Within the Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver’s award-winning Botanist restaurant continues to define excellence with a menu that is as rooted in the Pacific Northwest as the towering cedars that line its coast. This spring, Executive Chef Hector Laguna unveiled a masterful seasonal expression—an ode to nature’s rebirth, executed with elegance and a deep respect for the land.
Chef Hector’s culinary narrative begins with the soil. His seasonal menu draws upon the region’s botanical richness, incorporating produce grown in organic backyard plots, sustainably sourced seafood from Pacific waters, and ingredients cultivated through responsible agricultural practices. At Botanist, each dish reflects the landscape it emerges from—fresh, abundant, and brimming with life.
Wine plays a leading role in this sensory dialogue. The restaurant’s terroir-driven program is expertly tailored to accompany the brightness and earthiness of Chef Hector’s cuisine, elevating every plate with thoughtful pairings that mirror the refinement and complexity of the dishes themselves.
Chef Laguna’s journey through the kitchens of Miami, San Francisco, and Toronto has shaped a style both globally aware and distinctly local. Since his arrival in Vancouver—first as Senior Sous Chef at Hawksworth, then as Executive Chef at Botanist—his vision has led the restaurant to national and international acclaim. Recognitions include its designation as one of Canada’s 50 Best Restaurants, a coveted spot on the World’s 50 Best Discovery list, and the esteemed CAA/AAA Four Diamond rating.
This season’s menu is executed with precision and restraint. Ingredients are honoured rather than overshadowed, revealing their textures, nuances, and vitality.
A standout among the first courses, the Burrata Salad is a poetic rendering of the season’s awakening. Tender green shoots symbolize renewal, while the sharpness of rhubarb cuts cleanly through the dish, offering contrast. Fermented white asparagus introduces a fermented depth, and a bold salsa macha provides heat and crunch, harmonizing with the burrata’s silky centre.
Among the entrées, the Dry-Aged Striploin captures the interplay of the season’s sweetness and the richness of the land. Accompanied by earthy mushrooms, fresh spring peas, and a luxurious Taleggio, the dish is unified by a velvety Bordelaise jus—a study in balance, texture, and warmth.
The Olive Oil Poached Halibut is another revelation. Delicate yet compelling, it is served with smoked buttermilk, sorrel foam, and miner’s lettuce—a wild green once foraged in the Pacific Northwest during the Gold Rush, now reimagined here with finesse. Each element speaks to the spirit of spring: light, verdant, and awakening to possibility.
At Botanist, the season is not simply represented—it is celebrated. Through Chef Hector Laguna’s thoughtful interpretation, this new menu arrives not only on the plate, but also in the heart of every guest who savours it.