Food for Thought with Alex Bielak - Chef vs Chef (vs Chef vs Chef)

Food for Thought with Alex Bielak

Chef vs Chef (vs Chef vs Chef) 

The last couple of weeks have been busy ones on the culinary scene, with the most populist event having been the 2014 O Canada Ribfest held in Waterdown. It attracted nearly 50,000 participants and according to Rotarian organizers there were people from all over Southern Ontario in attendance. Bravo to the committed volunteers who pulled off such a success. Boss Hog’s repeated their win in the “People’s Choice Category” for both Ribs, and Sauce, and Kentucky Smokehouse took top honours for both in the “Judged” category.

As I’ve said before, there are lots of intersections in our culinary scene, both personal and via the personalities and events involved. So, speaking of judging, I’ve been asked to be one of the judges for the
Centro Market Chef Street Fight between two hugely-talented chefs I’ve had the pleasure of cooking with in the past. A great honour that I’m really looking forward to!

In this column I’ll also remind you about the upcoming Around the Canadian Table event, where one of the two Street Fighters is cooking for a great cause; and reprise the Summer Taste of Burlington launch where many chefs again went head to head, while producing some wonderful food.

The Street Fight is on July 20th at 10am (the market is 9 – noon) under the cover of a specially-constructed tented stage, with seating for spectators. The “card” sees Chef Andrew Mcleod (@ChefMcLeod – lately of Spencer’s at the Waterfront), take on Auzzie Chef Adam Hynam-Smith (@EGVadam – co-owner of El Gastronomo Vagabundo, Ontario’s first gourmet street food truck, featured on Food Network Canada’s Eat St.) 

The challenge will be to use the Market as a pantry and in 45 minutes prepare and present their meal to the audience/judges who will then crown a winner. It promises to be stiff competition. Both chefs appreciate seasonal ingredients, and share Centro Market’s passion for “connecting local growers and makers of natural and organic foods to people in their community…”

McLeod was recognised by Zagat Toronto for “the 10 Best Things We Ate in 2013" along with an offering from Hynam-Smith. McLeod is known for foraging his ingredients, his butchering abilities, his skill with fish and for the beauty of his plating. Hynan-Smith brings an astonishing appreciation of unusual, vibrant flavours, and especially the spices of Northern Africa and SE Asia. And he has a book coming at the end of the year – Curbside: Modern Street Food from a Vagabond Chef. I’ve tried some of the recipes and they are dynamite! 

Chef Mcleod also features in the stellar line-up of chefs at Around the Canadian Table, which I first mentioned here. There’s no competing this time around, however. It really is a cool celebration of Food Day Canada, and part of Jackson-Triggs Niagara Summer Concert Series at the Estate Amphitheatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake. The event takes place August 2, 2014. There are still dinner tickets available, ($175 plus taxes), with 350 more at $75 for the Canadian Table Conversation, dessert, icewine and music. Click here for details.

Guests will enjoy an “Explore Your Senses” station style dinner as they stroll through the winery, savouring dishes prepared by many of Niagara’s top chefs and paired with the finest VQA Niagara wines from Jackson-Triggs, Inniskillin and Le Clos Jordanne.

Chefs who are generously supporting the event include Chef Mcleod as well as luminaries such as John Horne (Canoe Restaurant), Tim Mackiddie, (Great Estates of Niagara), David Watt (The Garrison House, Niagara on the Lake), Erik Peacock (Wellington Court, St. Catharines), Anthony Greco (Zest Restaurant, Fonthill), Mark Picone (Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI) at Niagara College and his eponymous Culinary Studio, Vineland) and Food Network star, Anna Olson. (For the record, I reckon Anna would take Nigella in a Street Fight any day. And I would be happy to be a judge!)

After dinner the “Canadian Table Conversation” in the amphitheatre begins: it’s an interactive discussion about all things food chaired by Food Day Canada’s Anita Stewart, and featuring an all-star panel of chefs, educators and producers including Donald Ziraldo (Co-Founder of Inniskillin), Karen Whitty (Whitty Farms), Craig Youdale (Dean of CWFI), and Michael Olson (Chef Professor, CFWI).

The conversation will continue during the intermission, as all guests enjoy a seasonal fruit dessert prepared by Anna Olson and paired with Jackson-Triggs Icewine, followed by a musical set featuring two of Ontario’s most talented musicians, globally-renowned guitarist Kevin Breit and Niagara’s own Mark Lalama. The event is co-sponsored by the Niagara Chapter of Les Marmitons [full disclosure again – I’m a member], to build student bursaries in the Culinary, Hospitality, Wine and Beer programs at Niagara College Canada

Finally I was pleased to attend the Taste of Burlington Launch event last month. If anything the food was even better than the winter launch with many Chefs vying seriously for top rankings. Linda Cvetanovic, from Tourism Burlington, and her crew organized the event perfectly, and, once the votes were in, she sent congratulations on a repeat People’s Choice award to Chef Mitchell Lamb (Stone House Restaurant) “who captured the title with his Pecan crusted salmon with sweet potato hash and honey Dijon cream sauce.” It was definitely delicate and flavourful.

Celebrity judges awarded Chef Will Edsell of the Queen’s Head Pub a second consecutive title of “Best Taste” for his Caramel pretzel and peanut butter ice cream with brûléed peaches. I concur: it’s hard to believe he topped his winning winter entry (another dessert - praline-rolled sweet potato donuts filled with Ontario maple cream) but he did. Can he three-peat next winter?

An honourable mention is due to Chef Mike Middlemost of Pepperwood Bistro for his Crispy skin pork belly on house made salt & vinegar chip with a chipotle glaze and mango corn sauce. It was in final contention in both contests.

Like the winter launch, I got to do short interviews with chefs and owners and you’ll see the fruits of those illuminating interactions later in the summer. In the meantime do take advantage of the prix fixe opportunities on offer to check out a new place or three. The event runs July 20 – Aug. 3, 2014 and 26 restaurants are participating.

So folks, get aboard and enjoy the fruits of exciting, and sometimes competitive, summer dining…

To see more pictures, click here. 

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Alex (Alex can be reached at fft@thehamiltonian.info ) or on twitter @AlexBielak