Who’s Behind It Chef Darren MacLean
What’s on the Menu An intimate evening of incredible seasonal menus and Canadian food stories
Eight, with its exclusive eight seats and four weekly seatings, is notoriously difficult to book — reservations are released quarterly and quickly sell out. But, for those lucky few who snag a seat at Darren MacLean’s table, it’s worth it.
Eight placed as number six on Canada’s 100 Best list in 2025, the highest-ranking Calgary restaurant ever. Add in MacLean’s global recognition at The Best Chef Awards 2025, and you’ve got a bucket-list dining destination.
Through Eight’s unparalleled menu, often upwards of 20 small courses, MacLean reflects on Canada’s evolving identity — each dish a patriotic homage to Canada’s multicultural tapestry. “While our country is young, we are still defining what it means to be Canadian. In the generations to come, we will continue to meld our local ingredients with our ever-changing and dynamic Canadian cultures,” says MacLean.
Each dish tells a story, and each seasonal menu is unique. When I dined at Eight, MacLean served pickled beetroot in a Madras curry gazpacho, a dish inspired by his childhood friend’s mother, who was Indian, using beetroot in samosas; Har Gow dumplings stuffed with Nova Scotia lobster inspired by his first kitchen job at a Chinese restaurant; and a veal sweetbread with kohlrabi kimchi paying homage to French Canada. Desserts delight with beeswax ice cream and a chocolate tart lightly infused with roasted mushrooms and smoked whipped cream.
An evening at Eight starts at afterEight — recognized by World’s 50 Best Bars as one of the 11 new bars to try in 2025. AfterEight is inspired by Japanese Satoyama, the stretch of land between the mountains and the sea. The bar offers initial bites and cocktails made from local foraged ingredients and hand-crafted syrups. Post-dessert, guests return to afterEight for a nightcap and petit four treats, such as canelés with 18-year-old aged rum and whisky jellies.
631 Confluence Way S.E., 403-457-2153, eightcdn.ca, @eight_cdn
