28 » OpenRoad Driver
A traditional Iranian stew, Fesenjān, features
duck with walnut and pomegranate.
Salimian always had a passion for food.
How could he not? Not only was he
surrounded by delicious creations from
his mother; he was also exposed to the
true definition of farm-to-table cuisine.
Everything that was made in the kitchen
was sourced from their own farm. Instead
of receiving a free allowance, Salimian had
to work for it by assisting the gardener
for an hour each day. He would spend
time weeding and learning how to tend
to the corn, cucumbers and eggplant.
He eventually oversaw the growth of a
citrus farm where the first fruit didn’t
appear until seven years later. However, it
was well worth the wait as the bounty of
sun-ripened fruit included plums, peaches,
apples, cherries and blackberries.
The farm-to-table philosophy did not end
with fruit, vegetables and milk products.
The family raised their own livestock and
slaughtered lamb, sheep and cows. Beyond
his own family, Salimian was influenced by
his neighbour who cooked in a hot house
with charcoal and wood. The local area was
beautiful and lush with wild pomegranate
and walnut trees. Ten minutes away by
car, there were natural carbonated springs.
Salimian would spend time foraging
and fishing on the Caspian Sea, where a
neighbour’s wife would one day encourage
him to use his foraged herbs with freshly
caught trout. He was heavily inspired by
local products.
Eventually the family moved to Turkey
and then immigrated to Canada in 1989.
A classic Canadian snowstorm welcomed
them as they landed in Toronto. The
sweeping skyscrapers dwarfed anything
Salimian had seen in northern Iran. In
Tehran, buildings were compact and
old. This was a world apart. His family
eventually settled in Peterborough where
he was surprised by the small-town
friendliness. He immersed himself in
Canadian culture by participating in
hockey and soccer. However, he maintained
his love for food and participated in the
obligatory berry picking in the summer.
A turning point occurred when the family
moved to Brampton, and Salimian began
working at a local Mr. Sub and A&W.
The Italian couple that owned the fast
food outlets were more knowledgeable in
the culinary arts than most, armed with
Swiss degrees in food and beverage. Frank,
the husband, would make wine and bring
home-cooked food to eat at the back
of the restaurant. He saw potential in
Salimian and encouraged him to work
at an Italian restaurant.
It wasn’t until Salimian moved to
Vancouver that the culinary path came
to fruition. He enrolled at Vancouver
Community College in the culinary arts
program. Initially, his parents weren’t
supportive of the decision, yet after
only two weeks, his food received rave
reviews as instructors packed his goat
curry to take home. Suddenly, it dawned
on him that maybe he could do this.
Things weren’t always smooth, but
Salimian always found support from
the Vancouver culinary community.
He was given an opportunity to
stage at the Sutton Place Hotel
where he also did a five-year pastry
apprenticeship. Although staging is an
unpaid internship, there are still risks.
Training requires countless hours from
a dedicated mentor, and errors during
prep and the cooking process can be
costly. The valuable experience led to
five years at The Metropolitan Hotel
as a line cook where Salimian first met