I just got back from my trip to Dallas and was making arrangements for my next trip which was to Vancouver when I read the most dissapointing news. Rob Feenie, executive chef of Lumiere has quit because his role as chef was taken away. According to Feenie, David and Manjy Sidoo (investment bankers and business partners) began giving another chef the “executive chef” powers, a chef that Feenie himself had interviewed. Because he no longer had the executive chef title (and power), Feenie felt that leaving the restaurants was the proper choice:

“The fact is, the food in the dining room is no longer Rob Feenie. I was no longer able to make comments and criticisms. If I didn’t think the food was worthy of Lumiere, it had to go through David and Manjy.”

So what? a chef has quit, theres another chef to take over right? Well, yeah that is true but this is Rob Feenie. Rob Feenie became extremely popular in 2005 after he won the Iron Chef America competition by defeating Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. With him as executive chef Lumiere was distinguished with one of the most prestigious awards that are bestowed upon restaurants, the Relais Gourmand. However, after a $1.2 Million kitchen renovation, Feenie was faced with huge debt he was unable to recover from despite the restaurants huge success. This is when majority ownership of the restaurants were signed over to David and Manjy Sidoo which ultimately lead to the events that transpired last week.

I had made plans to dine at Lumiere’s while I was in Vancouver, but now with this news the experience wont be the same. I can no longer say I ate at Rob Feenie’s restaurant. I cannot enjoy food cooked by a chef that won Iron Chef America.

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