Inside the Inaugural Culinary Cup Finale at the Taste of Stampede

Alberta’s culinary talent and ingredients took centre stage at the Calgary Stampede’s inaugural Taste of Stampede.

The 10-day event included live demonstrations, community cook-offs and a Culinary Cup competition that set experienced “old-school” chefs born before 1985 against ambitious “new-school” chefs born after 1985.

“The inaugural Taste of Stampede was successful beyond our expectations,” says Stephanie Patterson, chair of the Taste of Stampede committee. “We had incredible support and participation from the culinary community. Our volunteer committee really created a platform that allowed some of the best chefs in the city to showcase the amazing ingredients produced in Alberta.”

The bracket-style Culinary Cup tournament started with 16 Calgary chefs, half “old-school” and half “new-school.” After the preliminary rounds, eight chefs advanced to knockout battles with mystery black box ingredients in the quarter-final and semi-final rounds from July 9 to 11. Finals day brought four chefs together to determine the final rankings and $10,000 prize pool.

In the first round on finals day, chef Andrea Harling, owner of The Sweatered Hen, Lil’ Black Rooster and V Burger, competed against chef Errin Massolin from The Nash. Working with a mystery black box that included Alberta ribeye and Trafford Farms mushrooms, competitors had one hour on stage to make their dish in front of a live audience. Harling won this energetic round with her seared ribeye, crispy gnocchi, onion soubise and peach mostarda.

Seats were full for the championship round as chef Duncan Ly, SAIT culinary educator and owner of several restaurants including Bar Chouette, Milpa and Maisie Eatery, battled chef Alejandro Buzzalino of Salt & Brick. The championship black box featured Alberta ribeye, foie gras, Trafford Farms mushrooms, pickled cocktail onions, haskap berries and leeks.

Ultimately, Ly presented a French-influenced pot au feu that featured ribeye made two ways in a truffle mushroom broth with potato pavé, seared foie gras, braised radishes, pickled onions, a Trafford Farms mushroom and leek duxelles, and haskap beignet. The gorgeously presented dish was comforting and elegant. Ly, a masterful storyteller, shared how the dish was inspired by one of his first culinary jobs.

Buzzalino’s duo of ribeye boasted a pinwheel of spinalis and foie gras, château potato, seared ribeye with a pâte viennoise crust made from Sylvan Star gouda, perfectly roasted mushrooms and a haskap gastrique. Bringing classic technique and robust flavour, this ambitious dish nodded to Buzzalino’s time at the Muse restaurant.

In the end, Ly won the inaugural Culinary Cup champion title and the $5,000 prize. Buzzalino finished second, earning $3,000. Harling took third and Massolin placed fourth, with each receiving $1,000.

“This competition provided an incredible introduction to some of the city’s standout dining destinations and the exceptionally talented chefs leading their kitchens,” says Renee Suen, Mid-Canada and Mid-USA Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and one of the Culinary Cup finals judges.

“The strategies at play, camaraderie among competitors and genuine sportsmanship displayed reflected a close-knit culinary community that supports, challenges and inspires one another. Calgary should be immensely proud of the talent it has cultivated.”

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