The Tomato Food Stage

At the Edmonton Home and Garden Show

Thursday, March 23

Mariel Montero and Humberto Hernandez 5pm
Mariel Montero and Humberto Hernandez, Huma: Mexican Comfort FoodMariel Montero and Humberto Hernandez are from Puebla, the spiritual home of mole. Both have travelled, working in kitchens around the globe,and Mariel was a Chopped Canada contestant before opening Huma. “Our goal with Huma is a friendly place where you can have good food every day.”
6pm
Will Kotowicz and Peter Keith, Meuwly’s, Secret Meat ClubWhile Will Kotowicz is a self-taught charcutier who has built a repertoire of techniques and recipes at the Duchess Bake Shop and Sangudo Meats. Peter Keith worked in top kitchens in Edmonton and Vancouver (Hardware Grill, Jack’s, Chambar) whilst pursuing his passion for cooking competitions. He has competed in over 15 international events and won the gold medal with Culinary Team Alberta at the 2012 Culinary Olympics. Together they have created Meuwly’s and the Secret Meat Club—top-quality Alberta charcuterie made with local ingredients. Meuwly’s retail location will open on 124 Street this fall.

Friday, March 24

2pm
Josh Ferry, Match Eatery & Public HouseChef Josh has been in the restaurant industry 17 years specializing in high volume, multi-unit restaurants. Josh has appeared on Breakfast Television, Dinner Television and Shaw TV. He enjoys teaching culinary skills to both beginners and kitchen veterans.
3pm
Steve Buzak, Royal Glenora Club: Brunch O’Clock with RGC CulinariansSteve Buzak is the executive chef and the director of food and beverage at the Royal Glenora Club; his training includes NAIT and Vancouver’s Dubrulle Culinary School. We love chef Buzak’s generous attitude towards his community; he features local suppliers in his menu offerings; he is a Gold Medal Plates competitor; he cooks at Capital Care’s Feast on the Field. He is also a champion ice carver.
4pm
Will Kotowicz and Peter Keith, Meuwly’s, Secret Meat ClubWhile Will Kotowicz is a self-taught charcutier who has built a repertoire of techniques and recipes at the Duchess Bake Shop and Sangudo Meats. Peter Keith worked in top kitchens in Edmonton and Vancouver (Hardware Grill, Jack’s, Chambar) whilst pursuing his passion for cooking competitions. He has competed in over 15 international events and won the gold medal with Culinary Team Alberta at the 2012 Culinary Olympics. Together they have created Meuwly’s and the Secret Meat Club—top-quality Alberta charcuterie made with local ingredients. Meuwly’s retail location will open on 124 Street this fall.
5pm
Micheal Giasson, Have Mercy: Southern Comfort Ribs with Bourbon BBQ SauceA graduate of the NAIT culinary program, Chef Micheal Giasson spent several years cooking in the Cayman Islands and in the Rockies. Now he interprets the flavours of the Deep South at Have Mercy. Chef will be making Southern Comfort ribs, pork ribs with a signature bourbon barbecue sauce.
5pm
Massimo Capra, Food Network, Chopped CanadaChef Massimo Capra’s culinary training began in Salsomaggiore, Parma. Chef came to Toronto in 1982 and, in 1997 joined forces with Paolo Paolini, formerly of Splendido Restaurant to open Mistura Restaurant, followed by Sopra Upper Lounge in 2006. Recent projects include Boccone Trattoria Veloce and Boccone Pronto at Pearson Airport and Soprafino Restaurant at Hamad International Airport in Doha Qatar. He is a regular guest on CityLine and has hosted and judged many television shows, including Gourmet Escapes, Restaurant Makeover and Chopped Canada. He is also the food editor for Canadian Home Trends magazine and an award-winning author. His latest venture, Capra’s Kitchen opened earlier this year.

Saturday, March 25

1pm
Tony Le, Century Hospitality Group: BBQ Party AppetizersChef Le’s formal culinary education was at NAIT, but he credits following his mom around the kitchen for his early inspiration. Now as corporate chef of the Century Hospitality Group, he inspires his team to exceed their guests’ expectations with beautiful, playful and delicious food meant to create warm and lasting memories.
2pm
Massimo Capra, Food Network, Chopped CanadaChef Massimo Capra’s culinary training began in Salsomaggiore, Parma. Chef came to Toronto in 1982 and, in 1997 joined forces with Paolo Paolini, formerly of Splendido Restaurant to open Mistura Restaurant, followed by Sopra Upper Lounge in 2006. Recent projects include Boccone Trattoria Veloce and Boccone Pronto at Pearson Airport and Soprafino Restaurant at Hamad International Airport in Doha Qatar. He is a regular guest on CityLine and has hosted and judged many television shows, including Gourmet Escapes, Restaurant Makeover and Chopped Canada. He is also the food editor for Canadian Home Trends magazine and an award-winning author. His latest venture, Capra’s Kitchen opened earlier this year.
3pm
Karlynn Johnston, The Kitchen Magpie: Baking Up Prairie ClassicsKarlynn is the creator of the popular blog TheKitchenMagpie.com. Blogger by day and bourbon drinker by night, Karlynn also managed to find time to create Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky (Appetite by Random House.) This bestselling cookbook can be found at all major book retailers, while Karlynn herself can usually be found avoiding anything that has to do with cleaning her kitchen. She is currently working on cookbook number two, to be released next year.
4pm
The Tomato ProAmWatch home cooks pair with the professionals to cook up something delicious.
5pm
Daniel Huber, Second Line Food Services: Étouffée: A Cajun ClassicChef Daniel Huber loves bourbon, popups and southern food, not necessarily in that order. “Bourbon has amazing food affinity, from salad dressing right on through to dessert.”

Sunday, March 26

12pm
Levi Biddlecombe, Packrat Louie: International FusionNAIT-trained Red Seal chef Levi Biddlecombe of Packrat Louie is best known for Duck Tots, a toothsome Asian-inspired riff on poutine: Thaibraised duck leg with deep-fried tater tots, hoisin aioli and Srirachi with lime. This is chef Biddlecombe’s second time on the Tomato stage. “I love competing, I like being on stage, I like the attention.”
1pm
Ayumi Yuda, Ikki Izakaya: Sushi 101 and Deco-Sushi“I’m doing this Japanese pub thing in Edmonton to show Japanese culture, and I’m doing the Tomato Stage at the Home Show to explain sushi. What is the difference between an izakaya and a sushi bar? An izakaya is a Japanese pub. In Japan an izakaya is about 80 per cent drinking, 20 per cent eating, whereas a restaurant is the opposite. People in Alberta like to drink—when I’m working I’m not drinking, but sometimes when I clock out I can drink too. I must have got the drinking genetics from my father.”
3pm
Karlynn Johnston, The Kitchen Magpie: Baking Up Prairie ClassicsKarlynn is the creator of the popular blog TheKitchenMagpie.com. Blogger by day and bourbon drinker by night, Karlynn also managed to find time to create Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky (Appetite by Random House.) This bestselling cookbook can be found at all major book retailers, while Karlynn herself can usually be found avoiding anything that has to do with cleaning her kitchen. She is currently working on cookbook number two, to be released next year.