Joe Thottungal
Executive Chef/Owner, Coconut Lagoon
Joe was born in Kerala, the southern state of India: God's own country. He took his Hotel Management and catering Diploma from an institute in Madras and started his career with the five star property of Leela Kempinski Mumbai as a Kitchen Executive Trainee. He then moved to Saudi Arabia to take a Chef de partie job at a 5 star exclusive Oasis resort under the guidance of Chef John R. Stevens and Chef Goivanni Telles. In 1998 Joe immigrated to Canada at the age of 26.
Joe started his Canadian culinary journey at Centro Bar and Grill and moved on to Royal York Hotel to work under famous Master Chef George McNeil CMC. After completing two years at the Royal York Hotel, he grabbed an opportunity at the newly opened Park Hyatt Hotel and helped to open up the new Annona Restaurant as a Sous Chef. When he got tired of Toronto life to moved to Casino Windsor as a Restaurant Chef at its exclusive fine dining Restaurant called Cache where he displayed his talents to the crème de la crème crowd of Casino Windsor.
While working at Casino Windsor he had an opening to work with Chef Wilhelm Wetscher CCC at the Crowne Plaza Hotel as a Restaurant Chef. After a couple of months he was promoted to Executive Sous Chef.
While at the Crowne Plaza Joe did his Chef de cuisine certification from Sait Calgary and become a Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC) in May 2003.
His passion for cooking and dealing with guests gave birth to the Coconut Lagoon Restaurant, his own venture where he displays his talents and show cases the exclusive cuisine of Kerala with a modern twist. The Coconut Lagoon Restaurant is the first of its own kind opened in the nation’s capital.
After opening its doors in May 2004, Coconut Lagoon received lots of positive review and became the talk of the Town.
Joe is an active member of Les Toques Blanches Ottawa Chapter and CCFCC.
Recipes from Executive Chef Thottungal
Butternut Squash and Ginger Soup
Halibut Steak Moilee (Halibut in Mild Coconut Curry Sauce)
Crepes Stuffed with Caramelized Coconut and Jaggery
Links
Contact
Telephone: (613) 742-4444
E-mail: joe.thottungal@ltbo.org