2010 EVENT SUMMARY | 2010 WINE REPORT | PAST WINNERS | 2009 EVENT SUMMARY | CANADIAN WINE INDUSTRY STEPS UP TO THE PODIUM
EDMONTON - A qualification event for the Canadian Culinary Championships
Event Chair: Dave Majeski
2011 GOLD MEDAL PLATES EDMONTON WINNERS
Gold Medallist: Jan Trittenbach - Packrat Louie. Paired with Peller Estates Winery, 2007 Private Reserve Syrah
Silver Medallist: Deependra Singh - Guru Restaurant & Bar. Paired with Little Straw Vineyards, 2008 Pinot Rose Limited Release
Bronze Medallist: Paul Campbell - Cafe de Ville. Paired with ExNihilo Vineyards, 2007 ExNihilo Night
JAMES CHATTO'S REPORT (www.jameschatto.com)
If it's Thursday, it must be Edmonton – and look over there: the Gold Medal Plates touring team is standing in Edmonton airport by the special carousel for large and fragile items. Jim Cuddy, Barnie Bentall and Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea are waiting for various guitar cases (Anne Lindsay already has her violin case slung onto her back). David Lawrason and I are looking at eight huge and heavy boxes of very fine wines destined for the silent auction. All of us are looking forward to an evening of fun and games in the friendly but always spectacular confines of the Shaw Conference Centre. Gold Medal Plates has a special place in this city's heart and the crowd of 730 highly enthusiastic connoisseurs were totally involved in the proceedings. Marnie McBean was our MC, chatting on stage with dozens of inspiring Olympian and Paralympian athletes before handing over to the fast-talking local auctioneer and then the musicians. Energy levels were through the roof!
Some of us were in town to work, however. Our roster of judges performed as valiantly as ever. A huge thank you to Senior Judge, Chef Instructor Clayton Folkers; wine, food and travel writer, Mary Bailey; gastronomic consultant and educator, Gail Hall; food writer and style guru Liane Faulder; chef and gastronome Chris Wood; and last year's Edmonton GMP champion, chef Andrew Fung (who provided an awesome take on Scotch eggs for the VIP reception – miniature pucks of beautifully seasoned duck sausage topped by a slice of hard boiled quail egg over a tangy slaw).
The quality and imagination of the dishes the chefs offer in Edmonton has grown with every passing year. Last night, with five out of ten of our competitors new to the show, the city once again surpassed itself. The scores were very close between the top four. Taking the bronze medal was Paul Campbell of Café de Ville who worked with Alberta lamb shoulder, braising the meat for eight hours in duck fat then forking it apart, adding basil and rosemary then rolling it in bacon before slow-baking it again. It ended up as a savoury, lamby, densely textured drum folded in the bacon, set over an incredibly smooth, velvety parsnip purée. Perfect little sage and porcini gnocchi hid under a porcini crisp (if Chef Campbell ever decided to mass-produce and market those chips he would be a millionaire) and the sauce was a rich glace de viande reduced from lamb, chicken and beef stocks. The wine match was one of the evening's most successful – a bold red called Night, vintage 2007, from Ex Nihilo winery in the Okanagan.
Our silver medallist was Deependra Singh from Guru Restaurant & Bar. South Asian cuisine has taken Edmonton by storm in recent years and the quality of the restaurants is very high – perhaps the best in the country. Chef Singh presented a trio of delights on his plate, starting with a juicy, tender prawn dusted with a subtle clove-and-cardamom garam masala spice mix then lightly battered in chickpea batter and swiftly fried. Beside that was a tiny skewer of exceptionally tender beef tenderloin and sweet pepper, invisibly spiced but beautifully judged so that a tongue-tingling heat slowly grew on the palate. The third element was a bulging little purse of crisp, unexpectedly light pastry, dyed green with spinach, that held gorgeous, finely chopped butter chicken, set in a pool of rich, buttery, tangy makhni sauce. The judges admired the distinct variety and deft levels of spicing, the several textures, the fact that the butter chicken "potli" was served hot. Chef Singh paired his dish with a 2008 Pinot Rosé from Little Straw Vineyards in the Okanagan, a merry mouthful of off-dry fruit that made its own contribution to the experience.
Our gold medallist was a chef who has competed at Gold Medal Plates several times in the past and always impressed. Last night he aced it – Jan Trittenbach from Packrat Louie. Meat was front and centre on his dish. He began by braising beef chuck flat in red wine for four hours until the meat was so tender and juicy it could be pulled apart at the touch of a fork. Then he used this 
beef as a filling for a rolled venison tenderloin, cooked for an hour sous vide to leave it deep crimson and delectably moist and tender. Small purple pools of blackberry gastrique and beet purée were perfect condiments as were tiny mounds of shaved purple and green cauliflower, a refreshing watercress salad in a lemon vinaigrette and a fried sage leaf. The other major presence on the plate was a super little canoli – as crisp as could be – filled with a rich cream of smoked goat cheese and berries with a hint of dark chocolate. It was a bold idea, serving the main course alongside the dessert, as one judge opined, but it worked! So did the wine match – a very small production of 2007 Private Reserve Syrah from Peller Estates in the Okanagan, a wine that reached out to the berries and chocolate but had the structure to flatter the heavenly venison.
So we have another worthy champion to send to Kelowna in February for the Canadian Culinary Championship! Tonight, Vancouver awaits…
DAVID LAWRASON'S WINE REPORT
Night of the Big B.C. Reds
The three-cities-in-three days western leg of Gold Medal Plates touched down at the massive terraced Shaw Centre in Edmonton, in a city that came out to play, and drink some great red wines. In the previous three cities the chefs had overwhelmingly gone for white wines and brews, but in Edmonton it seems any season is red wine season.
For the Best of Show Wine Award, I was joined by two local pillars of the wine community. Gurvinder Bhatia is a wine columnist for The Edmonton Journal, a Canadian Wine Awards judge, and manager of Vinomania, leading Edmonton wine shop. William Bincoletto is another wine institution in Edmonton, the chief wine consultant at Vines Wine Merchant (a long time supporter of Gold Medal Plates) and instructor of the Independent Wine Education Guild programs in the city.
The winner was a shoe-in with two first place votes and a second place vote: the beautifully constructed, firm and cellar-worthy Le Vieux Pin 2007 Merlot from B.C.’s Okanagan Valley. Second place went to new, creative, and very successfully layered and fine Road 13 2009 Merlot Syrah. Third spot went to another iconic B.C. red: Laughing Stock’s 2008 Portfolio – the second time this complex, layered, and reserved cellaring red has shown up in the winner’s circle this year.
There were actually many good wines in the room this night – my point spreads were not that far apart. The winning wine paired with Gold Medal Chef Jan Trittenbach was Peller Estates 2007 Private Reserve Syrah. Other red candidates included Le Vieux Pin 2008 Pinot Noir, Le Vieux Pin 2008 P’tit Rouge, ExNihilo 2007 Night, Township 7 2007 Merlot, Lake Breeze 2007 Seven Poplars Pinot Noir. Other selections included the racy Little Straw 2010 Pinot Rose, La Stella 2010 Leggerio Unoaked Chardonnay and Sumac Ridge Steller’s Jay Brut.
2011 Competing Chefs Tim Barath -
The Red Piano Bistro & Dueling Piano Bar |
2011 Judges James Chatto |
PAST GOLD MEDAL PLATES EDMONTON WINNERS
2010
GOLD - ANDREW FUNG - Blackhawk Golf Course : Paired with Road 13 Vineyards, B.C.
SILVER - MICHAEL BROWN - Share, The Westin Edmonton : Paired with Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, B.C.
BRONZE - SHANE CHARTRAND - L2 Fantasyland Hotel : Paired with Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery, Ontario
2009
Gold: Chef Nathin Bye, Lazia Restaurant
Silver: Chef Blair Lebsack, Madison's Grill
Bronze: Chef Sonny Sung, Bistecca
2008
Gold: Chef David Cruz, Sage Restaurant
Silver: Chef Michael Brown, Pradera Café, The Westin Edmonton
Bronze: Chef Blair Lebsack, Madison's Grill
2007
Gold: Chef Judy Wu, Wild Tangerine
Silver: Chef Frank Olson, Red Ox Inn
Bronze: Chef David Cruz, Sage Restaurant
2006
Gold: Chef Michael Brown, Pradera Café, The Westin Edmonton
Silver: Chef Dennis Cummings of Billingsgate Seafood Market & Lighthouse Café
Bronze: Chef Simon Smotkowicz, The Shaw Conference Centre
James Chatto's 2010 Report (www.jameschatto.com)
Last night saw a brilliant party at Edmonton’s Shaw Centre as the Gold Medal Plates campaign soared onwards into the fall. We have never welcomed a bigger crowd – 775 guests – and, as always in this generous city, the welcome was warm and the auction bidding lively. Alexandre Bilodeau was the inspiring keynote speaker, allowing us to all to relive his gold medal moment from Vancouver with emceeing duties provided by the ever-charming Terry David Mulligan and Adam Van Koeverden. Irresistible music from Jim Cuddy, Colin James and Anne Lindsay kept energy levels high as a kite.
The ten competing chefs had also come to win, bringing first class ingredients and delicious imagination to their dishes. Such is the strength of Edmonton’s culinary scene these days that seven of the ten chefs were competing at Gold Medal Plates for the first time.
Taking the bronze medal was Chef Shane Chartrand of L2 Grill, the new restaurant at Fantasyland Hotel. He created a delectable roll of rich, soft, foie gras-scented steak tartare, rolling the finely ground raw beef in a crunchy, peppery crust of dried squid ink. At the heart of each slice lay a morsel of moist white monkfish. Two sauces complemented the protein – one a purée of sweet pea enriched with bone marrow, the other a tangy, sweet orange caramel sauce that served as a brilliant bridge into the wine. For that, Chef Chartrand went to Ontario, pouring the Wayne Gretsky No. 99 Estates 2005 Vidal Icewine, VQA Niagara Peninsula, a bold decision that paid off handsomely with a great match in terms of texture and weight.
The silver medallist was no stranger to the podium: Michael Brown, execuitve chef of Share in the Westin Edmonton hotel, won gold in 2006 and another silver in 2008. This year he gave us “a study in crab,” complete with some poetry he had written especially for the dish. Each guest received a small cocktail glass of rich, thick, intensely flavourful crab bisque topped with a corn espuma spiked with a hint of jalapeño and scattered with crunchy, colourful motes of beetroot crisp. Beside the glass lay a spinach crepe wrapped around a salad of Alaskan red king crab, the flavour cool and delicate but unmistakably crabby. A single parmesan gougère was the third element, its rich cheesiness leavened slightly by a garnish of micro firestix flowers. An elegant yellow beet tuile was perfectly crisp, earning the applause of the chefs on the judging panel. Chef Brown paired his dish with an appropriately aromatic Tinhorn Creek’s 2009 Gewurztraminer from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia.
Our gold medallist last night, by a unanimous decision from the judges, was Andrew Fung, chef of Blackhawk Golf Club, who presented a duo of Alberta beef. A plump gyoza, piping hot on the warm plate, was filled with a mixture of red-wine-braised short rib, caramelized onion, balsamic and foie gras mousse – a rich mouthful indeed. A lip-sticking veal reduction enhanced it from one direction while a tartly refreshing 
Granny Smith apple purée leavened the effect beautifully. Lolling over the top of the gyoza was a piece of garlic-and-thyme-infused, oven-dried roma tomato. The second part of the creation came in a miniature bowl – slices of very rare beef tataki, using the hanger steak cut. Seared for seconds then sliced against the grain, the meat was spectacularly tender, dressed with shaved asiago cheese, olive oil and – in a surprising but very successful combination – a tangy ponzu sauce. The wine pairing was particularly well achieved, with chef choosing Road 13 2008 Jackson Pinot Noir from the Okanagan Valley in B.C.
Congratulations to all our competitors and thanks to our valiant judges! Now Chef Fung will start planning for the Canadian Culinary Championship in Kelowna next February. We look ahead to a busy rest-of-the-week with GMP events in Vancouver on Friday and Saskatoon on Saturday.
The Gold Medal Plates Wine and Beverage Report 2010
By David Lawrason
The sold out, eight-city 2010 Gold Medal Plates tour showcased the products of a record 62 Canadian wineries, cideries, sake producers, breweries and distillers – with 17 participating in more than one city, and five in three or more cities. They donated over 400 cases to be enjoyed by over 4,500 guests coast to coast. My deepest thanks to the industry for its support and largesse for supporting what has become the largest national showcase for Canadian wine.
Seven wineries will be accompanying their Gold Medal Chefs to the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna, B.C. in February. There are eight cities competing in Kelowna but B.C.s Road 13 Winery has pulled off the impossible by winning in two cities – Edmonton and Saskatoon. Other CCC wineries are Black Hills and Tantalus from B.C.; Hillebrand Trius, Fielding Estate and Ravine from Ontario, and La Face Cachée de la Pomme from Quebec.
The winning wineries do not have to use the same wine that won gold, but they must work with the chef to find a great match within their portfolio. The food and wine pairing is scored by the judges and in a close race with so much talent in the room, it could make the difference. The tension will be running high.
I was particularly pleased by two new developments in the 2010 campaign. In keeping with other dramatic improvements in the Celebration program, the wine quality jumped this year as donors generously came up with some of Canada’s top wines for hundreds of guests. Laughing Stock Vineyards of B.C. poured its 2007 Portfolio in Edmonton and Saskatoon, and La Vieux Pin opened its 2007 Merlot in Vancouver and La Stella 2007 Fortissimo Calgary. Malivoire Wine Company of Niagara poured its 2009 Gamay and Guilty Men White in Toronto and Ottawa. Up to 20 cases were donated to the Celebrations in each city.
Rickards Red also generously donated their range of Canadian brews to the Celebrations and VIP Receptions in all cities.
For the first time Gold Medal Plates welcomed new, small Canadian distillers to festivities. We were particularly thrilled to test drive Victoria Gin in martinis served at the VIP Receptions in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary. This small Vancouver Island based distillery is just breaking into markets across the country and promises to be back nationwide in 2012. In Toronto and Ottawa we also poured a new Canadian “white” rye whiskey called White Owl, by Alberta’s Highwood Distillers. Thanks very much to Ontario agent Woodman Wines and Spirits for arranging this special cameo appearances.
In another departure for 2011, Canadian sparkling wine producers who won medals in the Canadian Wine Awards were approached to donate their gold and silver medal winning wines to the VIP Receptions. The east-west mix was excellent with Hillebrand Trius Brut from Niagara offered in most cities, as were B.C.’s See Ya Later Ranch Brut and Sumac Ridge Steller’s Jay Brut – both Vincor properties. B.C.’s Blue Mountain Brut was poured in Vancouver and Toronto. L’Acadie Brut from Nova Scotia was poured in St. Johns and Toronto as well. Grange of Prince Edward 2007 Brut was shown in Toronto and Ottawa, and Henry of Pelham Cuvee Catharine was also poured in Toronto.
But as always it was the chef/winery pairings that provided the real fireworks and stoked much of the conversation. Here are the list of wineries, with the chefs and restaurants, city by city, with the Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists heading each section. Cities are listed in the chronological order of the date the their competition was held.
The Competition Wines, Chefs and Restaurants
MONTREAL October 19
La Face Cachée de la Pomme Dégel Martin Juneau - La Montée (GOLD)
Osoyoos Larose 2006, Marc-André Royal - Le St-Urbain (SILVER)
Malivoire 2008 Gamay, Michel Ross - MAS Cuisine (BRONZE)
Junmai Nama Nigori Sake, Darren Bergeron – Decca 77
Nichol Vineyard 2006 St. Laurent 2006, Derek Damann – DNA
Quail’s Gate 2009 Dry Riesling, Alexandre Gosselin - Bar & Boeuf
Stratus 206 White, Alexandre Loiseau – Cocagne
Lailey 2007 Cabernet Franc Francis Pouliot – Laurie-Raphaël, Hôtel Germain
EDMONTON Oct 27
Road 13 2008 Jackpot Pinot Noir 2008, Andrew Fung - Blackhawk Golf Course (GOLD)
Tinhorn Creek 2009 Gewurztraminer , Michael Brown - Pradera, The Westin (SILVER)
Wayne Gretzky 2005 Vidal Icewine, Shane Chartrand - L2 Fantasyland Hotel (BRONZE)
La Stella 2009 Unoaked Chardonnay, Paul Campbell - Café de Ville
Mission Hill 2007 Shiraz, Christophe Ithurritze - Sage Restaurant
Hillside Estate 2009 Gewurztraminer, Susan Kellock - Skinny Legs and Cowgirls
Quail’s Gate 2008 Old Vines Foch, Tracy Lydtser - Dish
Le Vieux Pin 2007 Merlot, David Omar - ZINC
Cedar Creek Estate 2008 Chardonnay, Paul Shufelt - Hundred Bar and Kitchen
Sandhill 2005 Barbera Small Lots, Jan Trittenbach - Packrat Louie Kitchen & Bar
VANCOUVER OCT 29
Black Hills Estate 2009 Viognier , Robert Clark - C (GOLD)
Tantalus 2009 Riesling, Dale Mackay - Lumiere (SILVER)
Foxtrot Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir, Neil Taylor - Cibo Trattoria (BRONZE)
La Stella 2009 Pinot Grigio Vivace, Darren Brown - Coast
Sandhill 2009 Small Lots Viognier , Quang Dang - Diva at the Met
Aces Okanagan Estate Pocket King , Stuart Klassen - Delta Grand Kelowna
Painted Rock Red 2007 Icon, Nick Nutting - The Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino
8th Generation 2009 Chardonnay Frizzante, Nico Schuermans - Chambar
Quail’s Gate 2009 Pinot Noir, Roger Sleiman , Quails Gate Winery, Kelowna
Laughing Stock 2007 Portfolio, Cam Smith & Dana Ewarts - Joy Road, Penticton
SASKATOON OCT 30
Road 13 2008 Rockpile, Dan Walker - Weczeria Food & Wine (GOLD)
Black Hills 2008 Nota Bene 2008, Ryan Marquis - Delta Bessborough (SILVER)
Peller Estates 2008 Pinot Blanc, Anthony McCarthy - Saskatoon Club (BRONZE)
Tree Brewing Hop Head IPA, Malcolm Craig - Beer Bros. Bakery & Cuisine, Regina
Morning Bay 2005 Merlot, Kevin Dahlsjo - Sublime Catering, Prince Albert
Noble Ridge 2007 Pinot Noir, Tim Davies - Willow on Wascana, Regina
Orofino 2009 Riesling, Lee Helman - Truffles Bistro
Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series 2006 Merlot, Leo Pantel - Conexus Arts Centre, Regina
Cave Spring 2008 Pinot Noir, Rusty Penno - The Boffins Club
Lake Breeze 2009 Pinot Gris, Peter Phillips - Riverside Country Club
TORONTO Nov 4
Trius Red 2008, Frank Dodd, Hillebrand Winery, Niagara (GOLD)
Hidden Bench 2008 Estate Chardonnay, Lorenzo Loseto – George (SILVER)
Henry of Pelham 2007 Baco Noir Reserve, Michael Steh - Reds (BRONZE)
Tawse 2009 Pinot Noir, Ted Corrado - C5
Cave Spring 2008 Chenin Blanc, Jonathan Gushue - Langdon Hall, Cambridge
Southbrook 2007 Poetica Cabernet Merlot, Jamie Kennedy - Gilead Bistro
Organized Crime 2008 Cabernet Franc , Lora Kirk - Ruby Watchco
Konzelmann 2007 4 Generations Merlot, Martin Kouprie - Pangaea
Norman Hardie 2008 County Chardonnay, Anthony Walsh - Canoe
Stratus Red 2006, Anne Yarymowich - Frank
CALGARY Nov 12
Tantalus 2008 Pinot Noir, Duncan Ly - Raw Bar Hotel Arts (GOLD)
Noble Ridge 2007 Pinot Noir, Shaun Desaulniers - Belgo (SILVER)
Laughing Stock 2009 Chardonnay, Justin Leboe - Model Milk (BRONZE)
Laughing Stock 2007 Meritage Blend, Jared Alvey - Petite
Black Hills 2007 Carmenere, Cam Dobranski - Muse
Black Hills 2009 Alibi, Chris Grafton - Murrieta’s
Summerhill Pyramid Pinot Noir Brut, Charlie Holschuh - Bavarian Inn
Sandhill Estate 2007 Three , Andrew Keen - Chop Steakhouse and Bar
Henry of Pelham 2006 Select late Harvest Vidal, Bob Matthews - La Chaumière
Desert Hills Winery 2009 Gamay, Paul Rogalski - Rouge
OTTAWA Nov 16
Fielding Estates 2008 Pinot Gris, Michael Moffatt - Beckta Dining and Wine (GOLD)
Angels Gate 2008 Archangel Sparkling Pinot Noir, Caroline Ishii - Zen Kitchen (SILVER)
Hillebrand 2008 Artist Gewurztraminer, Ross & Simon Fraser - Fraser Café (BRONZE)
Niagara College 2007 Dean’s List Meritage, Ben Baird - The Urban Pear
Vineland Estate 2008 Chenin Blanc, Charlotte Langley - Whalesbone Oyster House
Cave Springs 2009 Gewurztraminer, Marc Lepine - Atelier
Norman Hardie 2008 County Pinot Noir, Steve Mitton - Murray Street
Sandbanks Winter Harvest 2008 Vidal, Charles Part - Les Fougères, Gatineau
Rosehall Run 2008 Pinot Noir, Michael Potters - Harvest, Picton
Casa-Dea 2009 Chardonnay, Rene Rodriguez - Navarra
ST. JOHN’S Nov 18
Ravine Vineyards 2008 Merlot, Jeremy Charles – Raymonds (GOLD)
Shiver Vodka (Nfld), Tak Ishiwata – Basho (SILVER)
Prospect Winery 2007 Haynes Barn Merlot Cabernet, Roary MacPherson - Sheraton Hotel (BRONZE)
Peninsula Ridge 2008 Viognier, Mike Barsky - Bacalao
Domaine de Grand Pré 2009 Millot-Pete Luckett Vnyd, Jason Lynch - Le Caveau, Wolfville
Tangled Garden Damson & Basil liqueur & Iceberg Gin, Stephen MacDonald -Oliver’s Restaurant
Trius 2008 Dry Riesling, Mark McCrowe - Aqua
Storm Coffee Porter, Steve Vardy - Atlantica
EDMONTON EVENT SUMMARY 2009
With the Winter Olympics clearly on everyone's mind and in everyone's heart, the 2009 Gold Medal Plates campaign got off to a spectacular start in Edmonton, last night. The Shaw Centre looked splendid, as the sell-out crowd of 770 guests entered the competition hall through a giant igloo. In the centre of the space, surrounded by the rare wine auction and the chefs' stations, local lads played roller hockey. Later, the celebration stage of the evening came alive with the music of Jim Cuddy and crooner Matt Dusk, who were joined on stage for their final song by Edmonton Oilers coach, Pat Quinn. Who knew he had such a fine voice? The live auction was a triumph: it alone raised well over $200,000 for the athletes and has set the bar extremely high for the cities to come.
From the food and wine standpoint, this was Edmonton's strongest showing ever. All ten competing chefs performed superbly and the imagination and variety of their offerings impressed the judges mightily. Local ingredients were very much to the fore.
The bronze medal was won by Sonny Sung of Bistecca Italian Steakhouse & Wine Bar. He opted for a dish of elegant simplicity and impeccable balance using a juicy, lightly smoked chop from a rack of Alberta lamb, its surface patted with chopped fresh herbs. A roasted parsnip and truffle purée was the accompaniment and a silky foie gras jus, like some kind of heavenly cream, was Chef Sung's sauce. As a final flourish, he stuck a jaunty parsnip crisp into the purée. For his wine pairing, Chef Sung chose a smooth 2007 Syrah from Road 13 Vineyards in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley - a fine match.
The silver medal went to Chef Blair Lebsack of Madison's Grill who built his dish around some exquisite grass-fed, pasture-raised, seven-month-old beef from Nature's Green Acres farm. He poached the amazingly tender meat in butter then sliced it over lovely little sautéed golden chanterelles from B.C. Queen Charlotte Islands, enhancing the shrooms with a porcini-thyme rub. Over the top he napped a rich BC Side Stripe prawn hollandaise that proved a delicious counterpoint to the beef. Chef Lebsack's chosen wine echoed the weight and richness of the sauce but also worked brilliantly with the delicate meat - a big, bold 2008 Chardonnay from Kettle Valley Winery in Naramata, B.C.
Every once in a while, a chef at a Gold Medal Plates competition defies the conventional wisdom that one should cook something foolproof and simple for a crowd this large and produces a dish of many elements and great complexity. It's a risky move but when it pays off, when all the components show an intellectual and sensory harmony and when the meticulous efforts are more than just fussiness, the results can be stellar. Chef Nathin Bye of Lazia Restaurant triumphed with just such a dish last night, winning himself the gold medal. Bye issued a written manifesto with his food, explaining that Lazia offers Global Fusion cuisine and detailing his intentions for the dish - a trio of Alberta bison that simultaneously explored three different aspects of "curry." The first component used the bison tenderloin, lacquered with soy and tamarind and crusted with pineapple panko. Chef Bye set this over a purée of wild mushrooms scented with red curry spices, their exotic flavours slowly emerging on the palate. A salsa of huckleberry and gooseberry and a mild Thai chili garlic sauce provided refreshment.
The second component was a maki roll of bison 'rendang curry', carrot and potato served with a cucumber coulis and a grilled corn and coconut dip. A tiny cookie in the shape of the 2010 Olympic symbol, Ilanaaq the Inunnguaq, reminded everyone of why we were all here.
The third component cloaked braised bison shortrib in a demi-glace infused with a garam masala spice blend and a dash of cream. This was set over a celeriac and cauliflower purée and garnished with tangy marinated beets and a miniature microgreen salad while a single perfect hon shemji mushroom leaned against the meat. Beside it, a bright pink foam made from beet and white balsamic matched the colour and intensity of the wine. And what a wine it was - tangy and deliciously fruity, a successful partner for all three components of the dish, the 2008 rosé from JoieFarm Wines in B.C.'s Okanagan Valley.
Congratulations to all our chefs, thanks to all our judges, and as for you, Chef Bye: we will see you again, next month, at the Canadian Culinary Championship in Vancouver.
James Chatto
National Culinary Advisor
Gold Medal Plates
By donating over 325 cases of wine to the seven city Gold Medal Plates culinary competitions and the Canadian Culinary Championships this fall, the Canadian wine, beer and spirits industry has contributed close to $100,000 in support of Canada's Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Sixty-five wineries stepped up to either pair wines with the competing chefs or provide Canadian Wine Awards gold medalists to VIP receptions at the events. Please see the list of donating wineries, city by city, below or at www.goldmedalplates.com.
The list includes wineries owned by Vincor Canada, official wine sponsor of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Sponsorship however was not involved in deciding which wines were served by the chefs or at the VIP receptions. Each chef selected their wine independently as the success of the food-and-wine pairing was part of the judges' scoring process.
Since 2004, Gold Medal Plates has raised over $3.5 million dollars for Canada's Olympians. The program is designed to encourage and showcase Canadian excellence in the areas of sport, food and wine and entertainment, and has evolved to become the leading culinary competition in Canada!
The Winners in 2009
After local competitions in St. John's, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, the 2009 Gold Medal Plates campaign ended with the Canadian Culinary Championships in Vancouver on November 28.
The 2009 Canadian Culinary Champion is Mathieu Cloutier of Kitchen Galerie in Montreal, who paired with Huff Estate 2007 South Bay Chardonnay from Prince Edward County in Ontario. The silver medalist was David Lee of Nota Bene in Toronto, who paired with 13th Street 2008 June Vineyard Riesling from Niagara. Completing the sweep for Ontario wine, the bronze went to Matthew Carmichael of Restaurant 18 in Ottawa, who paired with Closson Chase 2007 South Clos Chardonnay, also from Prince Edward County.
The winery that won the gold in its respective city competition was automatically invited to the Canadian Culinary Championships as a partner with the competing chef. The other participating CCC wineries included the Okanagan's Road 13 which took gold in both the Calgary and Vancouver competitions, Joie Farm (its 2008 Rose took the gold in Edmonton and was also poured in Vancouver) and Hillebrand Estates (its Trius 2006 Red from Niagara took the gold in St. John's).
The Mystery Wine Pairing Competition
One of the most exciting elements of the Canadian Culinary Championships was a Mystery Wine Pairing held at the trendy Republic nightclub in Vancouver. The chefs were given an unlabeled bottle and had 24 hours to shop, prepare and serve a matching dish to 200 guests. Montreal's Mathieu Cloutier was the People's Choice winner of this leg of the competition.
The Mystery Wine was revealed to be Black Hills 2008 Alibi, a crisp, complex sauvignon blanc and semillon blend that provided great refreshment with all the chefs creations then dovetailed beautifully with the best of the evening. Black Hills donated 10 cases to this event, plus another four cases to the Vancouver event, making this premier Okanagan winery the largest single donor to Gold Medal Plates 2009. Many thanks to winery President, Glenn Fawcett, who also generously donated to the Live Auction.
Canadian Wine Awards Gold Medalists Showcase
This year, Gold Medal Plates also teamed up with the Wine Access magazine Canadian Wine Awards to provide an opportunity for almost 2,000 VIP guests to taste gold medalists from the 2009 Awards programs. Wineries that had won gold were asked to donate six bottles to one or more cities, and most came through with flying colours. Those wineries are also listed below, and complete results of the Canadian Wine Awards can be found in the December issue of Wine Access magazine now on newsstands.
The Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards participating wineries:
Burrowing Owl, BC
Fielding Estate, ON
Hillebrand (Trius), ON
Kacaba Vineyards, ON
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, BC
Quail's Gate Winery, BC
Road 13 Vineyards, BC
Rosehall Run Winery, ON
Sandhill Wines, BC. (CWA Winery of the Year)
See Ya Later Ranch, BC
Seven Stones, BC
Stag's Hollow, BC
Thirty Bench, ON
Thornhaven Estates, BC
The Wines - City by City
St. John's
Trius 2006 Red, Niagara Peninsula, ON - GOLD
Norman Hardie 2007 Pinot Noir, Prince Edward County, ON - SILVER
Prospect Winery 2008 Larch Tree Riesling, Okanagan Valley, B.C. - BRONZE
Domaine Pinnacle Apple Ice Wine, QC
Iceberg Vodka, NL
Inniskillin 2007 Cabernet Franc, Niagara, ON
Mission Hill 2008 Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, BC
Peninsula Ridge 2007 Reserve Chardonnay, Niagara, ON
Rodrigues Markland Cottage Sedna Vodka, NL
Montreal
Huff Estates 2008 Merlot, ON - GOLD
Malivoire 2007 Chardonnay, Niagara Peninsula, ON - SILVER
Rosehall Run 2007 Cuvée County Chardonnay, Prince Edward County, ON - BRONZE
Black Prince 2005 First Crush Chardonnay, Prince Edward County, ON
Creemore Springs Brewery, ON
Norman Hardie 2007 Pinot Noir, Prince Edward County, ON
Val Caudalies 2008 Vidal Demi-Sec, QC
Wayne Gretzky No. 99 Estates 2007 Merlot, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Wayne Gretzky No.99 Estates2007 Chardonnay, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Ottawa
Closson Chase 2007 South Clos Chardonnay, Prince Edward County, ON - GOLD
Vignoble Les Pervenches 2007 Chardonnay Seyval Blanc, QC - SILVER
Southbrook 2005 Cabernet Merlot, Niagara Peninsula, ON - BRONZE
Angel's Gate 2007 Riesling, ON
Cave Spring 2007 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Chateau des Charmes 2006 Cabernet-Merlot, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Coyote's Run 2007 Red Paw Pinot Noir, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Peller Estates 2007 Meritage, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Stratus 2007 Wildass White, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Tawse 2006 Echoes White, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Toronto
13th Street 2008 Riesling June's Vineyard, Niagara Peninsula, ON - GOLD
Daniel Lenko 2007 Gewurztraminer, Niagara Peninsula, ON - SILVER
Cave Spring 2007 Estate Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, ON - BRONZE
Chateau des Charmes 2007 Riesling and 2006 Gamay Noir, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
Closson Chase 2007 South Clos Chardonnay, Prince Edward County, ON
Fielding Estate 2008 Pinot Gris, Beamsville Bench, ON
Henry of Pelham 2007 Baco Noir, Niagara Peninsula, ON
Hidden Bench 2007 Terroir Caché, Beamsville Bench, ON
Mission Hill 2006 Reserve Merlot, Okanagan, B.C.
Organized Crime 2008 Riesling Reserve, Beamsville Bench, ON
Edmonton
JoieFarm 2008 Rose, Okanagan Valley, BC - GOLD
Kettle Valley 2008, Chardonnay, Naramata, BC - SILVER
Road 13 2007 Syrah 2007, Okanagan Valley BC - BRONZE
Cedar Creek 2006 Meritage, Okanagan Valley, BC
Gehringer Brother PR 2007 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, BC
Malivoire 2008 Ladybug Rose, Beamsville Bench, ON
Mission Hill 2006 S.L.C Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, BC
Meyer Family Tribute Series Bill Reid 2007 Chardonnay, Naramata, BC
Morning Bay 2006 Pinot Noir, Pender Island, BC
Quails' Gate 2007 Old Vine Fosch, Okanagan Valley, BC
Calgary
Road 13 Vineyards 2007 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, BC - GOLD
Quail's Gate Vineyard 2007 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, BC - SILVER
SAP Vampire Maple Lager - BRONZE
Black Hills 2007 Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, BC
Blue Mountain 2008 Gamay Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, BC
Gray Monk Estate Winery, 2007 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Laughing Stock Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, BC
Nk'mip Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, BC
Osoyoos Larose 2004 Petalos, Okanagan Valley, BC
Vancouver
Road 13 2008 Viognier Roussanne Marsanne, Okanagan Valley, BC - GOLD
Tantalus 2008 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, BC - SILVER
Black Hills 2008 Alibi, Okanagan Valley, BC - BRONZE
Blasted Church 2008 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, BC
Clos du Soleil 2007 Meritage, Similkameen Valley, BC
8th Generation 200 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, BC
Joie Farm 2007 Reserve Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, BC
Le Vieux Pin 2008 Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Okanagan Valley, BC
Stoneboat 2007 Pinotage, Okanagan Valley, BC
Wild Goose 2008 Autumm Gold, Okanagan Valley, BC
For more information contact:
David Lawrason
National Wine Advisor
Gold Medal Plates
Phone: 613-885-4489
Email: david@davidlawrason.com