It’s going to be a battle of culinary supremacy tonight as 10 of some of the best chefs from Calgary and area battle for a spot at the top of the podium at this year’s Gold Medal Plates.
Gold Medal Plates. Photo from the organization’s website.
The event, hosted in 10 cities across the country and culminating in a national competition to be held in February, brings together the world of our Olympic athletes and Canadian cuisine to help raise funds for the Canadian Olympic Foundation that supports those athletes.
At the event tonight, chefs must create a dish and pair it with a Canadian wine, spirit or beer. Then, a panel of six judges will pick the top three — bronze, silver and gold medal winners. The gold-medal winner will represent Calgary at the national event in Kelowna.
This year, the judges — including John Gilchrist, Chef Michael Allemeier from SAIT and restaurant critic James Chatto — will have their work cut out for them as they try to pick a winner from some of the city’s best culinary minds. Last year’s winner, Chef Michael Dekker who is now instructing the next generation of chefs at SAIT’s new Culinary Campus, will be on the panel to select a winner.
Among those vying for the gold is Justin Leboe, whose restaurant Model Milk was just named one of the country’s best new establishments by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine. (He took the bronze medal in last year’s competition.) He’ll have healthy competition from Xavier Lacaze, now heading up Home Tasting Room; the Top Chef Canada chef-testant is no stranger to competition.
Joining them are:
Shaun Desaulniers of Belgo (who took the silver medal in the 2010 competition)
Cam Dobranski from Brasserie & Wine Bar Kensington
Kyle Groves of Catch Restaurant & Oyster Bar
Eden Hrabec of Crazyweed Kitchen in Canmore. (Jan Hrabec of Crazyweed won silver at last year’s competition.)
Kenny Kaechele from Township/Canvas
Andrew Keen from Chop Steakhouse
Justin Labossiere of NOtaBLE
and Duncan Ly of Raw Bar (Hotel Arts), who won in 2010.
The event goes ahead tonight at the Telus Convention Centre with emcee Dave Kelly and musical guests Jim Cuddy and Barney Bentall. Some of Canada’s Olympic athletes will also be on hand to share stories of their experiences.
