Chef Stefan Hartmann brings classical European cooking to Bacchus in Vancouver
The Michelin-recognized restaurant in the Wedgewood Hotel honors timeless hospitality with refined technique and B.C. ingredients.
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Bacchus, nestled in the Wedgewood Hotel at 845 Hornby Street, feels unmistakably European—white tablecloths, polished silver, soft piano music, impeccable service. For executive chef Stefan Hartmann, that atmosphere is no accident; it's rooted in his childhood summers in northern Germany, where his cousin's husband operated a Michelin-starred family hotel and intimate 20-seat French restaurant.
"I was very fortunate," Hartmann recalls. "I spent my summer vacations with him. He would make his own truffles and all these things. I was 10 years old and I thought, 'This is so cool.'" That early exposure to sourcing—hunters, butchers, fishermen—shaped his understanding of food from its source. His apprenticeship in Germany took him through Michelin-starred kitchens in Hamburg before he opened his own restaurant, Hartmann, in Berlin, earning a Michelin star within four years and national recognition. But ownership brought pressure: a second restaurant strained finances, the loss of his mother shifted his outlook, and the relentless demands of the kitchen slowly overshadowed the joy that had drawn him to cooking in the first place. He closed Hartmann in 2014.
A German film director living in Vancouver eventually invited him to open Bauhaus, which quickly became one of Vancouver's most-respected dining destinations. A later chapter as a private chef aboard a yacht rekindled the simple pleasure of cooking before he returned to a professional kitchen: Bacchus.
Rather than reinvent one of Vancouver's landmark dining rooms, Hartmann has chosen to honour what has made it special for four decades. His cooking is rooted in classical European technique while embracing exceptional B.C. ingredients. "Innovation doesn't always make things better," he says. "Traditional handcraft elevated with thoughtful ideas. That's what we do." His beef tartare balances richness with brightness through black truffle, pickled quail egg and torched pearl onions. The lamb saddle—carefully opened, layered with spinach, shallots and garlic, then rolled—is perhaps the clearest expression of his refined approach, finished with fragrant rosemary jus and served alongside artichokes.
Good to know
Where is Bacchus located?
Bacchus is at 845 Hornby Street in the Wedgewood Hotel in Vancouver.
What kind of food does Bacchus serve?
Bacchus serves classical European cuisine prepared with refined technique and B.C. ingredients. Signature dishes include beef tartare with black truffle and pickled quail egg, and lamb saddle with spinach, shallots, garlic, and rosemary jus.
