On the weekend of Canada Day, some residents of the Comox Valley had a little bit of Germany on their plates for dinner.
Matthias and Claudia Lingkost, along with their daughter Larissa, celebrated their new ownership of Comox’s Avenue Bistro.
Now at the helm of this popular eatery, the couple treated guests to authentic German schnitzels and free glasses of sparkling wine.
Originally from Frankfurt, Matthias is a classically trained chef, drawing influences from Italian, French, and German cuisine.
However, the couple makes it clear that they have no intention of altering the menu.
“It’s a big restaurant and it has its reputation,” says Matthias. “There’s a saying in Germany that says ‘never change a winning team’ and this restaurant is a winning team. That’s why we’re keeping everything.”
In addition to retaining the original crew of 24 employees, Matthias explains that some new traditional German dishes will eventually make their appearance on the menu.
“We will add a few items,” says Matthias. “We still have the same chef and we want to keep him since he created the menu. Over time, we will find a middle ground, but (the menu) will not become only German dishes.”
When asked about this change in ownership, the Linkgosts mentioned that they were looking for a new challenge and noticed that the restaurant was for sale.
“(The previous owner) had the business for nine years, and they wanted to retire,” says Matthias. “It was too much for them. They had no days off.”
A long way home
Growing up in Germany, Matthias started cooking with his mom when he was tall enough the reach the counter.
Years later, after graduating from cooking school, he rapidly gained experience working for various restaurants.
He eventually landed a job at one of Germany’s most prestigious restaurants, the Michelin-starred Le Francais at the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel.
“I cooked meals for the Queen, the US Secretary of State, ambassadors for Isreal, and diplomats from Japan,” recalls Matthias.
After several years of cooking for others in various restaurants, Matthias teamed up with a partner and opened his own restaurant.
However, at the start of the last decade, the couple started thinking of leaving their native country.
As winds of social upheaval swept across Europe, the couple deemed it necessary to leave Germany behind to offer their children a better future.
“We took a big map and looked at where we could go,” says Matthias. “I spoke a little bit of English, so we started looking at Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and the U.K. - which are countries similar to Germany.”
After some research, they finally chose Canada and opted for B.C. more specifically because of its mild winters.
Settling down in White Rock in 2016, Matthias started working as a chef in Uli’s - one of White Rock’s most beloved restaurants - while Claudia worked as a bookkeeper.
After seven years of service, Matthias took his leave from Uli’s, intending to go back to his old root of owning his restaurant.
The family embarked on a journey, combing through a wide range of restaurants across the province, from 100 Mile House to Sooke, in search of the best opportunity.
“We finally saw (an ad) that (Avenue Bistro) was for sale,” says Matthias. “We arrived in the Valley on March 11. It was our first time here. We thought what we were seeing was fake because we came during the herring spawn. We saw hundreds of eagles and seals. It was so impressive; I told Claudia that we needed to find a way to move here. If it would not have worked out with the restaurants, I would have found something else.”
A few weeks later following their first visit, the couple bought the restaurant and got a house in Merville.
“It’s full every evening,” says Matthias. “It’s just amazing to see this.”