VView Restaurant + Bar The Delta Hotel is a popular local spot with a great beachfront location right downtown in Sault Ste. Maria. The property’s welcoming atmosphere, farm-to-table cuisine and comfortable seating, panoramic windows and St. It is known for its full bar with unparalleled views of the Mary River.

View’s chef-created menu is innovative, featuring international dishes with local touches that change seasonally and providing fresh ingredients.

Peter Onishenko has been working there as Executive Chef for a year and says it has been a great experience. We sat down with the chef to get to know him a little better; We talked about how much he enjoys his role as a leader in the kitchen, his favorite dish from the current menu and where he gets his inspiration from.

Village Media: What is your background in the industry?

Peter Onishenko: I have worked locally for 24 years between two properties. On a whim, I started working as a Commissioner in another business. I had just moved to the city and the business needed urgent help and my best friend was working there. He asked if I was looking for a job and the rest is history. My career started there.

I lived out west for a while and was cooking there, but decided to move back to the city. Once again I was able to secure a position on the property. They had a really creative Chief at the time who taught me a lot; He encouraged me to go to school and pursue a career in the industry rather than just working a job.

While still working full time, I attended and graduated from Sault College’s culinary program. I spent a lot of time studying and learning, completed my Red Seal, and was able to apply for and obtain the Chef de Partie position here at Delta. Fast forward a few years, then I was a Sous Chef here, and now I’m an Executive Chef. I have now started my fifteenth year on this property and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

VM: How big is the kitchen team at View Restaurant + Bar? How do you enjoy your role of leading others in the kitchen?

PO: We have a good sized team. We currently have more than 20 partners, including a strong team of talent. I love leading this team! Roughly 95% of our chefs have completed post-secondary education for this industry, so the desire and effort of each of them makes my daily life enjoyable; So much so that I sponsor half a dozen colleagues through the apprenticeship program. their Red Seal. Love, love, I love it!

VM: How do you define the menu in View?

PO: Unique, original, fine dining fusion and impressive taste. I’ve been creating menus with original items for years, but I feel like they’re really coming together and we’re about to launch some new items to freshen that up.

VM: How does Dishes fit into your personal philosophy/vision?

PO: I have such a great love for food and I’m also an artistic person so it mixes well. Love what you do, do what you love, be confident and be original. Express yourself through flavor. That’s what vision is…self-expression and passion.

“In a world where you can be anything, be yourself.”
-Albert Einstein

VM: What makes View Restaurant + Bar unique and different from other services in the area?

PO: We are a fusion fine dining establishment that prides itself on many home-cooked originals unique to our estate. We have menu items that we’ve taken to the next level. We source premium produce for our menu and as a diverse facility/department we use some of the great flavors from around the world. All of our dessert menus are prepared in-house and updated along with other menus many times a year. We are always fresh.

VM: What is your favorite type of food to eat? What’s your current favorite on the menu?

PO: My favorite meal to eat is the one I don’t have to cook! (laughs) All jokes aside, I really don’t have a favorite. There are so many great cooking styles and flavor profiles that when I want something special at the moment, this is my favorite. It’s easy to please me. My favorite dish on our dinner menu right now is our Coriander Chicken Pappardelle Pasta. A versatile product that expresses the flavors of Mexico and Italy, containing South African peppers and broccoli. It touches every level, from sweet to savory.

VM: Where do you get inspiration for the dishes you create?

PO: I’m a foodie, so when I go to ethnic restaurants I try different things, and if I like the flavor profile, I think about my own upbringing and the food I ate and put it together. I also love combining multiple ethnic dishes, especially when there are common ingredients. I spend a lot of time researching cooking styles/techniques, so I also draw inspiration from books and the beautiful inter-web. (laughs)

VM: Is there anything special customers can look forward to in the next few months?

PO: Yes definitely! We recently launched our Fall dessert menu and are preparing for our lunch menu launch featuring several fresh items. We are making changes to our bar menu and will update our dinner menu very shortly. We’re definitely staying busy here on the property! We will also be offering our Christmas Day brunch and dinner buffets as every year; Be sure to call and make a reservation as quota fills up quickly. So we have something to look forward to.

VM: Thank you very much for your time. Is there anything else you would like to share with readers?

PO: I would definitely like to show my gratitude to the culinary partners for the opportunity to lead such an amazing team, and to Samantha and Anna for their excellent help in bringing my crazy ideas to life! (laughs) And I thank the leadership team here for seeing my vision. I couldn’t ask for anything better and that’s why I love coming to work every day.

Visit View Restaurant + Bar or call 705-945-6999. Follow the restaurant Facebook and book a table OpenTable.

Stay informed about events, promotions and special seasonal offers on Instagram @deltassm.