AARON JOSEPH BEAR ROBE
CHEF/OWNER
Aaron Joseph Bear Robe originally hails from Siksika Nation, Alberta. Born of a Blackfoot father and a Scottish-Nova Scotian mother, his rich and varied cultural background informs his dynamic cooking style.
Working in various kitchens in Calgary during school from a young age, Aaron decided to completely immerse himself in the life of a professional cook from 2003 onwards. Aaron began working at River Café, in Calgary, where attention to hand crafted food made from the finest local ingredients left an indelible mark in him. In the almost three years he worked there he worked every station on the kitchen line and became a chef de partie, apprenticing under Chef Scott Pohorelic. While at River Café, Aaron also completed the culinary appreticeship program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology as well as working at a modern Indian cuisine restaurant, Mango Shiva.
Working at River Café allowed Aaron the opportunity to spend time at Blue Mountain Biodynamic Farms just outside of Calgary learning a love for the ingredient with hands in the dirt. During this time Aaron accompanied chef Scott Pohorelic as acting sous chef to the first ever Canadian Chef’s Congress in Singhampton, Ontario hosted by chef Michael Stadtlander at Eigensinn Farm. There at Eigensinn, during the Congress, Aaron saw the opportunity to learn more. Shortly after returning to Calgary chef Pohorelic arranged for an apprenticeship at Eigensinn farm and early 2009 he began his six-month apprenticeship under chef Michael Stadtlander. Arriving there Aaron immersed himself in all aspects of farm life, along with aiding chef Stadtlander in Eigensinn Farm dinner services. Being there at that time gave Aaron the unique privilege of helping to build and open HaiSai Restaurant and Bakery.
With the arrival of fall however this time Aaron was on the move again and he headed to Toronto. Aaron begun working at chef Victor Barry’s newly revamped Splendido where there was plenty to learn from a chef and kitchen exploring a rustic, elegant, locally sourced menu. Staying on for a year and learning was opportune as he worked alongside Dennis Tay where their mutual passion of food and honouring the ingredient has continued on with Keriwa Café.
With Keriwa Café, chef Aaron Bear Robe, hopes to employ the finest quality locally and regionally sourced ingredients drawing from the his peoples and others’ food cultures of Canada and make honest, delicious, rustic food to be enjoyed by all who come to the hearth of Keriwa Café.
DENNIS TAY
SOUS CHEF
Growing up in Windsor, Ontario Dennis Tay fostered an early love for all things food at family gatherings that often included legendary Tay BBQ’s. After pursuing breakdancing across the world known as “Debo” with the B-Boy crew known as “Drunken Monkz”, Dennis came back to his roots in Toronto, Ontario Canada and begun the acclaimed chef training program at George Brown College in 2005 and further pushed as a culinary student by entering the Italian Program from 2006 onwards.
Part of the curriculum took him to the two Michelin starred restaurant, La Tenda Rossa, led by Chef Maria Salcuni, just outside of Florence, were he staged for a period of time. At the end of his term he was asked to stay on with the kitchen brigade indefinitely. The opportunity to live and work in Italy proved to be vital-Dennis stayed there for a year and a half learning all that he could.
After a year and a half Dennis was on the move again this time to Edinborough, Scotland, where over the course of four months staged at The Kitchen, Martin Wisharts, and No. 1 At The Balmoral Hotel-all Michelin starred restaurants-before making his way back across the pond to Halifax, Canada. In Halifax, Dennis worked for a four-month stint at Jane’s On The Common, a locally celebrated eatery for its impeccable locally sourced brunch menu.
Roughly two and a half years after originally setting out across the pond Dennis was back in Toronto and a part of the newly revamped Splendido Restaurant and working with Chef Victor Barry to bring locally sourced, impeccably prepared ingredients to the table. Dennis’ dedication and attention to detail quickly moved him through all of the stations in the kitchen. Very early on he became an integral part of the brigade for the year and a half he was there. At Splendido, Dennis worked alongside Aaron Joseph Bear Robe in the kitchen and when the time came was onboard to see Keriwa Café from its beginning. At Keriwa Café, Dennis Tay is an integral part of a team of dedicated individuals both embodying and and sharing in the philosophy of the hearth.
Dennis Tay firmly believes in a holistic and complete local and seasonal lifestyle and that approach to life carries over into his passion for cooking. Cooking for Dennis Tay is, “the act of bringing people together to eat and enjoy each other’s company”.
KERIWAcafe
KERIWAcafe
Keriwa Cafe | 1690 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario, Canada. M6R 1B3
T: 416.533.2552
info@keriwacafe.ca