Post Card: From the Beach at El Dorado Royale

Crystal-clear waters. White-sand beaches. Salt-rimmed margaritas. Canadian beef experts. One of these things is definitely not like the others, but during a recent stay at El Dorado Royale on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, I made the acquaintance of all four. As part of the resort’s recurring weeklong culinary series, a different Canuck toque is flown down each month to school hotel guests about beef cuts, cooking techniques, and wine pairings for the not-so-secret ingredient. In addition to attending demos and sampling a variety of beef-centered dishes, I gained a couple of new recipes and some helpful insider kitchen tips from chef Louis Charest, who helms two steakhouses in Ottawa (Big Easy’s and Rosie’s Southern Kitchen). Although it’s true that I wasn’t thinking about meat preparation as I lay poolside on my final day, when the trip was over, I took home more than just a tan.