Profile

Valentine Aguirre started the Old Surrey back in 1975 and has never looked back. Val grew up in Zurggamurdi a small hamlet of 400 people in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains. Situated near the French border about 30km from the Atlantic Ocean. Coming from a family of 9 children Val felt the urge to leave the house at the early age of 15. This is where his culinary path began as an apprentice in a boutique resort in the summer vacation town of Saint Jean de Luz, France. After 3 years in France Valentine took his four languages and moved to Montreal, Canada were they were in desperate need of experienced cooks for Expo 67. After a couple of years in Montreal he was on the move again but this time to the Bahamas not only to learn a new cuisine but also to warm up. After a year his work visa expired and it was off to Vancouver and the Vancouver Hotel. In this classic landmark hotel he learned much and advanced rapidly. Recruiters soon stole him away to Winnipeg where he became the head of the kitchen. It is here that Val met his lovely wife Lesley. They married in 1971 and worked side by side for many years to come. They moved to New Orleans to open their first restaurant. When Lesley found out she was pregnant it was time to settle down. They moved to Vancouver. The Old Surrey Restaurant has been Val's baby ever since (33 years). The average life span of a restaurant may only be five years but Valentine has proven over the years that being dedicated to excellent service and quality cuisine you can create a restaurant that lasts decades.

Philip Aguirre took over as the new owner of the Old Surrey Restaurant on January 1st, 2007. Following in his father's footsteps Philip has dedicated himself to mastering the culinary arts. From a very young age Philip was involved in the restaurant where he practically grew up. He worked his way up the ladder beginning with dishwashing, prep cook, busboy, waiter and finally head chef. Knowing that there is more to restaurants than simply great food Philip attended the University of Victoria and graduated with a degree in Commerce specializing in Entrepreneurship. To further improve his business credentials he pursued a designation as a CMA. In 2005 Philip and his wife moved to France to travel around Europe as well as to experience life in a different country. Getting in touch with his roots, Philip chose the exact town where his father first started his journey as a restauranteur. Wanting to get a feel for the local cuisine and culture Philip started working in various kitchens and became familiar within the culinary circle as the Canadian. He also accepted a position at a culinary school where he taught English within the context of cuisine and customer service. Upon his return in the summer of 2006, Philip, like his father before him recognized that after much travel, it was time to settle down. An agreement was reached between father and son, that keeps the restaurant in the family. It is not uncommon to see two generations of Aguirre's working side by side.