Today’s Notable Young Professional is Catch & The Oyster Bar Executive Chef Kyle Groves, who started working at the restaurant in 2005 and then slowly began planning his career route. What was the inspiration? Find out in today’s profile…
Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell.
My job in a nutshell is to run a four-storey, multi-million dollar seafood restaurant in landlocked Calgary. I am responsible for the culinary operations of the building, assisting with marketing the restaurant, and maintaining our commitment to the Ocean Wise program from the Vancouver aquarium.
Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
I started working with Catch & The Oyster Bar in 2005, then left to work abroad for a few years, returning to Catch in 2008. The inspiration for my career route is that I always wanted to work at Catch since the restaurant opened in 2002, so I took a job as a line cook to learn how to work in a great restaurant. Once I had worked at Catch for a while, I travelled to Europe to expand my culinary skills, and then finally returned home a few years later. Once I returned home, I was hired as a sous chef and then worked my way up to the Executive Chef position.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
The best part of what I do daily is seeing young cooks and chefs grow and improve their skills. It is incredibly rewarding when they take new roles in other places and become successful based on some of the things that they have been taught while they worked with us at Catch. The other rewarding thing that happens each day is seeing our guests’ reactions when they’re enjoying a dish that we worked incredibly hard to create for them. I always point out to young cooks to watch our guests tasting their food because their expression will always tell you whether they enjoy the meal or not.
The most challenging part is to try to be everywhere in the restaurant all the time. Having four floors and three different restaurants to look after makes it incredibly challenging to try to impact each restaurant daily.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years I still see myself working in an amazing restaurant and continuing to grow as a chef.
What does success look like to you?
Success to me is setting goals and achieving the goals you set. It is also about reflecting on the work you have done and being proud of the things you have accomplished.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
The most memorable milestone in my career has been winning the best overall restaurant for Catch & The Oyster Bar along with multiple other awards the first year that I took over as Executive Chef. It was incredibly rewarding to witness the staff’s reactions when they realized all of their hard work had been recognized.
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
Work hard and put your energy towards your goals. It’s easy to lose focus on what your priorities should be, so revisit your goals regularly and eliminate the things that do not align with what you want to achieve.
Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
I support the “Because I Can Project.” It’s an organization that seeks to change the rules on organ donation to presumed consent. They work tirelessly to change people’s lives and I really believe in what they are trying to accomplish.
What to you is notable?
The definition is “worthy of note or notice” – I think things that are notable are anything that catches our attention. It could be anything from an amazing piece of architecture down to a great tasting oyster.
Blackberry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
iPhone.