Lindsay Porter, executive chef of El Cortez and Have Mercy, made Canadian culinary history as a three-time first place winner at the Canadian Food Championships.
During the three-day competition running July 22 to 24, she competed in the steak and bacon category. She won first place in the steak category and placed third in bacon.
By winning the steak category’s golden ticket, she is officially part of Team Canada with a berth to participate in the World Food Championships. This year the WFC takes place in Orange Beach, Alabama from Nov. 8 to 15.
In 2015 at the inaugural CFC, newly introduced as part of Taste of Edmonton, she won top spot in the pasta and seafood category.
As a gold medallist, Porter receives a $1,500 travel voucher, $2,500 in cash and a cutting board.
At the Sunday finals, she went head-to-head with four other chefs and cooks including St. Albert’s Miroslav Kolasa owner of Wind Rose, a catering service.
Porter’s winning dish was a charcoal grilled rib-eye steak that included a tangy barbecue sauce complete with campfire smoky mashed potatoes, salsa and shrimp. Competitors were also asked to infuse their dish with a secret mystery sauce.
Surprisingly, Porter was less than confident about her dish.
“I kept thinking it was way too simple. I knew the flavours were good, but it was too simple. I was worried the judges would perceive it as just steak and potatoes. Although it was simple, it had a lot of points to it and I was happy the judges noticed,” said Porter.
For the worlds she already has few ideas dancing around her head – a fusion of southern American and Alberta styled charcoal grilled steak.
“I’m going to go with something simple, but super flavoured.”
Instead Kolasa, who placed in the final’s top five, grilled a rib-eye steak with a green Madagascar peppercorn sauce, roasted baby tomatoes and cabbage.
“I reached the finals. That was my goal. For me it was a successful comeback. It was a good learning experience and I will compete next years,” he said.
Although not a top finisher, Kolasa was generous in his praise of other challengers.
“It was really nice to compete especially with very well skilled cooks and chefs like Lindsay Porter. She is one of the best chefs in Alberta, maybe Canada. She worked hard and deserves it.”
In the preliminary rounds, the chefs were asked to create a dish of their choosing. Porter baked steak pies flavoured with herbs grown on her balcony and decorated with nasturtiums, marigolds and pansies.
“I just made it up. I hadn’t even had a chance to practice it, but I knew the elements would taste well and I was happy with how it turned out.”
During the high-intensity preliminary round, Kolasa planned a filet steak with Madeira sauce, bone marrow and fried mushrooms on a potato and celery root bed.
Unfortunately the Brinkman grill at his station was unable to produce a high enough heat. In a moment of anxiety with sweat running down his brow, Kolasa flipped the steaks into a cast iron pan to create the right texture and taste.
He completed the competition on a deflated note, saying, “I don’t think I did very well.”
But the judges surprised him and sent him to the finals. They also surprised Tu Le, owner of St. Albert’s Jack’s Burger Shack.
Le, a two-time competitor at the CFC, entered the sandwich category. His creation was a marinated shrimp sandwich with pickled peaches, sweet mayonnaise, toasted almonds and a dash of lemon and chili oil.
At the close of the preliminary round Le said, “I try to plan ahead and I never try something I can’t do. I tried something adventurous, but something I’m comfortable with.”
Although CFC volunteers who enjoyed the sandwich leftovers gave it a thumbs-up, the judges saw it differently. Unfortunately, the sandwich did not qualify for the finals.
The CFC’s pressure cooker atmosphere is not for every chef and cook. However, Kolasa notes it is filled with personal rewards.
“It’s exciting and I like it. It’s nice public exposure. And there’s the excitement of cooking and you have the instant gratification of doing a job and sharing your food with others.”
