Chefs, sharpen your knives.
Once again the Canadian Culinary Fund is in the news as it resurrects Hot Chefs Cool bEats, a fundraiser to provide scholarships for NAIT’s crop of aspiring chefs.
"We’re thrilled to be bringing back Hot Chefs Cool bEats this year after taking a few years off – this will definitely be one of the most exciting food events of the year,” said Red Seal chef Peter Keith, an event organizer.
The former Paul Kane High School graduate, also a scholarship recipient, has worked diligently to provide financial support for the fund.
“We’ve lined up Edmonton's top chefs and restaurants to participate, including Kelsey Johnson from Cafe Linnea, Serge Belair from the Convention Centre, Rino Lam from XIX, Edgar Gutierrez from Tres Carnales/Kanto, and almost a dozen more.”
The event takes place at the Mosaic Centre, one of Edmonton’s trendiest buildings on Thursday, April 25, where 21 of the region’s top tier chefs as well as brewers, distillers, wineries and entertainment gather for a chock-a-block elegant evening.
In addition to Keith, co-owner of Meuwly’s, there are three additional St. Albert-connected chefs. Rino Lam from XIX Nineteen, Rob Tryon from Effing Seafoods and Scott Downey of the Butternut Tree Restaurant plan to whip up their tasty magic.
Fifteen different food stations offering small bites will be set up throughout the centre including two food trucks in the parking lot. Interspersed throughout are beverage bars and interactive entertainment.
“Our inspiration for this was a street festival where you walk down a street, grab a bite to eat and enjoy the entertainment,” Keith said.
From Meuwly’s Keith is offering salami tastings while Scott Downey plans on preparing dishes made from forest lichen.
“They’ll be different textures – fried and candied. It’s really out there and interesting. It’s a food we haven’t used in recent times, but it’s natural and it’s making a comeback.”
Keith hopes Effing Seafoods brings oysters to the table while Rino Lam is baking a pineapple bun similar to traditional dim sum dinners.
Northern Chicken is serving its signature fried chicken sandwiches with house-made pickles and Serge Blair is introducing a vanilla financier cake with rosemary meringue and raspberry sauce.
Although not all entertainers have confirmed, singer-songwriters Chloe Albert and Lisa Nicole Grace as well as DJs David Stone, Kris Harvey and ‘John the Chef’ have accepted.
“Alberta Pork is our title sponsor and they are paying all the expenses. Every dollar collected goes to the scholarships. By having Alberta Pork involved, it’s making a bigger impact,” Keith said.
Whether you are a gourmet or simply a chowhound, this is one event to mark on the calendar.
Tickets are $175 and are available at www.eventbrite.ca.
