TOFINO, B.C. — Last week, Hotel Zed launched Roar, Canada’s first Mibrasa grill, at its Tofino property on Vancouver Island. Roar is a live-fire and charcoal-fuelled restaurant rooted in respect, rebellion and “lead with love.”
Modelled after Patagonian-inspired cooking, delivers fresh local ingredients to the table that have been cooked over live fire and are reflective of the local people and geography.
“Roar’s menu is ingredient-driven,” says Kaelhub Cudmore, executive chef of Roar. “Celebrating where our food comes from — whether that’s land or sea — means carefully choosing every ingredient we use in the kitchen.”
Guests can also pick up fresh oysters, crabs and a range of go-to libations at the Beachside Provisions shop to have their own beach cookout.
Queen of ridiculously fun hotels, Mandy Farmer, CEO of Hotel Zed, wanted to create Roar as a gathering place for Tofino locals. Eric Pateman, owner and operator of ESP Culinary Consulting was brought on to help fulfill her vision.
“We’re creating a second home for the Tofino community,” says Farmer. “It’s a place to relax after work or a weekend hangout spot. Tofino’s known for its beautiful vistas and seafood, and we wanted to create a restaurant that brings the outside in to showcase the incredible natural environment.”
Roar’s vibe promises to spark déjà vu with its Canadian vintage décor curated by Farmer. Some of the tables boast old-school rotary dial phones so guests seated at other tables can call one another. A cozy patio space features comfortable deck chairs and fire pits surrounded by lush greenery.
Roar was built on a foundation of hard work and perseverance. “Opening your first restaurant in the third wave of a global pandemic is not for the faint of heart,” says Trina Notman, VP of Marketing and Communications. “Mandy stuck to her vision and does what she always does, leads with love, to ensure an out of the ordinary Roar experience with happy, well respected staff that she treats right.”
Hotel Zed Tofino and Roar are part of the Tribal Park Allies — a community of businesses committed to the ecological protection and restoration of the Tribal Parks ancestral gardens and the resurgence of Tla-o-qui-aht culture and governance. As part of this commitment, guests are asked to contribute one per cent of their bill to the Tribal Park Allies Program so the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation can continue their cultural restoration and guardianship of their lands.
