Derek and I go way back to the days of when he was the chef of fifteen in London, I would say he is my brother of another mother. He isa a champion for all things Canadian, as well as being just a brilliant chef. He is a Bruins hockey fan in Montreal which isn’t easy and has a amazing restaurant called Maison Publique which is by far my favorite restaurant. He is always having fun but most of all he has been a great friend & friend that I love to cook with. Plus the rumor is he can cook a mean beaver.

Derek Dammann was raised in Campbell River, BC, the salmon capital of the world. After studying cooking in Nanaimo, chef Dammann worked in one of Canada's great Italian restaurants, Zambri's, in Victoria, before making his way to the UK to work with Jamie Oliver. Derek came back to Canada and settled in Montreal, where he opened DNA, one of the most exciting nose-to-tail establishments in North America. He partnered with Jamie Oliver again to open Maison Publique, a hugely popular and highly regarded gastropub. He authored the best selling cookbook, True North, Canadian Cooking from Coast to Coast. Last year he partnered with the team from Joe Beef to open McKiernan Luncheonette, Rotisserie and Catering.