Stacy Johnston & Minette Lotz

Chef Stacy Johnston believes that the ingredients make the dish. Growing up on her grandparents’ Saskatchewan homestead ingrained in Stacy a deep appreciation for excellent farming practices. Focusing on her food system ‘from the ground up’, Stacy strives to create food that tells the story of the ingredients, their farmers, and the season. 

Chef Minette Lotz’s passion is for terroir-driven and locally sourced ingredients. An avid forager, Minette finds her inspiration from exploring her surroundings and discovering new flavor combinations. A firm believer in what grows together, goes together, Minette creates dishes that are true to the exact time, place, and season they are created. 

In 2013, Minette and Stacy met in the kitchen. Their combined passion saw them cooking across western Canada, including working with Ocean wise and opening farm-to-table restaurants. 

In 2020, Minette and Stacy helped open the Naramata Inn, a terroir-driven dining experience in the heart of BC’s Okanagan Valley. In 2022 Stacy and Minette were Resident Chef’s at the National Art Center in Ottawa and were named two of ‘Canada’s next star chef’s’ by the Globe and Mail.  As they continue their new adventure at ‘The Restaurant at Poplar Grove’, they are excited to continue their journey of discovering the intersection of sustainably foraged and grown ingredients.