Host, Chef
Prior to moving to Prince Edward County in 2003 from Toronto, Michael
Potters had cooked in some of Toronto’s finest restaurants for a span of
over two decades: Café des Copains, Auberge Gavroche, Estates of
Sunnybrook, Ivory, Rosewater Supperclub, and Accolade to name but a few.
His attention to detail, respect for traditional techniques and
adoration of food’s natural beauty are what set his cuisine apart.
Upon arriving in Prince Edward County, Michael, along with his wife
Karin Desveaux-Potters, opened the tiny Milford Bistro in the hamlet of
the same name. Foodies flocked in droves to the quaint, antique general
store to savour meals prepared in the couple’s doll-sized kitchen. The
opening process and subsequent success of The Milford Bistro was
documented by the Food Network on a Gemeni-winning episode of Opening
Soon.
After two seasons of operating the Milford Bistro, the Potters chose to
close it and move on to open the larger, more sophisticated Harvest in
2006, several miles away in the town of Picton. In this 56 seat dining
room, Michael was able to serve more than 18 diners at a time, and so
his message of local, seasonal, traditonal cuisine was able to be
enjoyed on a much larger scale. Critics and foodies alike took instant
notice, and Harvest was even rated among the top 10 dining rooms in the
country within its’ first year by En Route magazine.
In the summer of 2007, Michael and Karin opened a small specialty food
shop called Pinch Gourmet, also located in Picton. The prime focus of
Pinch is to provide a source for carefully-chosen, special ingredients,
sourced both locally and internationally, so that cooks at home can
produce the same kinds of dishes that Michael prepares in the
restaurant. Pinch also offers an extensive line of prepared foods, fresh
and frozen, to allow gourmands to heat-and-serve on a whole other
level!
In addition to the shop, Michael and Karin offer cooking classes in
their professional kitchen at the restaurant. The classes are a
carefully-crafted series of hands-on experiences, designed to allow the
hobby cook to elevate their skills to the next level.
Moving to Prince Edward County has provided Michael with a deeper
connection to the land and the seasons, enabling him to source many more
products directly. Local growers and farmers have provided knowledge
and inspiration for Chef’s “County Cuisine”, the exciting current
chapter of his culinary history.
