The Art of Elevated Food: an exclusive Q & A with 11th POST on Queen chef, Andy MacNeil
An exclusive Q & A with 11th POST on Queen Chef, Andy MacNeil
By Lorie Steiner
Chef Andy MacNeil is a firm believer that kitchens and restaurant work, whether front of house or back of house, draws the people in who were meant to be in the industry. After our recent chat, I can say without a doubt, this friendly foodie has found his niche – curating the culinary tableau at 11th POST on Queen in Old Town, Niagara-on-the-Lake, with passion and delightful surprises.
H: What influenced you to become a chef?
Chef: Honestly, as a child, when someone asked, ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ I never once said, a chef or anything related to working in a kitchen. I kind of fell into it. In high school, I got a job as a dishwasher at the local Red Lobster. After a couple of months, I moved up to a fryer cook. Three months later, I was working other stations on the line, and a year later I was running service in that kitchen. It was a pretty fast climb.
Looking back, though, I realize my parents played a big role. They used to take my brother, sister, and me to St. Lawrence Market in Toronto every Saturday morning. It was such a vibrant atmosphere. I remember Fatima, the cheese lady. She always greeted us with hugs, kisses, and samples. I remember the fish stall and looking at the mussels in big bins with ice, the oysters, things I never ate until years later, but I was fascinated by it all. Then we’d go across the street to the farmers’ market and talk to local farmers. That’s when I fell in love with food.
H: Will local ingredients be part of the summer menu?
Chef: Absolutely. Niagara-on-the-Lake is surrounded by incredible farms and roadside stands, and I like to source ingredients depending on the season. There is such an abundance of high-quality local products, and I try to showcase that through weekend features or seasonal desserts, especially when it comes to stone fruit.
Building and maintaining relationships with local farmers is important to me. For the summer menu, we will shift away from heavier dishes like our braised short rib and introduce something lighter and more in tune with the season. We will also refine existing dishes, adjusting sides or sauces to reflect a more summery profile.
We have made thoughtful adjustments in how we prepare and execute dishes during service to better accommodate food sensitivities and allergies. Many items on our menu can be modified for vegan guests with minimal impact to the integrity of the dish.
We are also excited to introduce Sunday Brunch throughout the summer, an extension of our elevated comfort food philosophy, with our special takes on classic brunch dishes, crafted with the same attention to detail and seasonal inspiration.
H: How would you describe 11th POST on Queen?
Chef: We recently celebrated our third anniversary in April, and from the beginning, the concept has been elevated comfort food. I have a fine dining background, so I enjoy taking recognizable, approachable dishes and refining them. Think of a recipe that your grandmother used to make. We take that familiarity and build on it. Everything is made from scratch in-house, and we enhance it through technique and ingredient selection. That might mean sourcing high-end products and introducing French or Italian techniques to elevate the dish. For example, we might use sous vide, something you would not typically do at home, to achieve a more refined result. We also use a Rational iCombi oven for overnight smoking. Our brisket, for instance, is smoked for 14 hours, which adds incredible depth of flavour.
Sidebar: Sous vide (French for “under vacuum”) involves sealing food in a bag and cooking it in a precisely controlled, low-temperature water bath to enhance texture and moisture.
H: Are there any unexpected surprises on your menus?
Chef: Last summer, we featured a Chicken Liver Parfait. The original version was just chicken livers, but I elevated it by incorporating foie gras, and we paired it with a lovely Two Sisters Vineyards Riesling Icewine jelly on top.
Right now, we have a Caesar salad on the menu, called “Dad’s Caesar Salad,” which is actually based on my father’s original dressing recipe. I’ve made a few adjustments to make it my own, one being the addition of cured duck egg yolk, finely grated over the finished salad. It adds a rich umami quality, almost like an extra layer of cheese. Of course, we still add parmesan, but the cured yolk really sets it apart. It takes seven to nine days to cure, but it transforms a classic dish into something memorable. It is also a common talking point when our service team is engaging with guests.
You will see that same creativity reflected in our Sunday brunch menu, with familiar favourites reimagined in unexpected ways.
H: From your perspective, what makes Niagara-on-the-Lake so special?
Chef: I love living in this area. I am about a 15-minute drive from the restaurant, and as soon as I cross the Welland Canal, just a couple of minutes from home, you are surrounded by farmland. Vineyards, orchards… it’s just a different vibe. The region is beautiful in every season, and being so close to the water adds to that. I go fishing in the lower Niagara River (shoutout to Lyle at Hooked on Niagara, he’s a great guide).
What really draws people to Old Town is its charm and history. There is a slower pace of life. You see people walking their dogs, strolling along Queen Street, enjoying the shops, artisans, and great restaurants. Then, of course, there are the award-winning wineries, including our sister properties, Two Sisters Vineyards and Stone Eagle Winery.
