Pastry chef Liz Stevenson of the Naramata Inn bakes a mean, seasonal Okanagan apple oat crumble.
You know, that warm, fragrant, delicious and comforting dessert that grandma used to make as a staple of any fall dinner, especially Thanksgiving. (Recipe below).
But besides being an exceptional crumble (and bread, and scone, and brioche, and preserves, and other desserts) maker, Stevenson also a globetrotter, wine and chocolate nerd and advocate for food sustainability and gender equality.
"Yes, we need more women in professional kitchens," said Stevenson.
"There's definitely a male chef archetype out there and male chefs are generally given more attention in the media. I've been vocal about gender equality in professional kitchens, hiring more women chefs and giving them the attention they deserve."
Stevenson was born in New Brunswick, went to university in Halifax and worked in kitchens in Montreal before embarking on 16 years as an expat.
From 2008-20, Stevenson lived in Dubai and worked at the award-winning restaurant Ruya.
"Ironically, Dubai (which is in an Arab country where women traditionally face more discrimination) was more open to women chefs," she said.
"I've faced more discrimination in kitchens in Canada and London (where she worked 2004-08)."
Along the way, Stevenson has always pushed for sustainable ingredients and supporting local farmers, producers and purveyors.
"Food policy is very complex and food can be very corporate," she said.
"But, generally governments and grocery stores need to make it easier for small, local producers to get market access. And restaurants need to support local and cook seasonal."
Which brings us to the Naramata Inn in the small South Okanagan town of the same name.
Proprietor and celebrity chef Ned Bell has been cooking local and seasonal his entire career, whether at Four Season Hotels or spotlighting sustainable seafood for his Lure cookbook.
And he's embraced it in a big way at the Naramata Inn since he took over there a year and a half ago.
"When I moved from Dubai back to Canada it was to Vancouver, which really wasn't for me," explained Stevenson.
"I came across the job posting for the Naramata Inn in a roundabout way and my short phone interview with chef Ned ended up being an hour and a half. I was so impressed with his vision and how he runs his restaurant and it all just aligned with my experience and values.
Which brings us to that killer Okanagan apple oat crumble, a traditional harvest dessert that defines fall and makes the kitchen smell like grandma's house while it bakes.
Stevenson makes sure it's on the menu seasonally in every restaurant she's ever worked at around the world.
"Apple oat crumble is nostalgic, easy-to-do and just tastes so good," she summed up.
Okanagan apple oat crumble
- Butter the base and sides of a casserole dish
- In a big frying pan over medium-high heat, saute, by adding a third at a time of a half cup of butter, three-quarters-of-a-cup of white sugar and eight apples, peeled, cored and chopped into chunks, until soft
- Turn the apple mixture into the casserole dish and put in the fridge to chill
- For the crumble topping, start my mixing into a crumb-like consistency: 1-1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, a quarter cup of spelt, whole wheat or rye flour and one third of a cup of oats (not quick-cooking) with three quarters of a cup of butter
- Add half a cup of brown sugar and two thirds of a teaspoon of cinnamon and continue to mix until well combined
- Add an egg and continue to blend until the mixture is tacky, but still crumbly
- Spread mixture onto a baking sheet and refrigerate to set for half an hour
- Break up the mixture with your hands and sprinkle on top of the apple compote in the casserole dish
- Bake at 370F for about 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the kitchen smells like grandma's house
- Serve while hot with ice cream or creme fraiche
