Canadian Chef's Congress' Spring Thaw

All-star chefs from across the country and members of the Canadian Chef’s Congress (CFC) congregated at the Palais Royale on Monday in celebration of Spring Thaw. Founder and President of CFC, Michael Stadtländer hosted this inaugural event to revel in the riches that Ontario offers the culinary minded during the spring season. The crop of talent and assortment of exceptional local produce made Spring Thaw the palatal benchmark for food events in 2014.

Spring Thaw was part of a larger two-day conference that’s currently taking place on April 1st and 2nd at Stadtländer’s own Eigensinn Farm and Haisai restaurant in Singhampton, Ontario. The summit will address pertinent issues that impact the future of our food systems in Canada, such as marine issues and the effects on our aquatic ecosystems, the relationship between organic farms and restaurants and the inception of local distillers like Dillon’s SmallBatch Distillery.

If you weren’t around to treat your taste buds to the spread at Spring Thaw, feast your eyes of some of the exceptional edible offerings below…

 

Sunset over the patio at Palais Royale

Spring lamb salad by John Higgins - George Brown Culinary School

Maple birch syrup glazed frogs legs, smoked oyster and sea urchin aioli by Steffan Howard - Pegasus Hospitality 

Duck rillette w/ celery, apple and green peppercorn by Simon Fraser & Ross Fraser - Fraser Café, Ottawa

Whole salt cod by Murray McDonald

Traditional Newfoundland salt cod cakes with mustard pickles by Murray McDonald - Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland 

Silken tofu w/ smoked pickerel and sweet potato by Paula Navarette - Momofuku Daisho

Pork terrine w/ quince and salted duck liver on molasses bread by Geoff Hopgood - Hopgood's Foodliner 

Smoked squash, cured Georgian Bay trout, pickled and raw radish, foraged greens by Alexander Molitz - Farmhouse Tavern

Purdy Fisheries' Great Lakes pickerel, spiced buttermilk, rutabaga and mint bannock by Anthony Walsh - Canoe 

Slow cooked lamb belly on steamed bun by Marc Lepine - Atelier Restaurant, Ottawa

Lettuce wrap w/ braised beef, fermented sea buckthorn and herbs by Bryan Steele - Old Prune, Stratford

Braised boar, house pickles, smoked mustard by Alexandra Feswick - The Drake Hotel

Homegrown and cured (36 month) proscuitto w/ black walnut syrup by Ryan Crawford - Gastrohomestead

Fat Pasha hummus with sausage and skhug by Anthony Rose - Rose and Sons, Big Crow 

Ravine bacon and potato pierogi, Wachs Farms sauerkraut, harmony creme fraiche by Pail Harber - Ravine Vineyard

Sensational smoked trout by Paul Boehmer

House smoked Ontario rainbow trout w/ maple soy glaze, kale and local heirloom carrot slaw by Paul Boehmer - Böhmer

Sturgeon ceviche w/ Acadian caviar - Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar 

Fermented vegetable and fresh green salad w/ Jeff's Sunflower Oil by Jamie Kennedy - Jamie Kennedy Kitchens

Lightly fried herring, daikon, tofu in miso soy sauce w/ sake kasu by Daisuke Izutsu - Don Don Izakaya

Cake from Eigensinn Farm, pine maple syrup and wild apples by Michael Stadtländer - Haisai

Poached pear, mullet port, chocolate and blood creme brulée, cranberry current compote by Jason D'Anna - Magna Golf Club

Goodnight, from the pier