Just Opened: Haisai: James Chatto talks to Michael Stadtländer about his new, somewhat straightforward (but still deeply idiosyncratic) restaurant
Michael Stadtländer, chef, environmentalist, multimedia artist and all-around gastronomical guru, left the world of regular restaurants behind in 1993 when he bought Eigensinn Farm, a 100-acre Grey County property where he’d prepare feasts for a few lucky guests at a time. This September, he’s returned to the fold with Haisai, a 28-seat restaurant and bakery in the village of Singhampton. The new spot shares the same whimsical style; he built all the furniture by hand and spent two years decorating the fairy tale–like rooms (think pebble-encrusted walls, seashell wall sconces, light fixtures fashioned from sawn-off wine bottles and the odd pair of antlers).
Here, we talk to the chef about his latest career move.
Why open a new restaurant?
Well, it was meant to be a place for my son, Jonas, who’s a chef, and his wife—an opportunity for them. It was also a chance for me to create something, which is what I like to do—somewhere that would use produce from Eigensinn Farm and would be a place to go after work for a drink. Then, halfway through construction, my son and his wife packed up and went to Japan, so we had to rethink the whole thing.
And now you’re cooking at Haisai. Is Eigensinn closed?
No, it’s still available for private parties on Mondays and Tuesdays. But I can’t dance at two weddings. I’m enjoying Haisai. I kind of like being back in a real kitchen.
So it’s a return to a more conventional operation?
I wouldn’t say it’s more conventional. The room is anything but. And it’s a 12-course tasting menu with everybody coming at the same time—seven o’clock. That’s not conventional, either.
You’re cooking for twice as many people now, with twice as many courses. Is that a challenge?
These are smaller plates with maybe three elements instead of seven or eight, so it’s workable as long as people are on time and we don’t have to start the menu over again in the kitchen.
At Eigensinn, you have always been able to improvise a dish at the last minute.
That’s even more possible now. The dishes are simpler, and I don’t show you a menu.
This is the first Stadtländer wine list since your restaurant Nekah closed in 1990. How did you put it together?
Well, it’s all Ontario, which makes sense since almost all our ingredients are from the farm and the region, so I wanted our wines to reflect Ontario. And people can bring their own wine if they want. The corkage is $30.
That’s also what you charge for a jar of pickles in the bakery.
It seems like a lot of money, but when you open the jar you’ll see about eight huge cucumbers in there, all grown on the farm, so it’s good value. Our breads are organic, and almost all the flours come from Grey County. The pastries, apple strudels and plum cakes use all our own seasonal fruits.
You were always able to close Eigensinn for months at a time and travel. Can you do that with Haisai?
Right now, I don’t want to. I’m having too good a time. And winter is busy up here, with the skiers from Collingwood. Plus, in February and March I’m going to be holding dinners with luminaries from the fields of the arts, science, entertainment, the environmental movement. All sorts of people, from broadcaster Paul Kennedy to conjurer Sheldon Jafine to speakers from the David Suzuki foundation. A good thing to do on long winter evenings.
Haisai, 794079 Country Rd., RR2, Singhampton, 705-445-2748, haisairestaurantbakery.com.
I’ve thought about this a lot and I really think that Michael Statldander strikes me as a bit of an elitist when it comes to food. It shouldn’t be a surprise that he picked one of his buddies to let him write about his restaurant. I dont get the exorbitant costs in dining at his places and who does he think he is not telling ppeople what the menu is? $30 for pickles? okay sweetie.
The re-incarnation of Garth Drabinsky – its all about the show and the mystique about he show. Empressario.
My wife and I had the honour to have dinner at Eigensinn farm.
It confirmed that good food,well prepared and served to please both the taste buds and the eye is like life – too be savoured and remembered long after.
My husband and I along with four other friends had the opportunity to dine at Eigensinn farm and was thoroughly impressed with the evening. The food was outstanding and the service was gracious, hospitable and quite charming to say the least. I look forward to dining at his restaurant and enjoy what our beautiful province has to offer. Best of luck!!!!!
What will Toronto Life’s Top Ten Toronto Restaurant list do?
Oh wait – the list already has 2 or 3 restaurants that aren’t even located in the city.
So the list will continue to be stupid.
I would have loved to experience Eigensinn farm, but unfortunately, no one bothered to return any of my 5 phone calls over the span of over 4 months last year, even though my message indicated that we were trying to organize a surprise birthday dinner for a dear friend’s 50th birthday. Apparently ‘courtesy’ is not on the menu.
Eight cucumbers grown on the farm – ‘so it’s good value”? One of the silliest statements I’ve read in some time. How is that good value? What is it that he’s doing to said cucumbers that warrants such a price?
It all sounds lovely, but how much does the 12 course meal cost? I agree with comments written earlier: $30 for 8 cucumbers is totally ridiculous. Just because they are large and grown on the farm, ……!
$30 just to open a bottle of wine you brought yourself??? That’s crazy. At many restaurants, you can buy a decent bottle of VQA Ontario wine for that price — corking included. That kind of gouging makes me want to pass. There are many other locally-inspired fine dining establishments to choose from.
Toronto Life had this as the top restaurant in Toronto. And rightly so. Dined there last weekend. It was as expected: fresh, well-prepared, exciting dishes. All 12 of them – never mind the bread from the bakery that is on-site…worth the drive to Collingwood every weekend just for the bread! This is a Toronto accessible restaurant. It appears under “Out of Town” in the listings – just like Rundles, Inn-on-the-Twenty, etc. Generally that means that people that live in Toronto can realistically travel there for a meal. Michael is a passionate chef that creates a wonderful human experience. He is an extremely talented artist that is in his element up at Haisai. Go there. Read the comments on here with an open mind. Nothing in life is perfect. A meal here is the closest you will get to perfection in a Canadian kitchen.
Born in France, Grandfather a chef, i know what good food tastes like. 14 courses of bits and bites does not constitute a meal. i am tired of these so called chef’s putting more effort in presentation then taste. A simple meal can easily bring flavour and satisfaction. i would gladly put one of my meals up against these gurus. Can we not go back to basics and enjoy what is front of us. Quit worrying about whole grain, organic blah blah blah and eat what suits our taste buds!