The Chef inStead

The Chef inStead is about more than cooking food, it's about creating an experience. Chef Martin Laprise is passionate about serving top quality meals from fresh ingredients, so he cooks on site personally for every event. In the summer season (April through September) he often cooks with his big BBQ trailer, cooking his award-winning southern style BBQ meals for weddings, corporate and family events - from 40 to 400 people. Buffets with fresh salads and tantalizing side dishes are popular with almost everyone, and his largely gluten-free menus with hot and cold options for vegetarians and vegans make him a big hit. In the winter season and in between large events, he focuses on private dinners, often for smaller groups. Because he is on site for much of the day, these experiences are often a highlight, as everyone learns and laughs while Chef regales them with cooking tips amidst charming anecdotes. Meals are designed to make the most of the group's time together - it may be an intimate dinner, or a busy cocktail party; either way, Chef Martin knows how to please the crowd. Chef Martin always cooks from scratch on site, using fresh ingredients and recipes he has tested over his 34 year career as a Chef. In his 15 years running The Chef InStead in the Okanagan, he has many regular clients and has catered the weddings of all of the kids in 3 local families! He loves to connect with people and share his love of food and cooking.