rocks. Then you begin to realize that Melissa brings her own culinary theatrics to Bearfoot.

“When you take a bite of something, it should affect all the senses. Every bite should have texture and a balance.”

THE BEARFOOT BISTRO HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR SOME THEATRICS…

Yes. Andre will run around with his sabre and well, that’s what makes it a fun restaurant. There’s always something happening on the floor.

IS THAT EVER DISTRACTING?

Our guys get a little sidetracked when they see naked girls with body painting walking past.

TELL ME ABOUT WINNING THE GOLD PLATES COMPETITION?

I actually came in second in BC, in the regional competition. Then the winner pulled out and so I ended up representing BC in the national event. I was completely blown away when I won and it’s been a little crazy ever since.

WERE YOU NERVOUS?

I thought that it was for a good cause – raising money for Canadian Olympic athletes. Actually, I was completely stressed out. So, it wasn’t something that I was totally looking forward to, but it was good.

WHAT PUT YOU OVER THE TOP?

On the third day we had to create an original dish. Mine was the King Crab Trio and it included a coconut-chili soup, a croquette, a bamboo cone with crab and Pop Rocks. Remember the candy that blows up in your mouth? Well, I bought them and flavored them with a soya sauce powder. People remember their childhood when they taste the Pop Rocks. I paired it with a Riesling, which the judges thought was super.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE BECOMING EXECUTIVE CHEF HERE?

It was a pretty big deal for me, pretty nerve-racking. I had been sous-chef in Australia and I was sous-chef here for a year before I actually took over. So it’s been a learning process.

YOU WERE FAIRLY YOUNG…

I was 24 when I took the position. Being female and being young, it was interesting…

DOES IT TAKE AWHILE TO GET RESPECT?

If you lead by example, I don’t think so. It always takes a while for people to get to know you. With existing staff it was a little bit harder, but it happens.

YOU’VE HAD SOME INTERESTING EXPERIENCES WORKING ABROAD?

I’d worked in Australia, which was great. I learned a lot about Asian flavours there. Afterwards I went to Dom Perignon in Champagne and my whole job was to taste all the vintages that we were using for a wine-makers’ dinner. I worked with the chef and we just opened champagne and tasted it with all different meals. I learned that you can put a ‘76 rosé with game meat, which I would have never imagined.

Then I went to Paris to work at Lucas Carton, a two Michelin star restaurant in Paris. That was hard. No one talks – it’s a very strict kitchen.

“Well we’re working with liquid nitrogen right now and making ice cream at the table.”

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT DESIGNING DISHES?

I talk to my staff a lot, brainstorm with them. Then I look outside and see how the weather is. If it’s a rainy day, I’ll cook something that’s nice and warm and hardy. Right now, Pemberton tomatoes, some of which are like heirloom tomatoes, they are beautiful so I’d like to put them on the menu tonight.

I try to balance things, so pair something super-fatty with something acidic. Or I think about every single dish as a whole. When you take one bite of something, it should affect all the senses. Every bite should have texture and a balance. For me, that’s number one - just having everything on one spoon.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE A PERFORMER HERE?

Having an open kitchen, well, you have to be smiling all the time. When you have 200 guests and people seated right in the chef’s area – you have to watch your language. But yeah, physically you’re performing, you’re making something for your guests. It keeps everyone on their toes.

ARE YOU WORKING ON ANYTHING INTERESTING?

Well we’re working with liquid nitrogen right now and making ice cream at the tables. I’m thinking about how to serve it on a dish, because you can freeze it on the outside and serve it. It’s kind of a show having the smoke at the table. It adds to the whole theatrics of the restaurant.