Cafe Brio's Philosophy

brio (bree-oh) n. Liveliness, spirit, vivacity. [Ital.]

cucina domestica (koo-chee-nah doh-mess-tee-kah) regional cooking [Ital.]

From land to sea Café Brio's menu focuses on regional products. Flavour pairing comes naturally when using products that come from the same region. Sauces are often kept simple or light as not to mask the natural flavours found in our local quality ingredients.

As a member of the ICC I am committed to supporting local farms and products. We have had strong ties with the organic farming community from day one. I am lucky to be able to sit down with Tina Fraser and help plan crops for the following year so that we receive the best possible products in their peak season. Other farms are following suit so that we have strong local farm resources almost year round. Beyond organics my commitment is to BC farms first for produce.

We are also fortunate to be so close to the Pacific Ocean. Local varieties of wild seafood are ordered on a daily basis and freshness is a given as sometimes these fish are literally only hours out of the water. We seldom stray from local varieties as there is fresh fish available year round off the waters of Vancouver Island.

All of Café Brio's poultry products come from Lyle and Fiona Young at Cowichan Bay Farms. In 2001 they received the BC SPCA's award for their humane treatment of livestock. Beyond poultry the Youngs are also dedicated to preserving rare breeds of livestock.

I am a strong believer in supporting and promoting quality Canadian products. Therefore all of our beef is Alberta beef graded AAA or better.

With such a strong bounty of fresh local products and a professional kitchen staff we choose to make everything on our menu from scratch. In that manner we are able to ensure the products are handled properly. Our menu is reprinted daily so that we are able to serve the best possible products in their freshest form.

From the farms to our kitchen to your plate, enjoy!

Sincerely,

Laurie Munn

, Chef

Owners: Silvia Marcolini and Greg Hays

Silvia was born and raised in Ascoli Piceno, Italy and came to Canada when she was 14. She envisioned the design, exterior and interior, of our building. She has worked in the restaurant business with Greg since 1982, first at the Herald St. Café and then at the Marina Restaurant.

Greg Hays started the Herald St. Café in 1981/82 and sold his interests in 1992. During those 10 years, the wine list won many Gold awards at the Vancouver International Wine Festival.

Greg was the first to introduce pricing innovations such as the $10 mark-up on all wines which makes the high end wines more accessible. During this period Greg won an award from Mondavi Winery and Decanter Magazine. The tradition continues at Cafe Brio with about 150 selections.

In December of 1992, Greg and Silvia began a 3 year contract with the Oak Bay Marine Group to redesign and rebuild the Marina Restaurant. In late 1995, after the Marina was up and running, they left to scout locations for Café Brio. In November 1996 the land was purchased and construction begun. Service at Café Brio started May 29, 1997

"We think of our restaurant as an extension of our home.
We treat people as though they were our personal guests; with a bit of fun & a little irreverence."

Chef: Laurie Munn (and daughter Sadie)

Laurie Munn is a former amateur cyclist who competed successfully across Europe and North America. After retiring from cycling he pursued his lifelong ambition of becoming a chef, graduating from The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in 1999. Laurie began his culinary career under the mentorship of Chef Scott Jaeger at Burnaby’s renowned Pear Tree Restaurant. He has gone on to work at some of the most acclaimed and award-winning restaurants on the West Coast, most notably at Vancouver’s bis Moreno. Laurie’s modern approach to Italian food brought bis Moreno to national attention, winning 2nd place in EnRoute magazine’s 2004 “Best New Restaurants in Canada”. He returns to Café Brio after a 5-year absence, from Victoria’s Paprika Bistro.

Pastry Chef: Kalyn Sarkany

Kalyn is a local girl. After graduating high school here she attended Camosun College's Cook Training program and then did her apprenticeship at the Aerie Resort. This is where she first learned to love and appreciate all the local food Vancouver Island has to offer.
She learned from all the chefs there but especially the pastry chef, John Grove. With the support and skills of her teachers at Camosun College she placed in the top three at the 3rd year Apprenticeship Black Box Competition, then continued on to 2nd place at the provincials. She is now persuing her passion for all things sweet here in Brio's pastry department.