Foodies fork over the dough for Canada’s top chef

Calgary dinner supports child nutrition,
culinary competitor

Prior to the heart-pounding, life-altering, career-rocketing event that is the Bocuse d’Or international culinary competition in Lyon, Canada’s top chefs face a different challenge: cooking for kids. The landmark Fairmount Palliser Hotel in Calgary was the scene for this years Chefs for Canada, Chefs for Kids fundraising dinner. Tickets were $200 each and sold out well before the event. Proceeds will help fund Breakfast for Learning, a program that provides children with the essential nutrients they require to play and learn actively, and to support Canada’s Chef David Wong at the Bocuse d’Or in January.

“Don’t you think Canada has the best chef in the entire world? We deserve to win this!” declared a charming and vivacious Sharma Christie, the event’s volunteer fundraising chair, “I don’t care what the economic times are! Give generously.”

Passions (for food) were running high. Banquet tables lined the inside of Fairmount’s Crystal Ballroom, where teams from various restaurants prepared tastings. As the opening remarks finished and mingling guests finally took their seats, high profile executive chefs were placing final sprigs of parsley and drops of jus on mini plates. A jazz quartet began to play and Vincent Parkinson, Chef de Mission for Bocuse d’Or Canada, invited guests to wander from station to station, returning to their own table with sample plates to compare and critique.

Autumn flavours and competing textures were prominent in most dishes. An elegant plate of oxtail confit with braised brussel sprouts, savory roast pumpkin strudel and chanterelle foam was delivered by sous-chef Steven Lepine of the Calgary Golf and Country Club. Executive chef of The Petroleum Club, Liana Robberecht, offered a unique éclair-style dish made from puffy sweet pastry stuffed with organic duck confit, and topped with savory whipped cream. The dish was paired with club smoked duck on arugula greens. On the other side of the grand room was executive chef Hayato Okamitso of Catch restaurant, with a mouthwatering lobster maki roll in mango puree and ginger miso braised beef short rib.

Guests included fashion designers Brenda Rozdeba and Barb Gudowsky, Nick Noronha and Tom Short of Rare Method, Kevin Angus of Pegasus Gas, Kenneth Hayes of Grand Banks Energy Corp, Laurids Skaarup, president of Moxies Classic Grill, Fong Seto of the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, business pundit David Parker (formerly of Calgary Economic Development), artist Paul Van Ginkel, socialite philanthropists Sherrold and Pat Moore, executive chef of Muse restaurant Cam Dobranski, and Terry Gibson, senior vice president and portfolio manager for BMO Nesbitt Burns.

A live auction proceeded the dinner, with Paul Van Ginkel’s painting of an iconic prairie scene entitled “Chuck Wagon Cuisine”, and a seven night all inclusive stay at the Fairmount Acapulco fetching the largest bids.

Published in the National Post, October 11 2008.