I'm Dan Boeckner, the musician behind Operators and Wolf Parade, and here’s how I fuel myself

If you’re into contemporary music, you likely know Dan Boeckner from Operators, the moody and vibrant synth-pop group he leads with electro genius Devojka and drummer Sam Brown. (Check out their latest album, Radiant Dawn, here and here, plus their tour dates here.) If that doesn’t ring any bells, you might recognize him from Wolf Parade, the indie-rock band that was likely on repeat throughout your college days. But what you might not know is that Boeckner spent a lot of time working in restaurants before his music career took off, and he’s got an impressive knowledge and enthusiasm for all kinds of food, from diverse cuisines to condiments and especially great potato chips.

Location: Quebec

Current gig: Lead vocalist and guitarist for Operators and Wolf Parade

I worked in the food industry from the time I was 17 until my early-to-mid 20s, in Victoria and Vancouver.

What type of food did you work with?

I only worked in a few decent places. I managed a kitchen at a regional chain for about a year—it was one of the worst jobs I've ever had, and it made me lose interest in cooking. But I did work for quite a while at a lovely Italian restaurant in Victoria that is now out of business due to mismanagement, which happens to a lot of places. After that, I bounced around different spots managing kitchens and handling menu planning.

Do you cook much at home now?

I do. Back when I worked in food, I really didn't enjoy cooking at home. I ate terribly while working in the food industry. I think that’s probably a pretty common experience.

Oh, that’s super common. Do you do most of the cooking in your house now?

I do. My partner and I share the cooking, but I’m usually the one in charge of it.

This might sound a little weird, but I saw you tweet a picture of a bag of MSG—what do you like using it for?

I enjoy using MSG in fried rice and noodle dishes—just a pinch. It’s pretty much the same as kombu or shiitake mushroom powder, which I often use when making fried rice. I've got a fantastic recipe from Mission—actually a Mission Chinese recipe—that I love to make, and it’s a salt cod fried rice. Living in Quebec, salt cod is super affordable here because of the Atlantic fishing industry, and with a large Portuguese community in Montreal, there’s a high demand for bacalao. I started making this salt cod fried rice and used finely ground shiitake mushroom powder as a substitute for MSG. You just grind dried shiitake mushrooms in a food processor or coffee grinder with a bit of kombu. It gives you that umami-MSG flavor, but it’s much easier to just toss in some MSG.

It’s definitely simpler. I have that exact one-pound bag in my pantry, so when I saw that picture, I was pretty excited.

That’s my secret stash in the kitchen. It’s basically divided into Szechuan ingredients like peppercorns, dried peppers, and a bit of random Japanese cooking items like dried ume salty plum powder. I also have a bunch of Burmese ingredients I picked up while touring with Wolf Parade. We were in North Carolina and just up the street from where we were playing, there was this little hole-in-the-wall Burmese grocery store. I won’t name it because I don’t want to expose them, but it’s pretty awesome: they carry all these amazing Burmese products, like the specific chili peppers they use, ground chilis, and even the components for betel nuts, a stimulant you chew. It includes a betel leaf, makrut lime leaf, the actual nut, and quick lime powder.

Oh wow.

Yeah! I walked into the store and was like, holy shit, this place is totally authentic. They also had an excellent Burmese curry powder. I bought a huge bag of stuff and took it back to the van, and by the end of the tour, the van was just filled with the smell of fermented chilis and betel leaves.

I've always wondered how people manage to eat decently while on tour. Do you manage to keep it healthy?

I try, but honestly, it's nearly impossible. You're always on the go, and most of your time is spent traveling between big cities. If you stop to eat, it’s usually a gas station. Plus, you're always under time pressure with loading in and soundchecks. The first thing I usually do is find out where the good food is around the venue, within walking distance, and then try to make time for it because food is one of the few things you can control on tour. But it can be really frustrating. At home, if I have a bad meal, I just think, “Well, that was a bad meal, no big deal.” But on tour, when you've been looking forward to some Vietnamese food all day, and it turns out bad, it’s like a punch to the gut.

I know exactly what you mean. If I’m traveling and have a disappointing meal, I feel like I’ve failed somehow. But I can imagine how much worse it is on tour with all the added stress.

Exactly. It really depends on where you are. On the coasts of North America, food is easy to find, and there’s usually something that fits your taste or diet. But once you head towards the middle of the country, finding decent food becomes a challenge, and it just gets worse and worse. Honestly, if you're touring the Midwest, Starbucks might be your best bet for breakfast every day.

What do you usually get?

I typically grab a breakfast sandwich and a double espresso. It might sound awful, but your other choice is usually stopping at a Pilot gas station for a four-day-old egg salad sandwich or something equally questionable. When I was younger, I didn’t care and would eat whatever—like the hot dogs spinning on the roller racks.

I totally get that.

Or the Tornados—they’re like tiny chimichangas. I’d grab one of those or something from the fried food display, like a bag of chicken nuggets. I’d eat it, then feel awful and regret it. Now, I usually just go for a small can of tuna and some crackers. It’s a safer choice.

I have to admit, sometimes the fried food cabinet does hide some gems.

Oh, for sure. Europe is pretty fantastic for eating on tour in general. Though I have to exclude the United Kingdom from that, because their food is just awful.

You’re not a fan of mushy peas?

It’s just post-war ration food. It’s like during The Blitz, they were on a ration system and everyone just thought, 'Well, this works for us. We like it.'

I get it, there’s a whole world of ‘fancy’ food in the UK, but it’ll cost you an arm and a leg. They do have good jerk chicken and some amazing Indian food, though. But overall, Europe’s usually pretty solid when it comes to whatever the promoter sets up. If you’re in Italy, eating out before a show is a real treat.

But when it comes to fried food at gas stations, the Netherlands might be second to the UK in terms of terrible food. I’m generalizing, but it’s mostly boiled endive with flour sauce and a slice of cold ham. Real Protestant-style suffering food. But because the Dutch colonized Indonesia, they’ve incorporated that food into their culture. So if you stop at a Dutch gas station, you might find deep-fried cubes of mie goreng—noodles or fried rice, perfectly cubed. It’s amazing. Some top-tier fried gas station snacks.

That sounds incredible. When I was in Copenhagen recently, I couldn’t help but notice that their 7-Elevens were way better than ours.

Oh, absolutely. You can actually get spaghetti carbonara at a 7-Eleven.

Yeah, I was with my band, Handsome Furs, and we wrapped up our tour in southern Europe so we could head to Syracuse. There’s this open-air, mostly fish market that’s been running in some form for over 800 years. It’s always been a hub for food trading. I believe it’s the southernmost point of Sicily, and it has this vibe almost like North Africa, with lots of Moorish influence. Legend has it that Egyptian explorers planted papyrus in a square with a pond. I rented a place there with just a basic gas stove. In the evenings, I’d go out and dine at local restaurants, trying to learn how to cook what I was eating. Then, in the morning, I’d hit the market, buy ingredients, and try to recreate what I had for lunch the day before.

How did that work out for you?

At first, not so well, but I eventually managed to learn how to make pasta con sarde, which is one of my favorite dishes. It’s a pasta without sauce, but it’s got breadcrumbs, fennel, raisins, pine nuts, and sardines.

That sounds awesome. Totally worth the trip. When you're at home and not traveling, what do you typically have for breakfast?

My breakfast routine has shifted a bit recently. I used to enjoy a Scandinavian-style breakfast, with things like sliced cucumbers, rye crackers, eggs, and pickled herring. I really liked that. It was my go-to breakfast.

But that's not your breakfast anymore, is it?

No, not anymore. Lately, I’ve been so busy working on this record (Radiant Dawn) that I’ve started making a simple one-pot Japanese breakfast. You take a can of mackerel and some sushi-grade rice, and you make it all in a rice cooker. You add an umeboshi, which is a pickled plum, into the rice cooker with the rice, mirin, a bit of sake, some soy sauce, and about half an inch of chopped ginger. Then, you pour in the oil from the mackerel can—because mackerel is a fatty fish, and the oil helps. You add water to the rice cooker to reach the liquid level and put the lid on to cook. The oil keeps it from sticking to the bottom, and as it cooks, it forms a crispy crust, kind of like making perfect fried rice. Once it’s done, you fluff it, put it in a bowl, and top it with Japanese pickles—like Japanese pickled beef steak plant (though I can’t remember its Japanese name), which is kind of purple, and Japanese pickled cucumbers. Finally, I sprinkle finely sliced green onion on top. It's a fantastic breakfast because it’s packed with protein and mackerel’s healthy fats, but it’s not too heavy, you know? Plus, it’s all in one pot.

Those sound like ideal qualities: one pot, minimal supervision, and you can do other things while it’s cooking.

That’s typically how my mornings go: I throw together the mackerel rice, catch up on e-mails, sip some coffee, the mackerel rice finishes cooking, I eat it, toss the rice cooker liner in the dishwasher, and then head to the studio.

What’s your usual coffee choice?

I’m mostly an espresso person. My partner and I got an espresso machine last year. I have to keep an eye on how much coffee I drink because, if it's around, I'll just keep going all day long.

That breakfast sounds pretty hearty. Do you find that it keeps you satisfied for a while, or do you usually need lunch?

It keeps me pretty full—I have this ridiculously fast metabolism. For lunch, I’ll usually grab something simple, like a sandwich or a light salad. Especially when I’m in the studio, I just want something I don’t have to overthink.

Is dinner typically a bigger affair for you?

If I’m not in the studio or rehearsing, one of my favorite things is to spend two or three hours preparing dinner. It’s a very meditative process for me. I don’t get the chance to do it as often as I’d like, but when I do, I really enjoy it.

Do you have go-to dishes you keep coming back to, or do you enjoy trying out recipes from different cookbooks?

Last year, my partner and I worked our way through the *Mamushka cookbook* by Olia Hercules. It blends modern and traditional Ukrainian recipes. I absolutely adore it. She also wrote another book on Caucasian cuisine, which I think is just called *Kaukasis*—there are a lot of great recipes in there. I paired that book with *Mamushka*—it’s funny to match cookbooks in that way, but it really added context.

There’s this fascinating cookbook from pre-revolutionary Russia, published during the Czarist era. It’s basically a guide for housewives, with a title that says just that. It covers everything from making butter to old-school food safety practices—some of which are unsettling today. It even explains how to kill a chicken, and then there’s this whole section on Czarist-era cuisine. Some of the recipes are basic, like *solyanka*—a soup with pickles, tomatoes, and sausages, the kind you just toss into a pot. But there are also these intricate recipes associated with the Romanovs—like aspic dishes, where a whole perch is set in aspic, or even deviled eggs inside a whole fish!

I also have a cookbook that was published as an addendum during the communist era, which was quite revolutionary for its time. It borrowed heavily from the original book, but the recipes were reinterpreted through a socialist lens, and oddly enough, many of the ingredients listed were things people could rarely find during the Soviet era. It was aspirational in a strange way.

That’s definitely my thing.

It’s amazing. When I moved back to Montreal, I had to leave a lot of things behind in California, including this massive *Time Life* cookbook collection that my mom passed down to me after she passed away. That set is my go-to whenever I want to cook something. It’s called *Time Life Cooking of the World*—it’s a 26-volume set from the late ‘60s, and it’s extraordinary. I think it was sold on a subscription basis, and it’s probably how many Americans at the time connected with different cultures, especially those in the Eastern Bloc.

The books they published on Yugoslavian, Polish, and Russian cuisine are fascinating. They had unrestricted access to these countries that were supposedly cut off from the West. Some of these volumes could almost be considered a Socialist International project. They challenge many of the misconceptions about food shortages and the general idea that life in those countries was drab and lacking. I believe Magnus Nilsson even mentions these books in *that Nordic cooking volume* he released.

I really appreciate that global approach to food, because especially with Russian cuisine, there’s often an underlying anti-communist sentiment attached to it.

Oh, absolutely. The same goes for China. People’s cultural and racial biases often get woven into the way food is discussed. It might not be as prevalent now, but even with Chinese cuisine, you still see that kind of misunderstanding.

Do you ever watch *Chef’s Table*?

I do watch it. I haven’t seen every episode, but I’ve watched quite a few.

Did you catch the Russian episode featuring Vladimir Mukhin, where he uses modern techniques on pre-Soviet dishes at *White Rabbit in Moscow*?

Yeah, I did. That one was crazy.

What was your take on that episode?

I have plenty of Russian friends and I’ve played shows in Russia many times, but I feel like that whole scene represents just a tiny fraction of the Russian population. What was being shown there didn’t reflect the true nature of Russian cuisine, which is worlds apart. He was using traditional Russian dishes, but in a way that was 'elevated' yet totally out of reach for about 99% of Russians.

That’s a perfect way to put it! You take something and 'elevate' it, but in such a way that the very people who originated it can no longer enjoy it.

Did you catch any of those articles from last year about *ajvar*? It's this roasted pepper and garlic dip from the South Balkans.

I missed those.

It’s a major food in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. I go there often—my partner, Devojka, is Macedonian, and much of her family lives there. We eat *ajvar* all the time, so I was surprised to see these articles pop up. I think *Vice’s* food blog had one—this British chef basically says, 'I’m going to make *ajvar* cool, but really expensive and trendy,' which is hilarious because *ajvar* is pretty low in nutrition and incredibly labor-intensive to make. It's just a tasty snack to have with *rakia*, the local spirit. It’s funny to see this peasant food repackaged and sold to Westerners for a ridiculous price.

Yeah, and that kind of thing happens in the West as well. It was years ago, but I remember seeing SPAM included on a $200 tasting menu. [Editor’s note: It was $135.]

What? Seriously?

Yeah, and in a way, the idea is to show that it’s a 'good' ingredient, which it actually is. But to charge that much for it...

Was it served in a Hawaiian style—like SPAM nigiri or something?

I think it might’ve been a fried rice. I wish I could remember more specifics, but it was like, five years ago. The chef was a white guy doing it.

It’s always the same. There’s this almost macho vibe to it that I find really off-putting. It’s hard to explain, but it feels like 'Yeah, we’re a fancy restaurant, but guess what? You’re going to eat SPAM! Can you believe it?' It’s like the culinary version of being an edgelord. It’s a weird class divide. You’re taking something created out of necessity by poor people and making it something they can’t afford anymore.

It’s pretty wild stuff. Speaking of shifting gears: Do you have any go-to snacks for studio or practice?

Good question. Lately, I’ve been eating these ridiculously expensive but super delicious potato chips. You know, the kind of stuff that’s 'elevated.'

Which brand?

Torres brand truffle-flavored potato chips. They also make Mediterranean herb-flavored chips, and let me tell you, they’re just insanely good.

Are they made with truffle oil, or are they speckled with actual truffle? Tell me what the truffle chips are like.

They’re made with truffle oil. I mean, they’re not ridiculously expensive. They’re not those $8 health-chip bags. But yeah, they have a strong truffle flavor. I think they cook them in olive oil, which makes them extra delicious. I’ll make an egg salad sandwich, throw a layer of these chips on top, and add a pickle. Now that’s a solid sandwich.

How do you prepare your egg salad?

I boil the eggs, chop them up, add mayo, pickles—super important—green onions, and dill.

Do you have a preferred brand of mayonnaise?

I do! It’s Thomy mayonnaise. It comes in a tube, and I believe it’s a Balkan product, although it could also be Austrian. It’s extremely popular in the Balkans. Every time my partner and I visit, we always make sure to bring some back because there’s something about it that’s just so good. It has an eggy flavor that I really enjoy. I’m not sure if it’s considered ‘premium’ mayo, but it tastes great and does the job. I’ve never checked the ingredients, but I’m totally hooked.

What other condiments do you usually have on hand?

I keep doenjang—fermented bean paste. I like to use a teaspoon or tablespoon of it with steamed vegetables, like Chinese broccoli or bok choy. I steam the veggies briefly, set them aside, then heat a little oil in the wok, melt the doenjang into the oil, and toss the vegetables lightly. It makes for a simple and tasty snack.

Are you into hot sauce?

I’m not absolutely obsessed with heat, but I do enjoy a good hot sauce. I’m pretty content with the classics, like Cholula. It has this nice tang to it. But I really love Szechuan hot sauces and chili oil. I use chili oil quite a lot.

The Szechuan sauces have that tingling sensation, right?

Yes, they use Szechuan peppercorns, which give it a numbing sensation. That’s my go-to. Whenever I’m in a city in North America with a day off, I’ll search for either a Serbian restaurant or a Szechuan spot.

I’d imagine it’d be harder to find in the middle of the country, right?

The dining options in the Midwest have really improved over the last few years. That said, the Midwest still has some solid old-school classics. I love Culver’s butter burgers—they’re legit. If I have to eat fast food there, that’s my choice. But you can also find quirky Amish spots. I’ve been to a few in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Indiana. They serve traditional Amish dishes, which is essentially German home cooking served buffet-style, and that’s always a fun experience.

When it comes to fast food, I’m not one to judge. I eat McDonald’s because, honestly, I’m a mess, but those butter burgers? They’re actually amazing.

They really are. And A&W in Canada is a regular stop when we’re touring there. The drive between Montreal and Toronto is one of the dullest stretches ever. It’s so boring—it feels like you’re driving through a Hanna-Barbera cartoon background. You sort of zone out because it’s so repetitive. Along the way, there are these travel plazas with the same chain restaurants—Tim Horton’s, Starbucks, and A&W. The A&W in Canada is fantastic; the Buddy Burger is a must-try.

Is it different from the A&W we have in the U.S.?

Yeah, it’s different. I’m not entirely sure why, but it just tastes better. The vegetables especially are on another level.

That makes sense. Do you keep any frozen or convenience foods on hand for when cooking isn’t an option?

I do, actually. I don’t have a microwave, but there’s this amazing Polish spot in Montreal near my studio called Batory. They’ve been serving up homemade, grandma-style pierogis since day one. You can eat them at the restaurant, but they also sell huge frozen bags of them. They’re absolutely amazing.

Spicy cod roe is another quick, go-to meal. You can usually find it at Asian markets—mentaiko. You just grab some of the cod roe and oil, cook it up in a pan with butter and a touch of cream. Garlic is optional. Add some pasta water to thicken it up at the end, toss it with pasta, sprinkle green onion on top, and boom, it’s delicious. Have you ever tried bottarga? It’s like a Japanese take on a really simple bottarga pasta. It comes in a non-refrigerated little prepackaged bag. I had some last night.

Can we take a look inside your fridge?

The fridge is looking pretty rough, Claire.

Got any go-to meals for when you're hungover?

If I’m really hungover, I’ll whip up my own version of budae-jigae, Korean army stew with hot dogs and SPAM. It’s seriously delicious. Or I’ll make a Japanese curry from the Gleico brand—just dump everything in and let it cook. But if I’m feeling extra rough, I’ll just use whatever’s in the fridge to make a big pot of homemade budae-jigae. I always have chicken stock on hand, so I start with that and some Korean chili flakes, then just toss in random ingredients until it tastes right. I’ll cook some ramen and top it with poached eggs. That’s a solid meal. I think eggs are a miracle cure for anything.

Are you more into cocktails or beer?

I really enjoy wine. I’m a wine person through and through. I had to stop drinking beer after music and touring became my job, and also after hitting 30. When you’re on tour for two months and you’re having four to six beers a night, you start to feel bloated. It’s not something I like talking about, but after 30, I was like, 'Okay, I need to stop drinking beer.'

That happened to me as well, not exactly the same way, but after I turned 30 and leading up to it, I started sneezing whenever I drank beer.

That’s strange! Any idea what might’ve caused that?

I couldn’t figure it out. I even tried tracking it, but it wasn’t every beer that made me sneeze, and I couldn’t pinpoint the reason. So, I just switched to gin.

I absolutely love gin.

Gin is amazing!

I should mention that Devojka from Operators trained with the team at Attaboy in New York. It’s a speakeasy, and probably my favorite bar in the city. She trained with them off and on for a couple of years and has really perfected the art of cocktail making. They even have an app with their drinks, and some of Devojka’s creations are featured there. She’s also been hosting these ‘Pink Panther’ speakeasy nights at the apartment. So yeah, I’m totally spoiled when it comes to cocktails.

My go-to cocktail is the Gibson. It’s essentially a dry gin martini with a pickled onion. Devojka’s mastered that, along with a bunch of much more intricate cocktails. It’s kind of dangerous because we ended up getting absolutely hammered every night. That’s what happened during the writing sessions for Radiant Dawn—the new Operators album. We’d work on music, and then when we’d get back to the apartment, Dev would say, 'Okay, I’m working on a new Pink Panther menu. Try this. Now try this. Try this.' And, well, I’d be doomed after that.

Do you have a favorite brand of gin?

I’d say The Botanist is really solid. I grew up in a small rural town on Vancouver Island, British Columbia—a large island off the coast. Recently, the province loosened restrictions on distillation, so a bunch of private distilleries have popped up, and surprisingly, Vancouver Island gin is really good. I’d even say it could compete with international brands. One that stands out is Ampersand.

Some gins, though, go a little overboard with the 'artisanal' touch. Too many infusions, you know? But there’s one Canadian gin I’m totally into—Defender Island. It comes in a dark bottle, almost like a mini fifth, and I think it’s from British Columbia. It’s made with juniper and rosemary, but they burn the juniper and rosemary, giving it this smoky flavor.

If you had to choose just one source of salt, one fat, and one acid, what would you pick for each?

For salt, I’d choose unrefined sea salt. For fat, it’s gotta be lard—pork fat, because it’s just too good. I’m also a huge fan of čvarci, which are little roasted lard chunks that you snack on. And for acid, I’d go with lemon. I like a good, mildly tart lemon juice.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.