Welcome to Camille's - a restaurant committed to supporting Vancouver Island agriculture.
Our local farms and farmers are disappearing at an alarming rate, to the point now that 90% of the food we eat is grown somewhere else. Yet we have the capacity to feed ourselves - 80% of the food we do grow is shipped of the Island!
Chef and owner David Mincey and his partner Paige Robinson have established Camille's as one of Vancouver Island's finest dining destinations, noted for its extensive wine cellar, warm ambiance and unwavering support of Island growers and producers.
David is a co-founder and past president (three year term) of the Island Chefs collaborative (ICC), a non-profit group comprised of progressive chefs dedicated to sustainably produced local ingredients. Under his leadership, the ICC chefs raised awareness of regional food issues by actively buying from and featuring local farmers on their menus and fund raising for the ICC Farmer Grant program. Six farmers each received grants of $1000 to aid in purchasing irrigation, fencing, equipment and supplies.
A unique opportunity presented itself in a series of chef/farmer meetings organized by David and the ICC board; chefs and farmers meeting face to face, developing business relationships and talking about seeds, seasons, prices and political issues. David is also committed to improving all aspects of food security and is a frequent guest speaker and panelist on issues such as the controversial Meat Inspection Legislation and the protection and enhancement of the Agricultural Land Reserve. He engages in policy-level work by representing the ICC on the steering committee of the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CR-FAIR)
David and Paige were instrumental in establishing the Bastion Square Farmers Market in downtown Victoria. With help from the ICC and funding by Farm Folk/City Folk, they purchased and re-sold over $60,000 of certified organic, organic and local produce. Each Wednesday, Paige, David and fellow ICC chef, Peter Zambri, picked up produce from over 35 different farms. The Thursday market saw over 700 grateful Victorians a day shopping for their veggies! That was year one...
In the next year the market grew to two days, Thursday and Friday, and we added a full line of canning and preserved goods all sourced from local farms. Response to this was huge and Camille's decided to turn the canning line into a full fledged side-business.
In year market year three the ICC hired local chef Brock Windsor to assist in running the market and together with David and Paige he brought the project to even greater heights putting nearly $130,000 back into the hands of local farmers.
For market year four Camille's chef Patrick Miller will take over the reins and major plans for growth are in store. Visit us in Bastion Square from June through September to see for yourself!
Now in its 21st year, Camille's is a labour of love for its owners and staff. They remain committed to providing first class food and knowledgeable, attentive service.
