opening soon, way downtown
Niki Willis behind the bar at Fu’s Repair Shop last year
It’s no secret Niki Willis makes great cocktails. Now, she has teamed up with two other powerhouse women to open Coco’s Cocktails and Agave this spring. “Permits have been excruciating but we’re coming to the finale,” says Niki. Partner Megs Miller, an agave expert based in Mexico City is originally from Edmonton. “But we didn’t meet until 16 years ago, after Megs had been in Australia for several years. She is not day to day, but she is curating our agave list. Our tastings and education will use the method she developed at her salón de agave in Mexico City.” The third partner is Janelle Jimenez, who brings an extensive business background to the enterprise
“We’re going for a tropical, dark and sexy mood,” says Niki, “it’s an homage to Latin America.” We have a feeling that we are going to be tasting a lot of very good cocktails soon. Coco’s Cocktail and Agave, 10132 105 Street, basement. Thursday-Saturday and long weekend Sundays, from 8pm.
ice ice baby
RGC exec chef Steve Buzak is also a talented ice carver
Chef Peter Keith brings together a motley crew of cooks and restaurants for Hot Chefs, Cool Beats, the annual fundraiser for the High School Culinary Challenge. The Challenge, which identifies talented cooks in high school, helps them find the early mentorship they need to be successful. This year’s goal is to raise $50,000 for full-ride scholarships to the NAIT Culinary program. Hot Chefs Cool Beats is a delicious snapshot of what’s happening on the YEG food scene to a terrific soundtrack. April 30 at the Royal Glenora Club (RGC). Early bird tix are $99/p until March 30, $125 after, highschoolculinarychallenge.ca. For a look back at this memorable event visit here.
open house at riverview
Riverview chef Doreen Prei during the Black Box competition at CCC2025
Chef Doreen Prei is the only retirement home chef that has competed at the Canadian Culinary Championships. We bet there will be more. Retirement home living is evolving.
“We aim to change people’s ideas about retirement living,” says executive director Ross Garrett (who was also Doreen’s sous chef at the CCC). “We want them to see how it’s different—get out of the mentality that it’s a hospital. Now, retirement living is more like a resort.
“We have open houses four times per year,” he says. “People can tour the building and see all the attributes and facilities we have for residents such as the Riverview Dining Room. Doreen will be there to talk about the culinary program and how we meet dietary needs.”
Ross encourages people to check it out, “even if the idea of retirement is decades away. Some people bring their parents, to let them see what it could be like.”
Glenora Park Open House, 10150 Clifton Place, 1pm-4pm, Saturday, March 22.
people get ready
It’s Downtown Dining Week March 12-23 with over 6o restaurants participating this year. Wow! Menus range from $15 to $65 depending on occasion and the eatery. Visit an old fave or discover something new—any-time-of-day combo at BaoBao; brunch, lunch or dinner at Central Social Hall; or a six-course dinner at Bar Bricco. Find all the participating restaurants and menus at edmontondowntown.com/dining-week.
meet chef quentin glabus
NAIT Chef in Residence Quentin Glabus.
Quentin Glabus is the 2025 Nait Chef in Residence. Chef Glabus lives and works in Tokyo. Cooking has taken him around the world, from his first year of culinary school at Portage College in Lac La Biche, followed by NAIT, to working for Disney in Orlando (he was there during 9/11). It’s quite the resume. After Orlando, he cooked with chef Brian Leadbetter at Madison’s Grill, then was the executive chef at the Homefire Grill. In 2008 he became the executive chef at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo where he met his wife Vivian, originally from Calgary. He headed up the Canadian Culinary Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and promoted Indigenous cuisine throughout Southeast Asia during Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations. Chef Glabus will spend a week working with NAIT culinary students.
“I sent an indigenous supplier list to NAIT so I hope we are using all those ingredients that are close to my heart—wild rice, squash, duck, arctic char, walleye, salmon, sunflower oil. I hope to make some pre-colonial dishes too, without flour, sugar, dairy, chicken or pork. Some recipes are fusion—I make a squash ricotta gnocchi that my son loves.”
What is chef hoping to leave with the students?
“My hope is to inspire—to show them my culture through cuisine. When people think of Canadian cuisine, they think anything maple, blueberries, but it’s more than that. I want them to know the stories and the reasons.” Chef also wants them to look at their journey in food in a different way. “I want them to know that what I have accomplished, everything I’ve done in my career, I’ve done in an unconventional way and they can too.”
Want to taste chef’s menu? Book the three-course lunch on Thursday, March 20 or the four-course dinners on Thursday and Friday, March 21 with optional wine pairings. Email ernests@nait.ca or call 780-471-8676 to book.