Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

The Culinary Cornerstone of Whistler Village

Araxi Restaurant + Oyster Bar has held its place at the heart of Whistler Village for 45 years, earning an international reputation that goes well beyond its mountain setting. Described by the restaurant itself as "the culinary cornerstone" of the village, Araxi built its standing on an early and genuine commitment to farm-to-table dining long before the phrase became common currency.

James Walt and the Farm-to-Table Foundation

At the centre of Araxi's kitchen is Culinary Director James Walt, one of Canada's leading advocates for locally sourced, sustainable ingredients. A graduate of the Stratford Chefs School, Walt's career took him through some of British Columbia's most respected kitchens, including a four-year tenure at Sooke Harbour House, the opening of sister restaurant Blue Water Cafe in Vancouver, and a posting as Executive Chef to the Canadian Embassy in Rome — an experience he credits with shaping his approach to food. He is Whistler's only chef to have cooked at the James Beard House in New York City, doing so on four separate occasions, and was inducted into the British Columbia Restaurant Association Hall of Fame in 2011.

Walt's Pacific Northwestern menus celebrate the excellence of ingredients sourced from nearby fields, pastures and pristine waters. Dishes across the gallery — spot prawn tortelloni, miso-crusted sablefish, herb-crusted halibut, wild mushroom consommé, saddle of rabbit — reflect a kitchen that takes its cues from season and region rather than trend. Pastry Chef Aaron Heath, who first joined Araxi in 1996, rounds out the dining experience with desserts built around local orchard fruits, berries, and premium chocolates.

Executive Chef Ying Gao, who brings a background spanning Blue Water Cafe, CinCin, and Elisa, shares Walt's philosophy. "Ying's vision for every guest," the restaurant notes, "is for them to experience the natural flavours and beauty of Whistler through her dishes."

A Wine Program of Rare Depth

Wine Director Jason Kawaguchi oversees a collection of more than 11,000 bottles across over 1,000 labels — widely regarded as one of the finest selections in British Columbia. Stored in temperature-controlled cabinets and displayed throughout the bar and a dedicated private wine room, the list is updated daily and spans dessert wines, ports, and grappa. The program has earned the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence continuously since 2000, alongside Gold and Silver Wine Program Excellence Awards from the Vancouver International Wine Festival. It is a cellar serious enough to anchor a standalone destination, let alone a restaurant.

Bar Manager Rene Wuethrich, who has welcomed guests at Araxi since 2001, brings a European hospitality background — hotel school in Zurich, postings in Lausanne, Zermatt, and Villars — to a bar offering the full wine list alongside fresh-produce martinis and a broad selection of single malts and bourbons.

Beyond the Dining Room

Araxi's reach extends into the community and onto the page. Culinary Director Walt's cookbook Araxi: Roots to Shoots, Farm Fresh Recipes — a follow-up to his James Beard–nominated first book — earned a Gold at the Taste Canada Awards in 2017 and first place at the Alcuin Society Book Design Awards in 2016. The restaurant's Longtable Dinner series brings the Pacific Northwestern spirit of the kitchen outdoors, translating Araxi's farm-driven ethos into a communal format.

Where Magazine named Araxi Best Formal Whistler Restaurant across multiple years, and the Georgia Straight Golden Plates Awards have repeatedly recognised it as Whistler's best restaurant. For anyone travelling to the Sea-to-Sky corridor, a table here remains the benchmark.