Ottawa's Beckta wins 18th CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award
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Have you ever seen a wall of diamonds up close? When you first enter Beckta, you can’t help but marvel at the hallway overflowing with CAA/AAA Four Diamond Awards. This year, Beckta adds its 18th Four Diamond award to the hallway, cementing its legacy as one of Ottawa’s premier fine dining restaurants.
Ottawa’s Beckta Dining and Wine Bar wins the prestigious 2022 CAA/AAA Four Diamond Award, distinguishing itself as one of the top seven percent of hotels and restaurants reviewed in North America and the Caribbean. This marks the 18th time Beckta has been awarded this prestigious achievement.
Beckta is one of only three restaurants to win this year in Ottawa. To view the complete list of winners, visit aaa.com/diamonds.
In celebration of this incredible achievement, Jeff Walker, President and CEO of CAA North & East Ontario, met with Beckta proprietor, Stephen Beckta.
How did you win 18 times?
I think it’s consistency. It’s led by our amazing team, who all come together daily to create magic for our guests. Our staff is dedicated to caring for people through food, wine, and extraordinary hospitality. If you summon the right people and give them some direction and support, they will create an amazing experience night after night.
What is the story behind your first restaurant?
I grew up in Ottawa, and I love this town. At first, I lived in New York City, working for top chefs and restauranteurs in America, including Daniel Boulud and Danny Meyer, and I took a lot away from it.
Then I met my now wife at a wedding here in Ottawa. I knew right away that I needed to move back to marry her and fulfill my lifelong dream of opening a restaurant. That was 19 years ago, and we haven’t looked back since. I’m just so excited about the way things turned out.
How did you pick Beckta's location?
I grew up on Elgin Street near the current Beckta location. My brother and I used to walk by and grab slushies at Mac’s convenience store down the street and think one day we would like to eat in a restaurant as fancy as Friday’s Roast Beef House, which is the location of Beckta now.
Shortly after we opened the original Beckta on Nepean Street, we knew we had outgrown it. It was too small and too limiting. The kitchen needed to be set up for great fine dining the way we wanted. When Morguard, our current landlords, came knocking and said they had a great spot they wanted us to check out, it was a no-brainer.
This place has an amazing history and has been around since 1875. Morguard was an incredible partner and helped renovate and modernize this beautiful old home into seven dining rooms and wine bar areas. In addition, it gave us a massive kitchen to let the chefs do what they do best, creating incredible fine-dining cuisine for our guests.
How is business these days?
It’s super exciting to be back for our guests and staff. September was the best month since the pandemic started, and it feels normal. There are hardly any masks anymore.
People are so excited to be with each other in person again. There’s just a sense of joy and excitement. People need to connect, and it’s amazing to have it feel like it’s back to normal again.
The interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
