Chef Austin Granados took gold at Canada’s Great Kitchen Party Winnipeg, which is the regional qualifier for the Canadian Culinary Championship.
The pastry chef, who owns Cake-ology in the Exchange District, wowed our judging panel by flying high with an ambitious play on burrata with over 11 components that he landed with finesse.
The dessert, which you rarely see in the competition, featured two versions of a Japanese sweet potato cake sandwiching a strawberry kombucha gelee, wrapped in a burrata mousse that was molded into a shiny sphere. Below this white orb was a pool of apricot kernel cream slicked with basil and makurt lime oil. On top of this spectacle, a cod bone sable (a cracker), which chef casually mentioned he learned to make at Noma (learn more about his impressive culinary background here), provided umami along with a dusting of shiitake black sugar and kombu dust. If that wasn’t enough, there was also a duck fat caramel, while the whole thing was wearing a dehydrated Manitoba milk chip hat. It was paired with a 2013 Peninsula Ridge Beal cabernet franc ice wine from Niagara, Ontario.
It was a wild ride with mind-boggling techniques on display featuring numerous local products. Above all, it was delicious. So much so that the majority of the room agreed with the judges (also a rare occurrence), as the dish also grabbed the People’s Choice Award.
Taking silver was chef Graham Peltier of Tabula Rasa, the same feat he achieved last year representing Sous Sol (both restaurants are part of MDS Restaurant Group). Chef Peltier’s ode to lake and sea featured meaty slices of Nunavut Arctic char cured in local plums. Underneath, a Canadian scallop crudo was awash in whipped whitefish bottarga that he made using salted whitefish roe from Lake Winnipeg. There was a puffed peppery cracker for added texture, a lovely local Manitoba saffron emulsion for sauce (and yes, us judges also did not know saffron was being grown here) and charred black lime powder to bring some drama to the presentation. Together with its paring of Burrowing Owl Estate’s 2022 pinot gris, the dish was harmonious and a joy to eat.
Bronze went to Jessica Young, the executive culinary director of Diversity Foods, whose operations include the University of Winnipeg, Buffalo Stone Café at FortWhyte Alive, Spruce Catering and Sleepy Owl Bakery. Chef Young’s braised Manitoba pork cheeks were a fantastic ode to an underused ingredient, charming us judges with its comforts while being beautifully presented with edible flowers and a vibrant, red and green roasted rhubarb and apple gastrique. Underneath the pork, a luscious smoked white bean puree proved to be one of my favourite components of the whole evening, while two leaf lard tuilles (that’s top-of-the-line lard, from near the kidneys) put the presentation at full sail. Young accompanied all of this with a lovely story about her cooking journey while noting the sustainability throughout the plate, something Diversity Foods is known for. For the pairing, she went with Benjamin Bridge Nova Zero, a non-alcohol wine from Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia.
The field of chefs also included chef Jennifer Ballantyne of Manoomin, chef Colin Naylor of Bar Accanto, and chef Mitchell Man of Passero.
Chef Ballantyne paid tribute to her Cree roots while emphasizing her culinary trajectory of pushing Indigenous cuisine by presenting a striking, interactive dish that featured an elk lollipop with a wild berry glaze that you were meant to wipe through components like charred onion powder, chrysanthemum pedals and a squash puree that was holding a pool of parsley oil. Alongside were disks of apple compote and onion gelee and a delightful wild rice bannock crostini for added texture. Chef Ballantyne paired the dish with a robust Trius Red ‘The Icon’ 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from Niagara on the Lake.
Chef Man indulged us all with a healthy portion of silky Quebec foie gras with accents of port, cognac, garlic and thyme. It was presented with a jelly made of preserved apricot and elderflower vinegar on top, studded with pistachios. Pickled peaches delicately folded over a firm sourdough crostini brought additional textures. Chef Man’s wine pairing was the best of the evening in my opinion, as his dish came to fruition after finding the Pearl Morissette 2020 ‘Irreverence’ – a blend of Riesling, chardonnay and gewürztraminer from Jordan, Ontario – whose complex flavours he complimented throughout each bite.
Chef Naylor too came out with an ambitious dessert-forward dish, all while teaching us a history lesson in local corn varieties and local suppliers. Using heritage breed Assiniboin Rainbow Flint corn from Bloom Bakery and Mill, along with a host of ingredients all sourced within 57 kilometers of Winnipeg, chef let his imagination run wild on the eye-catching plate. There was a velvety sweet corn and rainbow flint miso ice cream, cantaloupe granita, cherry curd, and chicha (a fermented South American drink) that he made using corn and cherries to infuse a flint corn tamale. It was paired with a super fun wild fermented Sauv Blanc-Hyslop crabapple blend, the Revel Cider ibi Luna 2021, from Guelph, Ontario.
The event took place at the Fairmont Winnipeg, with over 300 in attendance and many local suppliers and companies on display including Sharecuterie, Peckish Winnipeg, Chocolate Zen Bakery, Jones and Co Wines, Trans Canada Brewery, Patent 5 Distillery and Dead Horse Cider. Raffle sales raised from Canada’s Great Kitchen Party Winnipeg will go on to support local charity Ben Kramer - Made from Love, while MusiCounts and Spirit North - which provides access to music education, sport opportunities and healthy food to students - are the two main charities that CGKP supports.
The judging panel consisted of head national judge Chris Johns; AV Kitching of the Winnipeg Free Press; Bartley Kives of CBC Manitoba; Christa Bruneau-Guenther, owner of Feast Café Bistro; last year’s winning chef, Kris Kurus; chef Jesse Friesen, a two-time Winnipeg champion who is the executive chef of Academy Hospitality; and me, Mike Green. Judge’s scorecards are based on taste, presentation, texture, technique, beverage pairing, and wow factor.
Chef Granados will now go on to represent Winnipeg at the Canadian Culinary Championship in Ottawa from January 31 to February 1, 2025.
