James Walt has been recognized by the Globe and Mail as "one of the top seven chefs in the country." He spent four years at Sooke Harbour House before joining Araxi in 1998. After opening Blue Water Cafe, he was appointed executive chef to the Canadian embassy in Rome and has been invited to cook at the James Beard House in New York City three times. Walt lives in the nearby Pemberton Valley.

One of the country’s leading chefs, James Walt continues to inspire both his contemporaries and his guests, creating compelling regional cuisine based on local, sustainable ingredients.

James Walt's profile page

• Short-listed, James Beard Foundation Award - Cooking From a Professional Point of View
• Winner, Gourmand World Cookbook Award - Best Chef Book in Canada
• Winner, Cordon d'Or Gold Ribbon International Cookbook Award - Illustrated Cookbook

"Araxi, the cookbook, is lovely to look at...home cooks will pick up some interesting ideas and a few techniques from a professional."

Daily Gleaner

"Gordon Ramsey may have just discovered Araxi this last year, but this restaurant has been quietly, and successfully celebrating all things seasonal and local for over 28 years."

Metro News

"Chef James Walt's book offers a clean elegance that makes it one of the prettiest cookbooks yet published in Canada."

Quill & Quire

"Foodies who followed the Whistler Hell's Kitchen saga this fall will appreciate a copy of this book with recipes by executive chef James Walt. In keeping with the latest trend, dishes are organized according to season."

Georgia Straight

"This book is full of the attention to detail, freshness and passion that makes eating at Araxi so special."

Heston Blumenthal

"Declared by Gordon Ramsay as THE best restaurant in Canada...[Araxi] features seasonal recipes highlighting Whistler's two distinct seasons -- summer and winter. From chilled English pea and mint soup to crispy egg, miso-crusted sablefish with smoked tuna broth and soba noodles, not to mention the over 100 gorgeous photos, this book, in the words of Ramsay, is sure to inspire."

Food Network Canada

"What a book to have! Inspiring and creative -- a must-have ingredient in any kitchen."

Gordon Ramsay

"It's a show-and-tell of why this city's an international culinary hottie."

Vancouver Sun