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Canada: Vancouver Thai Restaurant Features Rooftop Edible Garden

Maenam Restaurant’s edible roof garden overlooks Vancouver’s downtown skyline. By Sofia Susan Tuangkitkun
Chef Mike and son harvest greens on the roof. By Sofia Susan Tuangkitkun

The pandemic and having the restaurant shut down for a few weeks inspired Mike, the Chef du cuisine at Vancouver’s Maenam Restaurant, to start the garden.

By Sofia Susan Tuangkitkun
All photos by the author
June 29, 2020

It started as a weekly trip to spray water on the roof to cool down the kitchen during hot summer days, which eventually evolved to a rooftop edible garden. The pandemic and having the restaurant shut down for a few weeks has inspired Mike, the Chef du cuisine at Kitsilano’s Maenam Restaurant to start a rooftop edible garden in the restaurant.

Having no experience in gardening, Mike started watching videos to learn about growing food – Kale was the first vegetable he planted. A month later, he now has garden beds filled with lush Kale plants of different varieties.

He also started collecting seeds from produce that they use – such as Kaffir Lime and started sprouting it. He explored planting the stalks of Lemongrass and Pandan too.

Vancouver skyline. By Sofia Susan Tuangkitkun

Mike finds it exciting and satisfying to see his garden grow and his plants happy – especially when he can use it in one of Maenam’s signature dishes. For now, Maenam’s modest rooftop garden is able to supply the restaurant with kale for their salad and garnishes and herbs such as mustard greens, green onion, bronze fennel, nasturtium, dill, coriander and mint.

Twins help the chef. By Sofia Susan Tuangkitkun

You can find Mike in the rooftop garden whenever he gets the chance to be away from the kitchen (his tan lines can prove it)- and occasionally, even during his days off – usually with his two assistant gardeners in tow. His next project is growing edible wild flowers and microgreens.

Visit Maenam Restaurant