Hello everyone!
My name is Ian Miller and I am the Executive Sous Chef at the Fraser River Lodge. I was asked to write a little bit about myself, the day-to-day here at the Fraser River Lodge, and some of the cool things we do in the kitchen.
First a little about myself: I was born in the Fraser Valley and started working in kitchens by the time I was 16, my first job was just being a dishwasher at a local bar and grill. It wasn't a glamorous job and I won't lie I didn't take it that seriously or think there was much of a future in it, but shortly after being moved up to a line cook the head chef took me aside and told me “Ian you're terrible at this and if you don't get better I'm going to fire you”. Being that I’ve always been a bit of a competitive person I took this personally and it lit a fire in me.
From that point on it was onward and upward for me, I left the Fraser Valley and moved to the Sunshine Coast, then Whistler trying to find more elevated kitchens to work in. After three seasons in Whistler, I felt it was time to move on and continue to grow, so it was off to Europe for me to chase the stars.
A year of working in Norway at the Grand Cafe (the oldest hotel in the country) was followed by a year and a half in Denmark, where I was able to spend time in many of the best restaurants in the world, Noma, Geranium, and Relae.
Returning to North America I took a job in Washington at the Willows Inn, which at the time was considered one of the best restaurants on the continent. After my time in the U.S.I moved to Vancouver and joined Chef Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson as his Sous Chef helping open Published on Main. A few years later and managing our way through Covid, Published was named the best restaurant in Canada and was awarded one of the first Michelin stars in the country's history.
Looking for a change of pace and with my first kid on the way I found my way to the Fraser River Lodge and joined Executive Chef Justin Paakuainen where we focus on creating the best food we can using local and homegrown products as well as foraging for amazing wild ingredients that grow around the lodge.
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