Kaelhub Cudmore has taken over the culinary reins at Rocky Mountaineer, the luxury train company that travels in British Columbia, Alberta and the American Southwest. (Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer)
Growing up on Vancouver Island, Kaelhub Cudmore loved playing with trains as much as he loved cooking at home with his mother. Fast forward 30 years and he is the executive chef on Rocky Mountaineer, a role he declares as “my dream come true.” The iconic rail experience, Canada’s only true luxury train, offers one three-day journey between Vancouver, Whistler and Jasper, and two two-day journeys between Vancouver and Banff or Jasper. In 2021, it launched its only U.S. operation, running from Denver, Coloarado to Moab, Utah on a route dubbed Rockies to the Red Rocks. Rocky Mountaineer has won a World Travel Award as the World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train eight times.
From his mother’s kitchen to this world-famous train, Cudmore’s progression has included stints at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, a decade at the renowned Clayoquot Wilderness Resort on Vancouver Island, a leader of the Thomas Keller program on the luxury cruise line, high-end boutique resorts, and guest chef appearances at exclusive resorts in Montana and New York.
He was recently interviewed by Vacay.ca about his culinary career and how travel has inspired him and his cuisine.
Vacay.ca: When and how did you become interested in cooking?
Kaelhub Cudmore: At a young age. I was the second of two boys and my mom wanted a daughter. Growing up, I spent a lot of time with her in the kitchen. That’s where I got an appreciation for food. Good food. When it came time to get a job, a kitchen was the natural place I gravitated to. As a dish washer.
Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf Service features carefully crafted plates for each meal of the journey. (Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer)
Vacay.ca: Was your mother a good cook?
KC: Yes, a great cook. My parents were back-to-the-earth people. We made our own bread and cheese and yogurt and would harvest stuff out in the forest. Ours was always an intimate connection with food.
Vacay.ca: How would you describe your culinary style?
KC: I have the utmost respect for the products and the people who grow and harvest them. They are the real stars of the food world. I believe our role as chefs is to highlight incredible products. I like to showcase them simply on a plate and let them speak for themselves, as opposed creating my own vision of something and moulding the ingredients to fit.
Vacay.ca: You are also known as a passionate chef. Where did this passion come from?
KC: It comes from a love of food from the very beginning. I really, really, really love eating. I get excited about flavours, smells, tastes, and textures. The next layer for me is sharing with people around me. Cooking is all about sharing.
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Vacay.ca: What are the biggest challenges you face cooking and serving gourmet meals on a moving train?
KC: There are a lot of logistical challenges. They differ, but the obvious one — the train is moving, jittering and shaking and we have to account for all that. There are space constraints. The galley is small. There are timing constraints. We have to prep to account for the traffic on the rails. And logistical challenges sourcing products. For example, when we make a product in Vancouver, we send it to our distribution facility where it is loaded on the train so it can be scattered across the province to the various rail cars.
Kaelhub Cudmore uses his background in fine dining to deliver a decadent culinary experience to Rocky Mountaineer’s passengers — no matter how small the train’s galley kitchen may be. (Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer)
Vacay.ca How much time do you spend on the train?
KC: Quite a bit. I think I spent four days at home in Vancouver last June and July. I spent a lot of time training last year. Now I am trying to let the team flourish without me.
Vacay.ca: When you aren’t in the kitchen, how do you like to spend your time?
KC: I am the kind of classic west-coast Canadian. I like to go camping, hiking, skiing, scuba and free diving — all the stereotypical things we do outdoors here. Riding motorcycles is another favourite pastime. And honestly, just eating. If I am not in the kitchen for work, I’m also in a restaurant exploring food.
Vacay.ca: Do you think you would cook differently today if you had gone to culinary school vs. learning on the job?
KC: Yes, I think I would cook very differently. But I don’t know first-hand, so to be candid, that’s a bit of an assumption. However, I do think I would be more constrained and dedicated to classical technique if I had gone to culinary school.
Vacay.ca: What would you recommend to a young person thinking of becoming a chef? Would you recommend doing it the way you did or going to school?
KC: I would recommend a blend. Without a doubt. Start off in restaurants, where you can learn from great professionals, where you can harness and develop your creativity. And then go to school to get foundational skills and learn the professionalism of the industry. Both are important baselines. But first, find the right people and work with them. In the real world, hands-on, skill-training before enrolling in a culinary program will put you miles ahead and you will also get more out of the program. My number one piece of advice — whatever field you are in is to find the right people who know more than you do and learn what they know. I have been very fortunate in my life, working with some incredibly talented chefs paid huge dividends for me.
Rocky Mountaineer’s dishes are not only delicious, but they’re also social media-friendly. (Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer)
Vacay.ca: Where in the world are your favourite places to travel?
KC: From a food perspective, it’s Southern France where there are tons of great restaurants and dishes and fabulous places to visit. And Morocco for its incredible ingredients that are my favourites. And I have great memories of eating chili peppers and fresh fish on a beach in Indonesia. Those are my top three.
Vacay.ca: What about within Canada? Have you travelled extensively here?
KC: I have driven across the country a couple of times and spent time on the east coast and a lot of time in northern B.C. and Yukon. For me, northern Canada is the most inspirational. North of Whitehorse the natural beauty is inspiring in so many ways. Those have been some of the most memorable travels. When it comes to foods, I really am true to home I can’t think of anywhere in the country that I prefer more than the north coast of British Columbia and the wild products coming from those waters.
Vacay.ca: What would you like our readers to know about Rocky Mountaineer?
KC: What an incredible and unique way it is to see our country. There is nothing else to compare. It’s a super special journey and a one-of-a-kind experience through Canada’s magnificent west. The journey becomes the destination.
Vacay.ca: What can someone planning for a Rocky Mountaineer trip expect to find on the menu?
KC: Really bright, fresh fruit that speaks to the journey that you are on and food inspired by the land we travel through, that tells a story of the journey. For example, the new menu features Fraser Valley Chicken Paillard, Alberta Beef Shank Ragout, and Crispy Skin Lois Lake Steelhead. We research each area, its products and traditions before a dish gets to the menu.
Vacay.ca: What are your long-term goals?
KC: I have many long-term goals, but at the core of them is to be here with Rocky Mountaineer and be part of what we are doing and how we are expanding. That’s the core of my five-year goal.
Vacay.ca: Please finish this sentence for us: Happiness is ….
KC: The ability to live and enjoy your days. And appreciate the time and what you are doing.
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