shane’s journey
Chef Shane Chartrand is busy. Fresh from taping Top Chef Canada, he’s talking about mushrooms at Telus Spark, he’s teaching kids in Penhold how to cook, and soon, off on another multi-day hunting/teaching trip.
There is a compelling lyricism to chef’s cooking which he chronicles in tawâw Progressive Indigenous Cuisine. He has been walking the path—exploring indigenous ways of life and cooking—for over a decade. Now, he is bringing others down that path, like the kids in Penhold.
What about Top Chef? “You know this is my seventh cooking show,” he says; “and I have nothing but great things to say about Top Chef Canada. You have to be physically and, especially, mentally ready. When I got the call from Amy Rosen, I said yes instantly. I’m ready.”
The competitor line up is spectacular (and a little terrifying); there are some great chefs here. This season’s chefs have experience, chutzpah and the drive to win.
“It’s so intense. To do Top Chef is to be away for a long time. Chopped is one day. Iron Chef is one day. Wall of Chefs is four days. But Top Chef? It’s long and it’s emotional. You feel exposed. You make decisions that the nation is going to see. That’s a big deal. The challenges are hard, you’ll see the emotion, but you will also see the laughs.” See for yourself, Monday nights on Food Network Canada.
What’s up next? A hunting show airing in 2025 on APTN called Michif Country. He is also creating an indigenous market and a café at the Old Strathcona Farmers’ Market. “The plan is cooking classes and demos using the farmers’ market vendors. It’s very community oriented.”
daniela wins silver in emerging writer category
Daniela Zenari wrote a wonderful story about Ricardo Baldini of Strathcona Microgreens in our January/February issue last year. So wonderful she scooped the silver medal for emerging writers at the Alberta Magazine Publishers (AMPA) Awards. Here’s why. “This one checks all the boxes. The author weaves a good foodie and business story seamlessly with an excellent overview of the community’s response,” was one judge’s comment (source: albertamagazines.com). Congratulations Daniela! Read the story here: albertamagazines.com.
experience olia
Daniel Costa’s eagerly awaited new resto in the Citizen, Olia, is now open. Outstanding pasta, with some retooling of fave dishes from the Uccellino menu along with new house-made shapes and sauces. Among the highlights—charred cabbage salad, burrata (pictured), the duck ragu, the fish. We love the cocktail and amaro lists and can’t wait to really dive into that wine list. It’s a comfortable, well-lit, quietly luxurious room in creamy caramel tones, from 5pm Wednesday-Sunday. The main floor of the Citizen is the place to be with the lively Va (best spot in town for aperitivo) on the west side, sultry Bar Mimi in the middle and Olia occupying the east corner of the building. Bravo Corso Group! Meanwhile the façade of the downtown building that houses Bar Bricco and Uccellino is getting a refresh. Expect a new concept in the Uccellino space early next year. Olia, 12016 Jasper Avenue, olia-ristorante.ca.
the garlic goddess writes a book
“In fall 2017 I planted 100 garlic bulbs,” says Kristin Graves, Fifth Gen Gardens. “I thought I was an amazing gardener because it all came up the next year.
“I was an Xray tech at U of A Hospital for 10 years. Then I started gardening. In 2019, I realized I didn’t want to go back. I looked for a way to make gardening a year-round income. Garlic was the answer.
“In 2019 we planted 25,000. By hand. My whole family came out to help for a week. It snowed in September that year, it was terrible. We started investing in equipment, now we can plant 25,000 in an hour.”
Kristin sells vegetables via a CSA and to local chefs like Riley Aitken. Now, her main focus is fresh garlic in season and the ever-expanding line of food stuffs made from garlic. (Find all the Fifth Gen Garlic products at farmers’ markets in central Alberta, the Butterdome Craft Sale and the Fort Edmonton Christmas Market.) The Garlic Goddess wants us to be all-in too. Her first book The Garlic Companion came out earlier this fall. Find terrific recipes, including one for black garlic chocolate chip cookies, garlic lore, tips on growing and storing garlic and outstanding photography. At Audrey’s, Mulhurst Bay Books, Chapters/Indigo and online at fifthgengardens.ca. The Garlic Companion, by Kristin Graves, Storey Publishing, $34.