The meal began with Guest Chef Roberto’s small amuse bouches of homemade corn tortillas filled with avocado, queso fresco, and chili, with miniature rum and cokes. Very fresh and fun! Sous chef Dean celebrated the roots of humanity and root vegetables with his 5-day homemade Ethiopian injera bread bites topped with spice-laden atalkilt wat (potato curry). The Juan Collins cocktail included tequila from his recent trip to Mexico sweetened with agave nectar. To the table for Sous Chef Vanessa’s delicious baked artichokes which were stuffed with goat cheese and pine nuts, and served with a tangy aioli for dipping the leaves. We sipped a light Pinot Gringio as we worked our way through the many layers of the plant.
Sous Chef Amy created an ode to the parsnip, “the underdog of the root vegetable world” (so says SC Amy). We enjoyed a savory donut filled with parsnips and caramelized onion, accompanied by a sweet parsnip jam. The dish was served with a shooter of parsnip, apple and lemon juice, to be combined with a boozy lemonade (bubbles everywhere!). Sous Chef Christine reflected on cooking with her grandmother as she prepared a family-favourite Armenian tart yogurt soup called Manti, with 107 (!) small baked dumplings. With the soup, each chef had a traditional Armenian coffee – unfortunately we did not have the in-house expertise to read our fortunes in the coffee grounds.
Master Chef Dallas explored both root vegetables and the historic roots of Manitoba cuisine with her main meal. The chefs were served a trio of tastes with Iranian cabbage rolls (very light), roasted beet and preserved lemon salad (very fresh), and a potato tart with puff pastry and roasted tomatoes (very savory); the dish was enhanced with a glass of oaky chardonnay. For dessert, Sous Chef Leah focused on all things ginger root with a layered cake of lemon-ginger curd and ginger custard, topped with gingered pears. The drink of fresh-pressed carrot juice, rum and ginger ale provided a light end of the meal. Last up, Guest Chef Bessie/Mom made delightful carrot-shaped carrot cakes for all the chefs to take home and enjoy later.
Next up Master Chef Amy!