East Meets West: Bao Bei x Edulis

Taste buds at the ready: charred humboldt squid with allspice scented pork meatballs and soffrito.

Bao Bei’s Joël Watanabe hosted Toronto chef Michael Caballo (Edulis) to kick off EAT! Vancouver last night at Chinatown’s favourite brasserie. (The same night, across town, Charcut chef Connie DeSousa, rising star Jessica Pelland, and Burdock & Co.’s Andrea Carlson showcased at the latter’s Main Street spot.) Each put a unique spin on the same staple ingredients (salt cod, squid, and halibut), offering 50 guests the opportunity to chow down on five courses with wine pairings. Two cooks in one kitchen might have been disastrous, but the night was free of crashes or curses. “Michael and I have known each other for years,” says Watanabe. “I’ve just been getting in his way and winding him up back there”.Watanabe’s sense of humour took the spotlight in our ‘Chefs Read Mean Tweets’ video below; surely a reality show is in the offing. For photos of last night’s menu, check out our Instagram page, or read the full menu here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38xQeEgjmDM