Your taste for adventure isn’t the only thing that’s indulged on a Rocky Mountaineer train journey. Travelling between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, what you’ll find on your plate is almost as impressive as what’s outside the glass-dome windows. Delicious multi-course breakfasts and lunches are served on board each day you’re on the train, freshly prepared by Rocky Mountaineer’s professional culinary team.
The first indication that this is going to be one delicious journey comes before you even leave the station; raise your glasses for a toast as you’re all welcomed aboard. Those travelling in GoldLeaf Service are divided into two meal seating groups per rail coach and head downstairs to the dedicated dining room. Perusing the menu, you can choose from five different main courses at each meal. Those in SilverLeaf Service choose from two main courses served at your seat. This really is restaurant-quality dining executed on the rails, as you pass through some of the most remote parts of Western Canada.
Breakfast on board is taken seriously - you have a full day of “oohing” and “ahhing” to prepare for - and could include options such as a smoked salmon and egg scramble or cinnamon French toast with Canadian maple syrup, all served with freshly baked pastries and seasonal fruit. At lunch, you might find yourself making the tough choice between Alberta beef and wild Pacific salmon. Luckily for you, every choice is the right one.
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Executive Chef Jean Pierre Guerin and his team create the menu each season, showcasing local ingredients and the cultural influences of the area while taking inspiration from the landscapes that Rocky Mountaineer travels through. As you connect with other guests over your meal, there’s also a true sense of connection with what you see outside. Fresh ingredients are sourced seasonally from British Columbia and Alberta - in fact, some of the routes pass right by the farms that supply Rocky Mountaineer, such as Desert Hills Ranch in Ashcroft, just west of Kamloops.
Illustrating the culinary team’s commitment to producing fine dining cuisine, the vast majority of the food is prepared on the train with stocks and soups made in the commissary kitchen and brought on board. The galley for each GoldLeaf Service rail coach is home to three members of the culinary teams, preparing three-course meals for 70 guests each day, with a slightly smaller team preparing dishes for those travelling in SilverLeaf Service. Because everything is created on board, the team is highly adept at accommodating those with dietary restrictions when given adequate notice. In fact, every menu includes at least one vegetarian choice and many items on the menu are gluten-free.
To compliment your meals, premium British Columbia wines from the Okanagan Valley, local craft beers and a selection of high-end spirits are offered complimentary on board throughout the journey along with gourmet snacks. Does a plummy merlot pair better with snow mountain peaks or are the crisp, citrus notes of a sauvignon blanc more to your liking? The only way to know is to try them for yourself.
