Chef Dale MacKay closes ensemble and ensembleTap restaurants

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      A little over a year after opening ensemble (850 Thurlow Street), chef and proprietor Dale MacKay closed ensemble and its sister restaurant, ensembleTap (990 Smithe Street), after dinner service on August 25. The winner of the inaugural season of Top Chef Canada says that high rent and stiff competition in downtown Vancouver is to blame.

      “I learned quickly that opening a restaurant in the heart of Vancouver is something I should have done after building my business and expansion capital in markets that support my restaurant business plan,” MacKay stated in a news release Monday (August 27). “As it is in the Vancouver core, with the rents being so high and the market saturated with fabulous restaurants, I’d have to subsidize both operations far longer than makes good business sense.”

      In a phone interview with the Straight, MacKay confirmed that rent on both spaces was $40,000 per month. He insists, however, that he does not believe that the locations, which previously housed other restaurants that closed, are bad spaces.

      "I don't think that the space is cursed by any means," MacKay said, referring to ensemble's corner location off of Robson Street. "The space did me very well. Unfortunately, we opened another large restaurant in a big space, and it was too much."

      MacKay opened ensemble, which served French-inspired dishes made with local ingredients, in May 2011. In December 2011, ensembleTap, which specialized in craft beers and high-quality pub food, opened its doors. Prior to opening both restaurants and competing on Top Chef Canada, MacKay honed his skills at several restaurants owned by Gordon Ramsay and at the now-closed Lumière and db Bistro Moderne in Vancouver, where he was executive chef.

      “I’m willing to fall on my own sword and admit I was wrong,” MacKay stated in the news release. “If seasoned restaurateurs like Daniel Boulud find it unprofitable to compete in Vancouver, it was bold of me to think I could make the math work any better. As the ‘for lease’ signs started going up all around me on Robson, I saw the writing on the wall and had to ignore my ego and make the best decision for myself and for my son.”

      While MacKay hasn’t decided what he will do next, he says that he doesn't plan on opening another restaurant in Vancouver anytime soon. Instead, he may head to the Prairies, where he has family in Regina, and plans on maintaining his presence in Canada’s culinary scene.

      “Being front of house in my restaurants and on tour for the [Food] network and for sponsors taught me so much about Canadians and really opened my eyes to our food and restaurant culture—saturated in major centres and sadly under-represented in most secondary and smaller markets,” he said. “I’d like to see that change someday soon, but for now I will concentrate my attention on several culinary efforts that I’ve been chipping away at since winning Top Chef Canada and also catch-up on some consulting projects.”

      You can follow Michelle da Silva on Twitter at twitter.com/michdas.

      Comments

      14 Comments

      RP

      Aug 27, 2012 at 6:25pm

      Along with the rent - perhaps a little too fancy for tourists and a little too not Asian for the Asians. Because who the hell else is strolling the dazzling wonderland that is the Robson area?

      Pender guy

      Aug 27, 2012 at 7:06pm

      Too bad.
      Ensemble was always enjoyable and seemingly busy.
      Seems the expansion to the second location was the downfall.

      skyrimprincess

      Aug 27, 2012 at 7:30pm

      I'm going to miss eTap. It was my go-to restaurant for pre-movie drinks (and post-movie meals). Best of luck to the great staff and of course to Chef Dale.

      Pat Crowe

      Aug 27, 2012 at 7:43pm

      In Portland you can cut out the fancy linen, expensive grat for pretentious, mediocre service and food as in Vancouver and enjoy a great meal from one of the hundreds of downtown food carts for six bucks. People have woken up to the rip off that is the Vancouver/Victoria restuarant scene and voting where they will eat with their wallets. It's usually at home. That's not such a bad thing.

      sarah295

      Aug 28, 2012 at 1:03am

      dining in Vancouver is a major rip off, the only places i dine out are mom/pop home cooking places that offer cultural food at great prices with out the snobbery......places like earls and cactus club are what kill fine dining - people here think that is fine dining, because they pay for crap food in a can.

      the successful restaurants are small, good prices, good food

      tedelection

      Aug 28, 2012 at 2:52am

      how can this be... i thought Vancouver was a world-class and had the Olympics everything should be booming. ..all that was just a big lie!!

      nothing survives in Vancouver anymore, a terrible place to start a business, get a job or raise a family.......greedy landlords have killed Vancouver, people come and realize Vancouver is a disaster,, people are overtaxed and gouged by greedy landlords.....so sad!! Vancouver was once a great city

      Jiff

      Aug 28, 2012 at 7:39am

      Could it also be that MacKay might have been putting a little too much stock in his celebrity? People who care more about that stuff are probably in North Van and Whistler, not Robson. And Top Chef Canada ain't exactly Dancing with the Talented American Idols. Like that's worth much either.

      R2

      Aug 28, 2012 at 9:13am

      I agree with Pat Crowe when the weekend comes who wants to hit a nice restaurant, lounge or bar with great food, drinks and atmosphere when you can hit a foodcart for a $6.00 meal, walk 2 blocks in the rain before you find some bus stop to sit and eat your $6.00 meal and then be home in time to watch the latest hollywood release on your 14" computer screen.
      Living the dream!

      earlnelly

      Aug 28, 2012 at 10:13am

      that location on Thurlow is cursed.

      Sheeple

      Aug 28, 2012 at 12:32pm

      I both like as a fan and respect this Chef.

      Too bad that he had to close shop.

      Any smart restaurantuer could partners with him and make millions off his talent.

      I look forward to see his next restaurant project, best wishes.