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Inspiring inclusion on International Women’s Day
February 20, 2024On March 8, the National Arts Centre celebrates the strength, resilience, and brilliance of women on its stages and in its kitchen for International Women’s Day. Ladies Who Lunch We welcome a new Resident Chef in March. Amanda Ray, the culinary virtuoso steering the kitchens of Drake…
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1 Elgin unveils a spectacular new season of Resident Chefs
December 7, 2023The much-anticipated return of the Resident Chef program in 2024 promises an adventurous culinary journey as it marks its fifth season. Showcasing a stellar lineup of remarkable culinary artists, this season invites patrons to savour an eclectic fusion of flavours, techniques, and cultural…
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Chef’s Table Returns After Last Summer’s Outstanding Success
June 21, 2021It’s official, the Chef’s Table series of Canal-side concerts at the NAC’s 1 Elgin Restaurant with RBC Bluefest is back this Summer This exciting collaboration between RBC Bluesfest and the NAC offers an amazing farm-to-table feast created by outstanding chefs paired with live music by…
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Interview with Rich and Kenton
July 9, 2019Now widely recognized as one of the finalists on Canada’s Top Chef (season 4), Rich Francis is redirecting the spotlight to issues of importance to him, namely the rights of Indigenous people to continue creating and serving food in a culturally authentic way. As the Head Chef of Seventh…
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Our new compost program: sustainability at the NAC
May 14, 2019The National Arts Centre and the Hon. Catherine McKenna, Canadian Minister of the Environment and Climate Change and Member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre, have unveiled an innovative program that will introduce plant-based food and drink containers and transform them into rich compost to…
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New name for le café
April 12, 2019Later this year, the NAC will retire le café, the name of its restaurant since the 1970s. le café rose to national culinary fame under legendary chef Kurt Waldele, a pioneer in the movement to use local ingredients. le café was among the first to embrace the diverse flavours of Canadian…
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Saying “I do” at the NAC
February 7, 2019Couples are increasingly choosing the NAC as the place to get married: more than 30 ceremonies have occurred since late 2017. The new NAC spaces, with their stunning views of national landmarks, are some of the most romantic venues in Ottawa. What’s not to love! For more information about…
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’Tis the Season for NAC Parties
November 13, 2018The holidays are upon us. Conveniently, for those looking for a festive party venue, all of the NAC’s spaces are open, including the elegant O’Born Room with its stunning (wintry) views of downtown Ottawa. And after Santa has come and gone, there’ll be New Year’s Eve. Last year, more than…
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le café redux
September 13, 2018The NAC’s venerable le café restaurant has been completely renovated, just in time for the 2018–2019 season. Food and Beverage General Manager Nelson Borges (left) and Executive Chef Kenton Leier spent the summer overseeing construction that has transformed the restaurant into a…
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The Evolution of the Brunch
April 4, 2018In a classic TV episode of The Simpsons, Marge's friend invites her to brunch. “What is that?” she asks. He responds: “It’s not quite breakfast, not quite lunch, but you get a slice of cantaloupe at the end.” Brunch is not what it used to be. Discerning brunchers are increasingly avoiding…
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The Canada Room
January 17, 2018A 1969 Prélude Magazine ad described the NAC’s first fine-dining restaurant, L’Opéra, as “Clearly the best in town, yet not that expensive”. Despite that glowing praise, the restaurant closed and was replaced by the popular Panorama Room, which hosted countless meetings and wedding…
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A Beautiful Space is Born
November 15, 2017The O’Born Room, the National Arts Centre’s spectacular new event space, hosted its first reception on September 26th, 2017. As the first few guests entered the 2,700 square-foot room and gazed upon its spectacular views of Ottawa landmarks such as the Parliament Buildings and Château…
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A New Star in the NAC Kitchen
September 7, 2017There’s a direct link between the NAC’s new Executive Chef Kenton Leier and the late Kurt Waldele, the legendary chef who presided over the NAC’s culinary glory days from 1978 to 2009. In 1998, Waldele selected Leier to be part of a kitchen dream team that won many national and…
