Food for Thought with Alex Bielak

Chef Dan Megna

Research! 

In my last piece, I wrote that I’d had the chance to spend some time thinking about potential topics for this column. My “research” included a couple of outings to the 7th Annual “Food and Drink Fest” at the Careport Centre in Hamilton in late March. (see additional pictures by clicking here) 

The visits were facilitated by Shannon Tew, Event Manager for the Festival. She informed me that about 10,000 visitors were expected to attend what has become “the region’s largest food and beverage show of its kind.”



I was glad to get there early on the first day, before the hungry hordes descended. I wandered around and introduced myself to a handful of the Chefs and business owners among the hundred companies present. Time and again I was struck by the wealth of locally accessible talent and produce represented at the event.

The second day confirmed how popular the show is and by the time I left – after more visits and watching a cooking demonstration - it was getting very crowded indeed.


There were so many booths, not to mention tasty samples; it’s hard to single out a few for special note. But here goes anyway!

Rapscallion is described by Chef Matthew Kershaw and partner Erin Dunham as a “rogue eatery”. Currently only open on Sundays (the owners also run Burlington’s “The Alex”) they are filling the new place based on word of mouth and a menu of “new-style Hamilton food”.

Rapscallion has the potential to become one of the cornerstones of culinary renaissance in Hamilton that many would like to see. Matthew’s brother is Andrew Kershaw, owner of Rousseau House, so clearly there is a bit of a culinary nexus that bears watching here.

I was impressed by the clarity of the cooking demo by Chef Dan Megna, speaking to his TV experience. He runs the Twisted Lemon Restaurant in Cayuga with wife Laurie Lilliman, and they’ve developed an intriguing “Lean and Local” approach I’m keen to learn more about.

I’ve been inspired to do a future piece on the region’s pizza makers by sampling the offerings of Mario Spina and Vito and Alice Guerriero at the Festival. They are, respectively, the pie makers at NaRoma Pizza Bar on Locke St. and the mobile Avella’s Wood Oven based out of Stoney Creek. (If you have a fav pizza place that should be included let me know.)

Honourable mention goes to Chef Fred Wicks and Owner/Manager Dennis Mahoney-Bruer from Stonewalls Restaurant and Sports Lounge. They clearly love their work and were persuasively jolly in encouraging me not to continue just driving by the York Blvd location. We’ll see.

I picked up many other leads for future columns: lots more restaurants of course, Jalapeno honey, grass fed beef, a myriad fine beverages (alcoholic and non), caterers, purveyors and cooking classes. In fairness, too many to detail now.

A note to the organizers of the Food and Drink Fest: some kitchen equipment and cookbooks would be a welcome addition to next year’s Festival.

Inspiration for future columns has also come from other, sometimes unexpected, quarters, including Hamilton Mayor Bob Bratina. His Worship surprised me with the information that there are two wineries within the City Limits: Consequently, I’ve already dropped by for a preliminary chat with Lindsay Puddicombe, winemaker at Puddicombe Estate Winery, another of the Food and Wine Fest’s exhibitors.

As a result of another unanticipated recommendation, next week I’ll be telling y’all about a visit to a splendid southern BBQ joint in Hamilton.

Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info )

Food for Thought logo, designed and kindly donated by Ninka Bielak. Ninka can be reached at ninka.bielak@gmail.com.