On Wednesday, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the 2015 FEASTival of Fine Chefs. Michelle (from
The Tiffin Box) invited me on behalf of the
Alberta Food Processors Association (AFPA) to FEASTival. FEASTival is an annual food event put on by the AFPA where you get to experience a multi-course dining experience from a range of Edmonton chefs ($125/ticket). Each year there are many fantastic establishments from all across Edmonton that take part. As well, all menus reflect food that are grown and/or processed in Alberta.
This annual event took place at the Shaw Conference Centre and spanned across all the halls, so you can imagine how big of an event it is. In fact, the table that I was sitting at was table 148! Even though there are approx. 22 establishments participating in the event, as a attendee you eat four dishes from four different restaurants/establishments. When you arrive you get to choose a number at the door, and that number will direct you where to go for your multi-course meal. So, it is definitely in your table's best interest for everyone to get different numbers in order to try the maximum amount of dishes!
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Edible display from Fairmont Hotel Macdonald |
Before dinner started all dinner guests had the opportunity to visit each booth to see all the show plates, try some appetizers, as well as admire the beautiful displays. A week prior to FEASTival, each chef randomly draws the protein that they will be cooking so that is where their menus get their inspiration. Other ingredients are received the day before the event.
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Ice Sculpture from the Shaw Conference Centre
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Here are a few pictures of the dishes that I enjoyed as well as the dishes for those seated next to me.
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Appetizer from Four Points Edmonton with deer! |
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Soup course - Parsnip & fennel bulb puree, dungeness crab, taber corn & birch syrup cream from Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel. |
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A few of the main courses at our table. Mine was a perfectly cooked & juicy pork loin (accompanied with elderflower, mini corn, blood pudding) from Share Restaurant - Westin Edmonton. |
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Chris Short eating his massive lamb shank (Yes! This was his main course). |
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Sweet Endings to the night. My multi-course dinner ended with a dessert from Chateau Lacombe. This dessert had the flavours of blueberry, white chocolate, pear, and star anise. A refreshing way to end the night. |
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Beside me, Andrea's dessert (Little Miss Andrea) was a caramelized white chocolate hazelnut mousse from the Shaw Conference Centre. Gorgeous! |
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We also got to take home these smooth tasting chocolate mousses cakes from Canova Pasticceria. |
I think FEASTival is a nice way for eating establishments around Edmonton to showcase their work and staff. It is certainly worth attending if you go with two or three people so that you can try more than your allotted four dishes. The chefs are present so it's a great chance to meet and talk to them at their booths. Once again, I want to thank Michelle and AFPA again for the opportunity to attend this year's event.
Thanks for coming, just a note though, the establishments only found out their proteins the week before the event, and all their other ingredients they receive the day before the event.
ReplyDeleteYup sounds good! thanks for the corrections. Must have misunderstood the tweet I saw about the chefs picking ingredients on sept 9. Made the additions to the post :)
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