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I’m pretty sure you could feel the adrenaline running through the foyer infront of Restaurant International the morning of the Maple Leaf Pork Competition. As the chefs waited for their chance to get into the Algonquin kitchens and begin their signature plates they smiled and shook hands. Discussions of plates & ingredients overlapped discussions of how long they’d practiced and how they fit in all that practicing while working or even running busy restaurants and hotels.

Finally the Culinary Chair, Executive Chef Neil Mather, walked out and gave the chefs their assigned kitchens and in a flurry of carts filled with pots, pans, small wares of all kinds and overflowing bins of fresh produce they were off.

If you looked past the cords securely taped to the floors and the School of Broadcasting students with video cameras hoisted on their shoulders it probably looked like just another day in the labs at Algonquin. You could hear gas igniting, pans hitting burners, knives connecting with cutting boards quickly. You could even hear the clogs and scratching pens of professors as they observed each Chef at their assigned station. And as Restaurant International filled with eager patrons they too could see the chefs at work. At work with pork.

Each of these signature plates focused on Maple Leaf Pork short loin and they had only 60 minutes to create their entry.

The judges were Ron Eade, of Omnivore Ottawa, Michael Durrer, president of the Ottawa chapter, chef Glen Stevenson of Maple Leaf Consumer Foods, and Russell Weir, executive chef at the Sheraton Ottawa. Judges could award ten points for clean, crisp and attractive plating, another 10 points for creativity, and up to 20 points for taste. To qualify for gold a contestant needed 36 or more points; silver from 32 to 35 points; bronze from 28 to 31 points.

In the end there were seven bronze winners were Han Lin of the Ottawa Marriott, Abisheik Shetye of the Marriott, Connor McQuay of the National Arts Centre, Algonquin culinary professor Robert Gelinas, Jamie Ullrich of Algonquin, Nitin Mehra of East India Co. Restaurant, and culinary professor Ahmad Lutfi of the Danish embassy.

In third place with a silver medal was Executive Chef Steven Gugelmeier of the Ottawa Marriott hotel with his “Forest Fire Pork Duo” of black trumpet ravaged pork loin, spicy pork vegetable trees, tepid potato Waldorf, and birch syrup sow sap.

In second place recieving a gold medal was Executive Chef Mark Steele of Algonquin College Food & Beverage Operations with his cherrywood-smoked anise-crusted pork loin, maple-glazed loin sous vide, banana poached honey crisp, apple pearls, sweet potato croquette, cassis jus and pomegranate gastrique.

The top winner with a gold medal, bragging rights, a shiny trophy & a $3000 travel voucher was Executive Sous Chef Jonathan Sobol of the Sheraton Ottawa hotel for his pork loin with lobster and roasted apple crown, peas and carrot terrine, butternut squash cup, roasted walnuts and fried sage savoy puree.

Although this is the first competition of this kind that the CCFCC Ottawa has put on, they are looking forward to this being an annual event that grows. Congratulations to all the competitors!

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For a judge’s perspective please visit Ron Eade’s Omnivore Ottawa: http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/omnivore/archive/2011/03/28/sheraton-chef-takes-top-prize-in-maple-leaf-competition.aspx

In response to the eathquake experienced on Friday March 11 and subsequent tsunami. The devastation is immense and continues to get worse. The CCFCC is a part of the community and as such we need to respond and support the community. Many people in our community have family, friends and loved ones in Japan.

We are holding the event at Brookstreet Hotel, Thursday March 31.

Cocktails, Reception and Silent Auction 6:00 pm

Dinner 7:00 pm

Will feature Live and silent auction with many items being donated.

Students from Algonquin will assist in food production as well as service and stewarding

Price is $200.00 per person with tax receipt for $150.00

Tickets can be purchased at http://kahoot.ca/Offers/View/japan

For more information call the ccfcc at 613-913-5907

Event Menu

The very first time I met Chef Ric Watson was International Chef’s Day three years ago. I had found out that morning that I would be doing a small demonstration for his Food Service Training program and was more then a bit scared about what that meant. Entering the kitchen I was struck by how much it reminded me of the kitchen in my high school, built for learning and safety and kept impeciably clean.

It wasn’t always like that. 10 years ago when Ric Watson first walked through the doors. It was 1/4 of the size, with a budget that fit it. They were only putting out 400 meals a day and had no training program. Chef Ric spent a good deal of time applying himself to getting donations and sponsorship. All of which has paid off, the Ottawa Mission is now responsible for 1200 meals a day and that number jumps to 2500 dinners for Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving.

When I asked why he’s dedicated his life as a Certified Chef de Cuisine to the Ottawa Mission and creating this program Ric smiled. He told me that he had a chef when he was young and living on the streets that believed in him and now it was his turn to give that hope and chance to someone else. It’s not just one cook either, the program is in it’s 7th year running and has seen 14 semesters of students go through with a total of 60 graduates. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside a few of his students and had the chance to do more demonstrations since the first one and am continuely impressed by the dedication and hard working people I’ve met.

The program itself focuses on building self esteem and confidence, cooking really plays a small role in what Ric hopes is the end result. He says if you can cook imagine what else you’re capable of doing!

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For more information on the Ottawa Mission please visit http://www.ottawamission.com/

For more information on the Food Service Training program please contact rwatson@ottawamission.com

It was an exciting moment to walk out onto the floor of the Civic Centre the weekend of the Wine & Food show. I had to stop for a second, and take in the Chefs and cooks and general public flying past, everyone smiling and most with wine. Coming in through the back of the Civic Centre you need a moment to brace yourself, to get your bearings. I had a pretty good idea where the Ottawa Chef’s Federation booth was located but it’s pretty hard to miss six [or more] executive chefs in whites with tall white hats.

No one missed a beat, the second I got to the booth I had a task. I was lucky to spend my Saturday making reservations and talking to the guests of the Wine & Food show. I could turn around and watch the chefs in action. Chefs that were normally running large hotels, restaurants and food service operations. Chefs that didn’t work together every night on a line to have developed a routine together. But these chefs flowed together like they’d done it every weekend for years. Each plate was just as perfect as the one before it. All while carrying on conversations with guests explaining each dish, where they worked, about the Chef’s federation, laughing and smiling. Truly they were in their element.

To even have had a tiny hand in what was an incredibly successful event feels like a proud accomplishment. To the many Chefs that spent the entire weekend in the Civic Centre I’m sure the feeling of accomplishment is immense. Both for providing scholarships for Culinary students and bringing the Ottawa Chef’s Federation one step closer to sending a team to the Culinary Olympics in 2012.