The culinary event of the year is about to return to Canmore with the fourth annual Uncorked food and drink festival set to launch next week.
The culinary event of the year is about to return to Canmore with the fourth annual Uncorked food and drink festival set to launch next week.
This year, which is also Canada's sesquicentennial, Uncorked will launch with an extra special, new and improved party at Cornerstone next Wednesday night (May 3).
Uncorked Experiences president and organizer Andrew Nickerson is excited for the food and drink festival to return to Canmore. He said this year the entire festival builds upon past success and as an organizer he is especially keen for the community to come out and enjoy the launch party in particular.
“This year we are looking to build upon what we did last year by taking the chef competition and making it bigger, bolder and better,” said Nickerson, referring to last year's chef competition at the launch party.
Tickets are still available for the launch party and he said last year's chef of the festival winner Trevor Whitehead will lead a culinary team into a new competition based on Canada's 150th anniversary of confederation.
Nickerson said Whitehead will represent modern Canadian cuisine at the launch party competition and go up against three other teams representing Indigenous Canadian cuisine, British and French cuisine.
“Each one of those dishes will be properly plated and paired with a beverage,” he said. “They are really getting very creative with the beverages and the Canmore team includes Where the Buffalo Roam working on its pairing.”
While the Canmore team includes the Buffalo's Chef Kris Lowes, it also has other culinary heavy hitters from local restaurants on its roster, such as Sage Bistro Chef Matt Mitchell.
The other three teams feature Great Eagle Hotel executive Chef Bill Alexander leading the Indigenous team, Whitehall Restaurant Chef Neil McCue leading the British team; and Market Bistro and Canmore Chef Anthony Rabot heading team France.
The judging panel will also see heavy hitters in the food scene like Twyla Campbell from CBC Edmonton, Julie Van Rosendaal from Dinner with Julie, Culinaire Magazine's Linda Garson, Alberta Food Tours Karen Anderson and the Calgary Herald's own food critic John Gilchrist.
Not only will they judge the food, but will offer insight and opinion on the dishes for the audience, which will also get a chance to participate in judging.
“At the end of it we will declare a winner and present a trophy to the winning team, which will officially uncork the Uncorked festival,” Nickerson said.
But the launch party is only one aspect of the Uncorked festival taking place, and some of the most popular events have already sold out.
Everyone who attends the launch party will also be entered to win a VIP pass to the 2017 festival, including tickets for the sold out long table dinner and wine festival, as well as tickets to three other great events.
Tickets to other festival events are also available online, Nickerson said, including the Big Brunch and whisky tasting. There are also the progressive tours and the Bistro Tour returns with Juno-nominated Quartetto Gelato making the trip to Canmore for the third year in a row.
Go to www.canmoreuncorked.com for more information, or to purchase tickets.
