Your Hosts...

jON SCHAFER, restaurant director

Jon began his desire to operate a top quality restaurant or lounge early in life. Completing his Tourism Diploma in 2003, Jon continued with his goal by managing a busy catering department for Coast Hotels in Campbell River. Desiring to move forward, Jon re-located to Nanaimo where he took on the challenge of directing Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge, a top quality restaurant located in the only 4 star hotel in Nanaimo, The Coast Bastion Inn. With a beautiful design and modern theme Jon will attract clients with top quality service, an exceptional local wine list, and exclusive foods created by Chef Richard Zinger.  At Minnoz Restaurant and Lounge every guest can expect the finest dining experience from the moment their party arrives.

“Dining should be approached as an experience, and at Minnoz you can always expect the best experience.”

richard zinger, minnoz chef

The Coast Bastion Inn located in downtown Nanaimo has introduced, in the role of Minnoz Restaurant Chef, Richard Zinger. Originally from Cambridge Ontario, Richard’s philosophy combines component cookery with life’s passions. The result is progressive West Coast Cuisine prepared with a freedom of techniques that enables Chef Zinger to take advantage of the Island variety of Local & Ethnic ingredients.
Previously Richard has held the position of Executive Chef at the Bedwell Harbor Resort in the Gulf Islands, the Empress Hotel  in Victoria and the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. Richard also immersed himself into the Five Diamond experience working underWolfgang Von Weiser and Micheal Noble at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. At the Delta Vancouver Suites Hotel Richard had the opportunity to see a Restaurant come from scratch under Executive Chef Ray Henry, giving Richard the experience to run his own free standing kitchen.
Moving away from hotels Richard spent the next years of his life working for the Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar in Yaletown, becoming a member of the prestigious “Chefs Table BC” where he worked with some of the best Chefs in Canada.
Wanting to be closer to his daughter, Richard then moved to Victoria where he enjoyed working for the popular Swan’s Hotel & Wild Saffron Bistro & Wine Bar. After 5 years Richard moved to Parksville where he was Executive Chef at the Quality Bayside Resort.
After taking some time away from cooking to pursue Stonemasonry and build his own outdoor kitchen & woodburning oven Richard went back to his love of cooking, joining the Coast Bastion Inn as Minnoz Chef.  Say goodbye to the typical hotel “stigma”, welcome to the Coast Bastion Inn & Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge.
“There’s no point in showing off medals and competitive wins unless you can thrill your guest...great feedback is what the job is all about...” says the Chef in charge at Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge.