The Citizen’s restaurant critic second guesses the judges on the 2024 Canadian Culinary Championship held Saturday evening on the Shaw Centre in Ottawa
Evaluations and suggestions are unbiased and merchandise are independently chosen. Postmedia could earn an affiliate fee from purchases made by means of hyperlinks on this web page.
Article content material
On Saturday evening, the place to be for Ottawa’s gourmands was the Shaw Centre, the place the finale of the 2024 Canadian Culinary Championship featured 10 cooks from throughout the nation serving their greatest efforts to a sold-out crowd of 550 diners.
Friends queued at station after station, sampling culinary creations by cooks from Whistler, B.C. to Cell, Nfld. In the meantime, a panel of judges ate in judgement, and a while after 10 p.m., the nationwide champion was to be topped.
Commercial 2
Article content material
Article content material
In a feat of speed-eating and hasty judgment, I used to be in a position to attempt all 10 entries and make some snap selections on which have been higher and which have been worse. Under is my rating of the dishes, from my least favorite to my favorite. It’s not but 9:30 p.m. as I end writing. We’ll seen quickly how my picks evaluate with these of the judges.
10
Chef Rupert Garcia of the restaurant Hawthorn on the Fairmont Palliser, winner of the Calgary qualifier, served steelhead trout and apples. This dish was too muted flavour-wise and there simply wasn’t sufficient occurring on the plate for me.
9
Chef JP Dublado of the Pink Deer Resort and On line casino, winner of the Edmonton qualifier, served a dish through which Hokkaido scallops and Taber corn have been touted. I’ve been extra impressed by Hokkaido scallops once I’ve beforehand had them, and the candy aspect on the latter threw it out of whack, I assumed.
8
Chef Thomas Deschamps of the restaurant Les Têtes Brûlées, in Mascouche, an hour’s drive north of Montreal, served pork cheek with cherries. This entry sought to raise a humble pork pie, with blended outcomes. Whereas it acquired the porky filling and sauce proper, I once more held the dish’s large streak of sweetness towards it.
Commercial 3
Article content material
7
Chef Frank Parhizgar of the restaurant FK in Toronto, served juniper-scented Dexter beef cheek, heirloom carrots, hazelnut, morel noisette, and crispy beef tendon. As a carnivore and cheek-meat lover, I actually needed to love this yet another. However whereas a few of its components impressed me, the meat cheek that I obtained was simply too gelatinous. The dish additionally would have been extra fulfilling if it had been hotter.
6
Chef Neil Taylor of Residence Block at CedarCreek Property Vineyard, winner of the Okanagan qualifier, served “coppa di testa” that includes preserved peaches, brussels sprouts, mushrooms, truffles, and lentils. This massively portioned terrine was wealthy on wealthy on wealthy. I assumed it might have been edited down a bit. As you’ll learn beneath, I most well-liked the championship’s different terrine to this one.
5
Chef Raghav Chaudhary of Aiana Restaurant Collective, the winner of the Ottawa qualifier, served “The Flavours of Acadia,” that includes oysters, crab, trout, and algae. This dish was cohesive and well-made, and its parsnip chowder was fulfilling. However the oyster-shaped vessel, made out of potato, was overly onerous.
Commercial 4
Article content material
4
Chef Garrett Thienes of Harvest Eatery in Shaunavon, Sask., winner of the Saskatoon qualifier, served rabbit, bacon, sunchoke, bordelaise, rhubarb, plum mustard, and smoke. My rabbit was just a bit dry and its crunchy components have been too crunchy.
3
Chef Kyle Puddester of the restaurant Fork in Cell, Newfoundland, served an edible backyard dish that includes textures of root greens, skyr, and oat crumble. If there was a prize for probably the most shocking dish of the championship, this one would have taken it. This dish was probably the most provocative of the batch, mashing up candy and savoury on a plate. I, amongst others, thought it was a dessert, however with some deluxe thrives. Nonetheless, not all of its elements labored for me and I didn’t discover that it was a harmonious composition.
2
Chef Kristopher Kurus of deer + almond in Winnipeg served Manitoba pork terrine “en chou” with duxelles perogies, celeriac puree, and Manitoba pickles. Of the evening’s two terrines, the one was superior, because of its larger number of flavours and impressions. The mini-perogi ticked off the field for cuteness.
1
Chef Jasper Cruickshank of Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar, in Whistler, B.C. winner of the Vancouver qualifier, served shrimp, Dungeness crab, leeks, wakame, and geoduck clam. This seafood dish, whereas simple and accessible, merely nailed all of its elements. Every merchandise on the plate was a technical feat that spoke clearly and was scrumptious. That is the dish that I most needed to eat once more.
When you have been on the Shaw Centre Saturday evening, which dishes actually gained you over? Go away your two cents within the feedback beneath.
Article content material