encore

In her “Eating Niagara” column on June 4, acclaimed food writer Tiffany Mayer profiled chef duo Selah Schmoll and Ray Syegco, culinary wizards behind Incoho in downtown St. Catharines. Schmoll and Syegco are alumni of Niagara College’s Culinary Management program; Schmoll graduated in 2017 and Syegco in 2014. During her time at NC, Schmoll traveled India in 2017 to represent the college and Canada at the Young Chef Olympiad, an international student culinary competition. Their restaurant Incoho – Latin for new beginnings – opened in March and marks a break from the long hours and exhaustion of their early years in the industry. Schmoll, a former head pastry chef and Syegco, a former sous chef, united around a shared vision for a better work-life balance and diner experience. Mayer writes that the restaurant setup does away with the division between chefs and diners. Rather than traditional wait staff, the chefs serve guests themselves, a chance for diners learn about what went into their meal. Schmoll and Syegco are passionate about local producers, sourcing much of their produce from hauls from the St. Catharines Farmers Market. Read the feature story here.