In the Kitchen with Adam Donnelly of Winnipeg’s Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant

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Adam-Donnelly

Some chefs find culinary inspiration at home, but Adam Donnelly realized his passion while traversing the globe. As executive chef and co-owner of Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant in Winnipeg, the culinary pleasures of Spain, England, Australia and New Zealand have shaped the travel junkie’s palate.

 Growing up in Pinawa, Man., a small town east of Winnipeg, Donnelly studied film for a year at the University of Manitoba before dropping out to pursue culinary school. While studying at Winnipeg’s Red River College, the 30-year-old chef began training at Amici Restaurant, and stayed on for two years, learning strict kitchen standards, service and work ethic.

But, despite his training, Donnelly’s culinary career wasn’t truly cemented until he was inspired at a seafood festival in Auckland, N.Z. “Eating seafood I’ve never tried or heard of really inspired me to be a chef,” he says, referencing green-lipped mussels and clams. Re-energized, he returned to Winnipeg and spent time at Sydney’s at The Forks before landing the opportunity to stage with Michelin-star chef Tom Aikens at Tom’s Kitchen, in London, England. “It was probably the hardest job I’ve ever had,” he admits, while also crediting the acclaimed chef for teaching him how to cook with love and integrity.

But, it wasn’t until he landed at Dehesa Charcuterie and Tapas Bar in London, England that Donnelly became enamored with the culture of sharing plates. “That’s when I really started to read and research Spanish cuisine and cooking techniques,” he said. To better understand the delicacy, Donnelly and his wife spent more than a month in Spain, cultivating an appreciation for small plates traditionally filled with meats, seafood, olives and bread. “[Tapas] lends itself to conversation — talking about the food, sharing it. It’s like you’re at home sharing a bunch of dishes with your family,” the chef explains.

Today, that Spanish experience is being felt at Winnipeg’s boho Osborne Village, where Donnelly’s been at the helm of the bustling 42-seat Segovia Tapas Bar and Restaurant — one of the city’s only tapas concepts — since 2009. “We try to serve things really simply but with lots of flavour,” he says of his infusions of Spanish, North African and Middle Eastern flavours. His menu offers dishes such as chorizo with gala apples and sherry vinegar ($8), white anchovies with harissa oil and toast ($9), goat rillet ‘a la plancha’ with labneh, dried olives and carrot relish ($13), as well as barbecue pork neck, spicy lime dressing, green beans and tomatoes ($14).

Always looking outside the kitchen for inspiration, the chef spends 10 days each year working in restaurants around the world, including St. John Bread & Wine in London, England, and, most recently, at the Italian hotspot Torrisi in New York City. “And, I read every day, which helps. I read a lot of blogs, menus; I read a lot of Spanish and Middle-Eastern cookbooks,” he adds. It’s clear the chef’s taste for life-long learning is paying off. l

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