Zachary Resnick

I'm a freelance writer based in Ottawa, Ontario. I primarily write about food, cooking and restaurants, drawing on both my many years of experience as a chef and my passion for sharing the stories of the people behind the plates.

A Selection of My Work

apt613 •

Local In-Gin-Uity: Clawfoot Stills Putting a New Spin on an Old Spirit – Apartment613

When I say ‘gin’, what do you think of? Perhaps a crisp gin & tonic with a slice of cucumber on a warm afternoon? A cheeky spritz with hints of lavender and lemon? Perhaps a sultry negroni served on the rocks with that perfect twist of orange peel? But, do you think of… a bathtub? It makes perfect sense when you hear the founders of Clawfoot Stills tell it.

“The name is a nod to the practice of making ‘bathtub gin’ during prohibition.” says Julian Bernard, co-founder and head distiller. Bernard
Gusto TV •

Gusto TV Host Page - Zachary Resnick

Zachary Resnick is a former chef who channeled his love and passion for food into his writing. Zach is known for his sarcastic and acerbic sense of humor that keeps people on their toes. During his time as a chef, he has worked at many esteemed restaurants in Ottawa, Canada, including leading the kitchens at Fauna, Bar Laurel, and the numerous Fairmont Château Laurier restaurants. Not to mention that he is also a former Gusto Writer who’s helped write many of the beloved shows you see on Gusto TV, like Feed My Soul…V!,
Gusto TV •

Gusto TV soon to launch Spanish-language service

Ottawa, Canada, October 17, 2022 – Gusto TV is pleased to announce it will soon be available in Spanish to further connect with Hispanic audiences globally. Launched in 2013, Gusto TV currently streamed internationally on 40 platforms in 160 countries in English.

“Hispanic cuisines are among the best in the world,” says Chris Knight, President and CEO of Gusto Worldwide Media. “The values of food, family, and togetherness are so important, both to us and to Hispanic cultures. We’re excited to b
Gusto TV •

Gusto TV cooks up a new partnership with Amazon Fire TV and Amazon Kitchen Connect

Ottawa, Canada, October 13, 2022 – Gusto TV is excited to announce its partnership with Amazon, launching its food entertainment across Amazon Devices and Amazon Kitchen Connect. Gusto TV’s catalogue of culinary series will be available on Amazon Fire TV, while Gusto TV’s recipes and short-form videos will be accessible via Amazon Kitchen Connect.

“We are thrilled that this new partnership with Amazon will bring a new interactive experience to millions of consumers across the US,” says Chris Kn
Gusto TV •

Gusto TV Returns to Canada

Ottawa, Canada, July 27, 2022 – Gusto TV is proud to announce the return of the world’s best food channel to Canada after a two-and-a-half-year absence. Beginning July 27, Canadians will be able to see Gusto’s mouth-watering, award-winning programming in partnership with Samsung TV Plus, followed by a roll-out on multiple platform partners throughout out the summer and fall.

In 2016, Gusto TV licensed the brand to Bell Media for use in Canada only. That agreement is coming to a close, allowing
apt613 •

Momos are Hot at the Momo Spot – Apartment613

Ottawans, prepare to discover the warmth and joy of Nepali cuisine! The Momo Spot finally has a brick-and-mortar location to serve you their delectable dumplings (known as momos) and sauces. Friends and co-owners Rahul Bura, Milan Nepali, Dev-Ashish Subpa, Kripa Dongol and Ashik Shrestha are all devoted to bringing the flavours of Nepal to our nation’s capital.

After coming together for a fundraiser in 2015, the friends began to work together in earnest, selling their momos at the Ottawa Farmer
apt613 •

Harmon’s steakhouse opens on Elgin St. with chef Michael Korn at the helm – Apartment613

At the end of September, Ottawa’s newest steakhouse, Harmon’s, quietly opened its doors to the public. Although work on the restaurant remains unfinished, diners were invited to see, experience and taste what is complete, and the reviews so far are very positive.

At the helm is chef de cuisine Michael Korn, a veteran of Ottawa’s finer kitchens and formerly a senior saucier at Beckta. He made the move to the Whalesbone group for the opening of their Elgin St. location, quickly rising through the
apt613 •

Carefor’s Feast of Fields 2021 was a sold-out, socially-distanced smash success – Apartment613

At 5pm on the front lawn of Ottawa City Hall, volunteers were setting up for Carefor’s sold-out Feast of Fields event on Wednesday night. Sound checks, taste tests, power cords being connected. A few VIPs had arrived. While the skies were grey, the mood was decidedly lighter.

“We’re able to properly celebrate with some of the communities that were hit hardest by the pandemic,” said event organizer Robin Duetta. “Seeing the Ottawa chef community come back and pair up with the farmers who work so
Mind of a (Former) Chef •

Placeholder Update: Almost Married Edition! Support Local Restaurants –

Gah! Has it really been over a month since I posted anything here? Readers (if any of you are still out there), I am so sorry. Life, you know? I’ve been busy with work, taking care of the house and pets and, of course, planning a wedding during a pandemic!

So, let’s not talk about me. I don’t have any hot takes or snappy recipes for you today. If you’re a resident of Ottawa like I am, let’s just talk about some of the fantastic local restaurants you should be visiting until I get back to provid
apt613 •

Coming soon: Justin Champagne’s new restaurant Perch pledges “playful elegance,” sustainability in all things – Apartment613

A new high-profile restaurant being announced always piques the interest of Ottawa foodies, but the announcement of chef Justin Champagne’s Perch is especially intriguing. Champagne, previously sous-chef at lauded Ottawa restaurant Atelier before becoming chef de cuisine at Bar Lupulus, boasts quite the culinary pedigree. His unique approach to ingredients and technique makes his food stand out among the finest in the city.

“I’ve been really fortunate to have been granted a lot of freedom to cr
apt613 •

The up-and-comers: Arlo sous-chef Mitchell Hahn – Apartment613

We’d like to take a look at some of the up-and-comers in our Ottawa Food and Beverage scene. These are the people to watch when it comes to local and delicious fare.

Over the last year, Arlo Wine & Restaurant has become one of Ottawa’s most sought-after dining experiences. While this can easily be attributed to the hospitality of the ownership and waitstaff, funky-cozy atmosphere, and impeccable natural wine list, the kitchen must also receive credit. Your mind may first go to chef Jamie Stunt,
TOQUE Magazine •

The Last Service

The Last Service will bring together the best of Canadian culinary with a national tour featuring 100 notable chefs from 10 regions across the country.

By following these chefs at pivotal moments in their day, we see what a day in the life looks like for any chef. Each moment illustrates a challenge that chefs regularly face, many of which existed long before the pandemic struck.

Through these tableaus, we hope to foster better understanding of just what it takes to be a chef and run a restaurant.
apt613 •

The up-and-comers: North & Navy’s chef de cuisine Eric Chagnon-Zimmerly – Apartment613

We’d like to take a look at some of the up-and-comers in our Ottawa Food and Beverage scene. These are the people to watch when it comes to local and delicious fare.

Ask around Ottawa what’s the best spot for a dinner out on the town, and North & Navy is sure to come up. The six-year-old Northern Italian restaurant is well-loved by its neighbours and foodies across the city.

North & Navy boasts a well-curated and varied wine list, a comfortable and inviting atmosphere, superb service and, not
Mind of a (Former) Chef •

At Last, Date Night – Mind of a (Former) Chef

At Last, Date Night

It finally happened. Last Sunday night, Liz and I went out on a date night to a restaurant. It feels like it’s been forever. Dining out is one of our greatest pleasures, and I can’t even tell you all how much we’ve missed it. So, now that I’ve passed my two weeks since my second vaccine dose, we braved the outside world on a night out.

It was a beautiful summer evening. The weather was warm and just a little muggy. We walked to our destination, savouring the outside air, taking in the sights of our neighborhood. Largely unchanged, but somehow a bit unfamiliar after all these months.
apt613 •

The up-and-comers: Kathryn Ferries – Apartment613

We’d like to take a look at some of the up-and-comers in our Ottawa Food and Beverage scene. These are the people to watch when it comes to local and delicious fare.

Among the Ottawa culinary community’s brightest rising stars, Kathryn Ferries possesses both a strong list of achievements and a tangible love for the local food scene. Since moving here from Winnipeg with her family at the age of 10, Ferries has adopted Ottawa as her hometown.

Raised with a love of food, cooking and family recipe
Mind of a (Former) Chef •

You Can't Be Depressedo When You Make Your Own Pesto – Mind of a (Former) Chef

A good summer morning to each and every one of you! It’s been a hot few weeks here in the nation’s capital, lemme tell you. Amidst this heat comes some good news, though. Indoor dining is set to return next week! W00T! All my restauranteur friends are breathing somewhat of a sigh of relief. Now, finding new staffing to work with the increased business flow… well, that’s another story. Good luck to all.

Anyways, hot summer weather is what we’re talking about here. The kind of weather that basil
apt613 •

The up-and-comers: Julia Gindra – Apartment613

We’d like to take a look at some of the up-and-comers in our Ottawa Food and Beverage scene. These are the people to watch when it comes to local and delicious fare.

Let’s play a quick word-association game: I say Whalesbone, and I bet most of you say “fish!” Makes sense. But if you follow the restaurant group on social media, or if you’ve frequented any of the locations lately, you may have also said “desserts!”

The name behind those scrumptious desserts is Julia Gindra, pastry chef for the W
Mind of a (Former) Chef •

A Soup For All Seasons – Mind of a (Former) Chef

Hey friends, welcome back! Glad to have you with me again. Apologies, blah blah blah, long absence, blah blah blah, life etc. Anyways, I hope all of you have been holding up well, getting vaccinated and are dealing okay with a scorcher of a summer.

Speaking of summer weather, today’s dish may seem like a bit of an odd choice, but as the title says, it really is a soup for all seasons. Of course, I’m talking about one of Italy’s most famous soups: Minestrone.

This one is closer to a Romagna-sty
apt613 •

Ottawa’s food and beverage MVPs of the pandemic: Part Two – Apartment613

A couple of weeks ago, we published a roundup of some of Ottawa’s food and beverage industry MVPs during the pandemic—folks who made particular efforts to address hunger and food insecurity in our community over the past 16 months. We invited readers to share their own local food heroes with us so that we could highlight them here as well, and several of you did write in with your suggestions. This week we proudly present three more people whose work during the pandemic really shone through the
Mind of a (Former) Chef •

Strawberry (and Tomato) Fields Forever –

Readers, where you at? I know it’s been yet another extended absence on my part, but I hope you’re all well and eager to read my latest update. Exciting things, for sure, have been happening.

The most exciting and important thing is that Liz got her second vaccine dose on Friday! She’s now immunized and I couldn’t be happier. That’s a huge worry off of my plate, and I hope all of you are getting your vaccines as well.

Also, I am proud to announce that I’m the new Food Editor of apt613! Yours t
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