A Distinct Taste of Place
River Café hosts Chef Warren Barr of Pluvio Restaurant + Rooms and
Chef de Farm Shane Harper of Pearl Morisette
As part of Terroir Symposium 2026, A Distinct Taste of Place brings together three defining voices in Canadian cuisine and agriculture. Drawing from regenerative farming, close chef–farmer collaboration and Canada’s diverse landscapes, this dinner celebrates food grown with intention and cooked with respect. Set against River Café’s iconic riverside setting, A Distinct Taste of Place is a rare opportunity to experience how land, kitchen and tradition come together to tell a distinctly Canadian story, one course at a time.
Warren Barr, Chef-Owner, Pluvio Restaurant + Rooms
Shane Harper, Chef de Farm, Pearl Morisette
Kristen Livingston, Executive Chef, River Café
Thursday, May 28, 2026
6:30pm
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Welcome Cocktail & Canapés
Five Course Dinner with Wine Pairings
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$245.00 per person + gst
(includes fees & service gratuity)
River Café is one of Calgary’s most revered restaurants, beloved both for its beautiful location in Prince’s Island Park and for its philosophy of celebrating top-quality regional and seasonal ingredients with a taste of place. Leading the talented kitchen is Executive Chef Kristen Livingston, a passionate advocate for sustainability and a champion of Canadian cuisine. Her coast-to-coast culinary journey has taken her from the shores of Prince Edward Island to the kitchens of St. John’s, deepening her appreciation for Canada’s rich food culture. Sommelier and Cellar Manager Bruce Soley has been a savvy guide to River Cafe’s terroir-driven wine list since 1999. Year after year, River Café continues to win international awards, is currently No.47 on Canada’s 100 Best and was named Canada’s Most Eco-Friendly Restaurant.
Executive Chef, Kristen Livingston, River Café
Pluvio restaurant + rooms, owned and operated by Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey, opened in April 2019 in Ucluelet, BC. Shortly after opening, it was named the 4th Best New Restaurant in Canada by enRoute Magazine and by 2022, it was recognized as Canada’s Best Destination Restaurant. Warren began his culinary career at Doc Morgans Pub on Bowen Island, apprenticed at Vancouver’s Le Crocodile, and held his first Chef position at The Inn at Bay Fortune in PEI, where he embraced local cuisine. After years of seasonal work in PEI and Montreal, he returned to the West Coast as Executive Chef at the Wickaninnish Inn for six years before settling in Ucluelet. Pluvio is dedicated to offering a seasonally inspired menu featuring the finest ingredients from local farmers, fishers, foragers, and producers.
Warren Barr, Chef-Owner, Pluvio Restaurant
Shane Harper - better known as the Chef de Farm at the acclaimed Pearl Morissette Restaurant, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Canada’s #1 ranked restaurant (Canada’s 100 Best), and consistently recognized among North America’s 50 Best Restaurants, leads the estate’s garden team with a deeply integrated approach to regenerative farming and culinary execution, overseeing the planning, cultivation, and daily management of the gardens that directly supply the kitchen. Working in close dialogue with the chefs, Harper helps shape what is grown, ensuring the land informs the menu. His leadership sets the direction for Pearl Morissette’s regenerative practices, prioritizing biodiversity, soil health and seasonality, positioning the farm as a central creative force behind one of the most celebrated dining destinations in the world.
Shane Harper, Chef de Farm, Pearl Morisette
ABOUT TERROIR SYMPOSIUM
Terroir Hospitality is transforming global food systems through gastrodiplomacy - giving chefs, producers, restaurateurs and industry leaders a valued platform through which to connect, learn and interact within their own industries & communities, as well as others all across the world.
Gastrodiplomacy is rooted in the belief that food is one of the most unique ways to communicate a region’s culture. Food has always played a significant role in shaping the world, creating the trade routes, economic & political power plays, and commerce opportunities that formed the basis of many modern-day nations. Weaved throughout all these interactions is the fabric of the resulting society as well as their collective tastes, palates and food culture. By interrogating national traits and cultures through unique, immersive learning programs, Terroir creates international delegations of culinary advocates who communicate their experiences and deeply tangible newfound connection to audiences all across the globe.
Canadian Seasonal Cuisine
Supporting regional and local purveyors, farmers and coastal fishermen practising responsible stewardship of the land, rivers and sea.
All seafood selections are the best sustainable choices as recommended by Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise Program.