First Time Competitor Wins Great Kitchen Party
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party held their annual fundraiser and food competition in Edmonton on Thursday. Nine chefs vied for gold, and a newcomer to the contest topped the podium. Competitions are held in a dozen cities across the country, with proceeds supporting amateur athletes, children’s music programs, and community food centres in Canada.
Chef J.P. Dublado, of River Cree Resort and Casino won with a dish of terrine made with char siu foie gras, cured duck egg yolk and truffle, and a dumpling comprised of ube and chicken rillettes. It is Chef Dublado’s first time competing in the event. The Executive Chef at the River Cree, Shane Chartrand, has competed in the Gold Medal Plates (the previous incarnation of the Great Kitchen Party) four times, winning gold in 2017.
Silver went to Chef Serge Belair of the Edmonton Convention Centre, and Chef Doreen Prei from Zinc Restaurant took the bronze.
Chef Dublado goes on to represent Edmonton in the Canadian Culinary Championships in Ottawa, to be held January 31-February 1, 2020.
Openings
- Campio Brewing is the newest brew pub in Edmonton, located in the former Characters space at 10257 105 Street.
- Bodega has opened its fourth location in the Edmonton region, this latest one in St. Albert at 1 Herbert Road.
- There’s a new sushi restaurant in Sherwood Park called Kobachi, located at 200 Festival Lane, #125.
Closures
- A number of Edmonton Starbucks locations have shut down, including stores in High Street and Garneau.
Upcoming Events
- Giselle Courteau of Duchess will be releasing her new cookbook this week and will be hosting a cookbook launch on October 16, 2019. She spoke to the Journal about what type of recipes to expect.
- The Edmonton Food Bank is hosting a fundraiser called the Harvest Luncheon on October 24, 2019. Tickets are $50.
- The second Bayanihan Dinner, a collaboration between some of Edmonton’s best Filipino chefs, including Kanto 98 Street’s Edgar Gutierrez and JP Dublado of SC at River Cree Casino (fresh off his Great Kitchen Party win), is taking place on October 30, 2019. Tickets are $85.
Reviews
- Sharon was invited to try the food at Dagu Rice Noodle.
Local News
- Graham interviewed Larry Stewart about the Hardware Grill closure; Stewart says the closure relates most to the debt accumulated from the opening of Tavern 1903.
- Natalie Hanke has spearheaded a campaign to encourage diners to “bring your own to-go box” when eating out at local restaurants.
- Let’s Do Coffee, a NAIT podcast that interviews local entrepreneurs, featured Chef Levi Biddlecombe in the latest episode.
- A local catering company Acappella now offers a “take and bake” dinner pack for those looking for a more convenient way to prepare dinner over the holidays.
- Fresh Routes held their first mobile market selling affordable produce and grocery products at Clareview Recreation Centre last week.
Urban Agriculture and Farming
- The Downtown Edmonton Farmers’ Market delayed the opening of their indoor location due to permitting issues.
What I Ate
- Mack, Emily, and I have been in Yellowknife over the weekend, spending Thanksgiving with Mack’s parents. It’s been a pretty relaxing trip, but one of the only things we really wanted to do was eat at Bullocks. It’s the most famous restaurant in Yellowknife; in the past it was known for questionable service, but since changing hands, it’s become more about the food quality. They serve fresh fish caught in nearby Great Slave Lake, and diners can choose the preparation method – deep fried, grilled, or pan-fried. Mack and I both chose the latter, and eating at the counter, we had a front row seat to the cooking process. While the herbs and spice recipes are proprietary, we could see that loads of butter, wine, and Guinness also play prominent roles. Whatever it was, the fish was delicious, and met all of our expectations.
Pan-fried white fish from Bullocks Bistro
Only Here for the Food 