At first glance, a grounded ease and quiet confidence define the way Chef Harris Sakalis’ story unfolds, shaped by years of experience across Europe, the Middle East, and North America, and refined by the rhythms of life he has built in Vancouver.
He speaks about the menu as a reflection of the world he inhabits, drawing seamlessly from cultural traditions and personal memories. “When you look at our menu, you can immediately see those global influences,” he says. Flavours from his Greek upbringing appear in the mezze-inspired appetizer, while touches of miso and harissa reflect both his travels and the Japanese heritage woven into his family life. Rather than fusing cuisines for effect, he honours the way these flavours coexist in his own story.
“Seasonality is really the starting point for everything on the new Province to Plate menu,” he explains, noting that around ninety percent of the ingredients are sourced within BC. For him, this is not simply a commitment to local food — it is a commitment to the people behind it. The menu is shaped as much by relationships as by recipes, each producer offering a distinct sense of place.
One of these connections began serendipitously at his daughter’s birthday party, where he met Natty of Hazelmere Organic Farms. A storage room “filled floor-to-ceiling with squash and pumpkins” sparked the idea for a honey-nut squash crème caramel, a dish that would not exist without that unexpected meeting. It exemplifies how creativity is often born from human connection, grounding the Province to Plate concept in lived experience rather than abstraction.
This season, Chef Harris brings together an array of producers who define BC’s agricultural and coastal identity. From the sea come Chinook salmon and Salt Spring Island mussels, ingredients he prepares with the kind of restraint that allows their natural character to shine. From the land, he highlights Rossdown Farms organic chicken, as well as the vibrant, earthy vegetables sourced from various local producers. Each name is integral to the narrative, situating ARC’s dishes firmly within the province’s food landscape.
Sustainability is woven directly into his creative process. Ingredient cross-utilization provides both culinary depth and environmental intention. His vegetarian dashi illustrates this approach — crafted from surplus vegetable trimmings and kombu, it becomes a layered, aromatic broth poured over foraged mushrooms and finished with a Fraser Valley poached egg. It is a dish that shows how mindful technique can elevate what might otherwise be overlooked.
Balancing evolution with guest expectations is central to his leadership. ARC’s beloved staples, like the signature grilled cheese, remain untouched, offering familiarity amid innovation. At the same time, he refines the seasonal structure of the menus to better align with guests’ needs. The refreshed ARC 39 lunch menu introduces health-forward, quickly executed dishes that make use of surplus ingredients, while the winter Province to Plate dinner menu expands its options “ensuring guests with dietary preferences feel fully accommodated.” Innovation, for him, is purposeful and guest-centric.
What truly distinguishes Chef Harris is the way he articulates the essence of BC’s culinary identity. His definition of luxury is quiet, rooted in connection to land and sea rather than opulence. “Luxury is not about complexity, it is about purity,” he says. Purity means wild mushrooms and truffles gathered from local forests, Chinook salmon from cold coastal waters, vegetables grown within the province, and dishes crafted with care rather than excess.
For Chef Harris, cooking in BC is a privilege defined by relationships — with producers, with nature, and with the stories behind each ingredient. Through the Province to Plate menu, he invites guests to experience the region as he does: through the people who shape it, the seasons that guide it, and the honest, grounded flavours that make BC’s culinary landscape unlike anywhere else.
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