JOY'S JOURNAL
/AN ODE TO NATHAN FONG
Nathan Fong, always with a brilliant smile! (Michel Chicoine Photo)
by Joy Metcalfe
The sad news that our town's leading culinary professional, Nathan Fong, had died suddenly, left his legion of friends and fans in a state of shock.
Nathan was always there with his beaming smile, his strong work ethic and his generosity of spirit.
He was born March 16, 1959, and lived with his family in West Vancouver where his parents owned the West Van IGA grocery store, probably stirring his lifelong interest in good healthy food.
He loved the limelight, even as far back as a teenager, co-starring as the young lover in The King and I for Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park and singing in various choirs and productions.
But his real joy in life was cooking and connecting people.
Nathan with Global TV’s Colleen Christie. (Michel Chicoine Photo)
He was a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, an award-winning chef, cookbook author, journalist, food stylist, TV personality, broadcaster, B.C.'s official Seafood Ambassador and fund-raiser extraordinaire!
He founded "Passions" the gala dinner evening that raised funds for the Dr. Peter Foundation to help those suffering from AIDS in 2003, raising more than $1.7 million dollars over the past 16 years.
Interior designer and lady about town, Ginny Richards, recalled meeting Nathan at the Vancouver Ballet Society and they immediately became fast friends. They hung out at the Sutton Place gym where they were often joined by visiting stars of the day like the charming Joan Rivers; the guys from Guns and Roses, who were quite fun; Kris Kristofferson, a lovely fellow who was usually studying scripts; Melanie Griffiths and hubby Antonio Banderas (cute couple) and Faye Dunaway, who was cool and distant and didn't talk to anyone. Ginny can always remember Nathan chiding her good-naturedly on her cycling machine saying "Oh come on! You can do better than that!"
Said Ginny "I really miss those exercise mornings with Nathan - just a great guy!"
Those words were echoed by Global TV anchor Sophie Lui who said that Nathan was one of the first to really open her eyes and her palate to the world of food. "He taught me so much during the Fong On Food segments we did together - and I could always text him if I had a question. I loved seeing him in his element in a kitchen or ordering food. He always took charge and I just knew that it would be an amazing meal.
I miss his beautiful smile so much - it's still so strange to think that he's gone. I'm so lucky I had him in my life."
The Vancouver Sun's Mia Stainsby was a close pal too. "Nathan was a foodie, yes, but his greatest joy wasn't in the eating or cooking or talking about it as much as watching its magic at social gatherings. He loved how it bonded people and made occasions special and exciting.
“At the endless parade of dinner parties he hosted, the many events he attended, it was the people that excited and fulfilled him. He was all about connecting and he had an extraordinary number of people from all over the planet who considered him a friend and somehow, in his crazy busy schedule of work and travel, he had time and that fabulous smile for all of them.
“Were he alive today, he'd have had to summon every ounce of resolve to socially distance himself during the pandemic.”
Nathan wed Michel Chicoine some eight years ago in a spectacular ceremony at Christ Church Cathedral, followed by a reception for hundreds of guests at the Sutton Place Hotel.
Michel is Montreal-born, works for WestJet and is a professional photographer. They met at a food conference 20 years ago and while they had many things in common like musical theatre, movies and opera, they were also quite different. While Nathan loved champagne, caviar and international travel, Michel prefers being at home sipping on wine and dining on poutine.
On their latest trip to India, they were treated royally, being ensconced in a dazzling Indian palace with peacocks in the garden and marble everywhere. Even the huge ornate bathtub was filled with rosewater and roses but was too cold for Nathan to bathe so he washed out his underwear in the delightfully scented water. As they went to tour the palace and the kitchens the next morning, the youngest Rajah noticed something on their balcony. "What is that, I wonder?" he asked. Michel piped up, "Oh that's just Nathan's underwear!" which, needless to say, didn't go down well at all.
The two had recently separated but planned on trying again once COVID-19 was conquered.
Nathan was HIV positive and diabetic and had lost a considerable amount of weight, but seemed to have everything under control. Michel was alerted by a call from a neighbour saying that he hadn't seen Nathan for some time. Michel rushed over to the house to find that Nathan had been cooking dinner the previous evening, had fallen and hit his head. The stove was still on and the dinner was charred. Said Michel, "It's the only time he ever burnt anything!" A massive heart attack is suspected.
Michel is planning on producing a first-class cookbook as a tribute to Nathan, featuring his favourite recipes and highlighting his favourite photos from around the world, with all of the proceeds going to the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation.
Former owner of the popular Books To Cooks emporium, Barbara-jo McIntosh, was devastated by the news of Nathan's passing. Now living in France where she owns a small, charming inn, she writes "My heart is yet again broken, losing Nathan. He had such a desire to explore, create and bring people together. When I think of the folk he brought through my shop, and of all the special moments we spent together in France, New York City and so many other places. Often when I was travelling, he would get on the phone and request an upgrade for me. He was so generous! He fashioned a very lively and exotic life for himself and loved sharing it with others.
“Sadly, over the past few years we haven't been in good communication, mostly because I was back and forth between France and Canada and very distracted with the French purchase and the renovations, It was difficult to keep in touch with friends. You just believe that they will always be there. Foolish moi!
“I was very concerned when I heard that his husband had moved out. Nathan was devastated! When the virus hit I knew it would be tough for him to be isolated in his home with no work. I telephoned him on the Sunday. He was very groggy and had not been feeling well at all. We didn't chat long - he wanted to sleep.
“I was in shock when I awoke on Tuesday morning in France to find the many messages about his passing. It's very difficult for me to believe that Nathan has departed this mortal coil. I still believe that he will come to visit once the world is allowed to travel again.
“But I do talk to him while I weed my garden, as I talk to my mother, my grandfather and many other friends who have journeyed to another place these past years. These dear souls that have loved us and been loved by us, will never leave us. We can always rely on love to strengthen our resolve to carry on."
And amen to that, Barbara-jo!
For me personally, Nathan Fong was heaven-sent, always available when my memory failed and so generous with his many items, stories, and scoops to pass along. Best of all, I so admired his bright spirit, his courage and his kindness. Loved that man! And I know his dear friend Julia Child is waiting in the wings to greet him in the great kitchen in the sky.
Rest in peace, darling Nathan.
