Perennial contender Mark McCrowe of St. John’s, Newfoundland came away with the People’s Choice Award after the first round of the Gold Medal Plates Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna, Friday night.
McCrowe pleased the crowd at the Delta Grand Okanagan with his braised beef shortrib with a molasses spiced rum glaze, accompanied by a parsnip and celery root puree, pickled plums, stewed local cherries, and a salad of parsley, shallots and radish.
With a budget of just $600, the 11 chefs in the competition were required to create 500 tasting plates to pair with a mystery bottle of wine, which turned out to be Stoneboat Vineyards’ 2012 Pinotage, from Oliver in the South Okanagan.
“We were the first ones to serve [the judges], so I think we put up 15 solid plates,” said McCrowe. “I got a good feeling.”
While the award ultimately has no bearing on the judged competition, McCrowe said the win was a morale boost for him and his team.
“If everyone here liked it, then the judges must have some interest in it too,” said McCrowe.
McCrowe, a perennial bridesmaid in the regional qualifiers, has competed in every St. John’s Gold Medal Plates competition since 2010 before making his first trip to the national finals this year. McCrowe is the owner and chef of Aqua Kitchen and Bar in the Newfoundland capital.
Vancouver’s Kristian Eligh of Hawksworth Restaurant prepared a Yarrow Meadows duck breast with parsnip puree, lentils and a bacon vinaigrette for the competition.
“We’re here representing the restaurant, not just myself, and whenever we pair wine [at Hawksworth], we try to keep it simple,” said Eligh of his dish. “We want to highlight things in the wine and highlight things on the plate and make them work in harmony.”
The Canadian Culinary Championships continue Saturday with the Black Box competition and the grand finale.
Follow the 2015 Canadian Culinary Championships on Twitter at #CCC2015.
@RobMangelsdorf
