Penthouse Dining with Elevated Comfort
By Brigitte Hasbron
Photos by Ashley Fraser
Sipping a martini as the sun melts into the Ottawa skyline feels nothing short of spellbinding. Perched high above the city at 460 St. Laurent Blvd., Le St. Laurent, Ottawa’s only penthouse restaurant, invites you into a world where every sip and bite is elevated by the ever-changing views of Ottawa and Gatineau. Fourteen floors up, chef Ryan Edwards brings his craft to life with honest and effortlessly refined dishes.
The Unconventional Path
Speaking with chef Edwards, I was immediately struck with his sense of casual comfort. No ego and no attempt to impress. Just a candid love of food and the people he serves.
Chef Edwards has spent years in Ottawa kitchens, but his journey began in reverse. While most cooks transition from back-of-house to front-of-house chasing better tips, he went in the other direction—drawn to the rhythm and the creative pulse of the kitchen. At 27, he made it official, enrolling in cooking school. A year later came the turning point: a job with John Taylor at Domus (a now-closed, well-known Ottawa eatery), where he stayed for nearly a decade, in addition to working at Taylor’s Genuine Food and Wine Bar. Those years shaped his philosophy, honed his instincts and taught him what mattered most.
When the pandemic forced restaurants to close, chef Edwards found an unexpected opportunity. While cooking at Domus, he had gotten to know the Desjardins family behind Brigil, the Gatineau-based real estate development company. When the pandemic made it hard for the Desjardins to run the penthouse restaurant at their luxury rental apartment building on St. Laurent Boulevard, chef Edwards offered to take over. Five years later, the decision has blossomed into one of Ottawa’s most distinctive dining experiences.
Food that speaks for itself
If you ask chef Edwards to label his cooking style, he’ll resist. His food is rich and comforting, inspired by brasserie classics. He jokes that he likes “rich fatty food that’s going to induce a food coma.” The seasonal rotating menu features bone marrow and short rib throughout much of the year, and scallops, which he always enjoys preparing.
We’re here to feed you, nourish you, and then hopefully provide you with a couple of laughs and some good service
Ryan Edwards, chef/owner of Le St. Laurent.
What makes his cooking stand out is that he starts with vegetables rather than protein. “It usually starts with one seasonal ingredient, and more often than not, it’s a vegetable,” he says. A box of pumpkins might inspire smoked variations or pairings with scallops and pancetta. In the fall, he likes to serve duck with parsnip in many forms: purée, pickled chips and roasted pieces, all on one plate.
Now at 47, chef Edwards feels confident in his style—simpler yet better—and his family as his biggest source of inspiration. “When you’re younger, you want to show everybody what you’re able to do. The older you get, the more comfortable in your skin you become.”
There’s no official signature dish at Le St. Laurent, though regulars know what to expect. If there’s anything close, it’s the rabbit—a dish he’s been making since his days at Taylor’s. A stuffed saddle wrapped in prosciutto, with braised leg croquettes, carrot purée, roasted and pickled carrots, carrot ketchup and a rabbit jus, it’s a dish with its own following.
A restaurant built on values
What sets this restaurant apart isn’t just the food, it’s the philosophy behind it. The chef offers his staff benefits, a rarity in the industry. Chef Edwards explains that it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s also smart business. As a result, his core team has stayed with him for years.
Sourcing is equally intentional. Nearly all his seafood is Canadian and sustainably caught, his beef is almost entirely Canadian, and he sources directly from local farmers and foragers he trusts.
“We use fine ingredients and fine techniques for sure, but I don’t really know that I’m fine dining.”
Ryan Edwards, chef/owner of Le St. Laurent.
Despite the elevated setting and refined dishes, chef Edwards resists the fine dining label. His goal is something different: Exceptional food without the stiffness that often accompanies it. He wants professional service that feels welcoming, whether you’re dressed up or in jeans and a T-shirt. “I want people to be impressed and kind of blown away by the food, but I also want them to feel relaxed and at home.”
That attitude shapes everything at Le St. Laurent, from the friendly service to a menu that offers both familiar dishes like steak frites and more adventurous ones like venison tartare. “I try to have something that works for my guests, but also works for me creatively.”
What comes next
With three children and a wife who is also his business partner, chef Edwards is thinking about balance. He’s toying with the idea of opening a pizza and pasta spot in Orleans, where he lives—something casual, daytime-focused and close to home.
But for now, he’s right where he wants to be, 14 floors up in his penthouse kitchen, cooking food that matters to him for people who appreciate it. And of course, the view is a bonus.
Brigitte Hasbron is owner of The Food Tease, thefoodtease.ca, a combined culinary and travel blog that highlights the best that food, wine and travel have to offer.
