Edmonton’s own Culinary Students at NAIT, under the tutelage of NAIT’s Hokanson Chef in Residence, Susur Lee, prepared an unexpected combination of flavours that constructed a powerful and new taste experience.
Thank you, Chef Stanley Townsend! The invitation was so unexpected and so appreciated. Your students did you proud. I have been very proud of the World Class Culinary program we have at NAIT, in Edmonton, for years. This meal would have made Julia Child drop to her knees and, in her endearing Julia-manner, exclaim: “Mon Dieu ! Et moi qui croyais que la cuisine à Paris était extraordinaire ! J’aurais du venir au Canada !” (My God! And I thought the food of Paris was extraordinary! I should have come to Canada!)
Chef Susur Lee, you have truly inspired these students. As a teacher, I understand the importance of inspirational motivation.The sparkle in the eyes of those young chefs parading through the room at the end of the meal was electric. I bow to you.
NAIT students. Your labour was appreciated. It was understood. Your performance was extraordinary. You have done your school, teachers, and your city proud.
Chef Lee was at NAIT because John and Susan Hokanson created an endowment fund in 2007 that established the Hokanson Chef in Residence Program. That was after 2003 when they had raised money for the Hoskanson Centre for the Culinary Arts. The Hoskanson’s have played a very important role in the culinary education and opportunities of these students. What a ride! This contribution has clearly been honoured and used well.
There were three courses, each done by a different class (year) of students. Each course was introduced and explained by a student in the class that prepared it. That was a lovely personal touch.
Chef Townsend introduced each course to us as it was presented, explaining Susur’s thinking behind the creation of each dish. I really appreciated that as it connected Chef Lee to the food I was eating and was gratifying to hear how this creative genius thinks. My table mate were great fun! (Chef Townsend loves our Kevin Kossowan!)
Liane Faulder would occasionally take a bite in between tweeting and photographing her plates: food writer for The Edmonton Journal is not as “fun” as one might think! She really works during her meals! Mary Bailey of The Tomato Food and Drink had the only coveted Susur Lee cookbook at the table. (Yvonne and I were trying to scoop the 2005 cookbook to get Chef Lee’s signature, and all local bookstores were out!)
Tablemates across were Miles Quan from the Lingnan and the famed The Quon’s family restaurant TV program on Food TV Canada, Sharon Yeo (recently voted one of the top 40 under 40 Canadian Foodies in Western Living Magazine 2011) from Only Here for the Food, and Yvonne Li from Undercover Gourmet.
Spicy Lobster tart with bonito
This dish was a fusion of Mexican, French, Italian and Canadian cuisine orchestrated in perfect harmony. Chef Townsend explained that Chef Lee was deeply influenced by a recent trip to Mexico and that this dish was inspired by his time there. The wisp of French puff pastry was integrated to reflect the light, crisp Mexican flat breads with the buttery addition of the French kitchen. The chêvre is classic French fare and its salty tang wrapped a velvety layer around the green Mexican salsa underneath. That offered a perky little kick! The meaty, salty Italian olive and the savoury crisp pancetta chip waved the Italian flag over the dish. The maple syrup glaze on the pancetta coupled with the delicate Atlantic lobster brought this dish home.
The mighty crescendo of this dish was the moment the chêvre combined with the Mexican salsa. I could have left the lobster (and I adore lobster). I remember there was bonito on the dish, but it was insignificant to the impact of the other flavours playing upon my palate. This was a memorable dish. An unforgettable moment. A taste memory engraved.
And then I looked up from my plate and smiled. I had not been the only person at our table communing with my lobster tart. It had been a very luscious silence.
It was nice to have some time to visit between course. Sorry, Maki! I don’t see you in the top photo, do you? And who else is that beside the gal in the pink? An Edmonton Foodie Tweep. Can you guess?
Our host, Chef Townsend, kept the lunch moving along by introducing NAIT dignitaries, prize winners, and eventually, Susur Lee. But, first: the main course.
Rack of lamb with chick pea purée
First, the bouquet. So simple, yet so perfectly finished the dish: mint and chive wrapped in corn husk ribbon. How unexpected to find hummus served in this fashion. And the hummus was… nuttier than usual? The kalamata olives has that little je ne sais quois begging the question: what is it? What is it? The cumin in the tomato sauce was delicate which I did appreciate (as I find everyone is putting cumin in everything these days, and often too much for my palate). Chef Townsend explained that Chef Lee created the sauce in the typical Indian way by roasting the spices and then making an aromatic mash fried with them, later adding the tomatoes. This had clearly gone through the chinouis; it’s clarity was brilliant. The unexpected star on this plate was the mint chutney. That small green puddle created fireworks when it sparkled through the hummus and the tomato sauce. Yum, yum, mm-mm-mm! The zucchini coin and the braised onion were lovely additions to the plate. And the lamb? Cooked to perfection, tender and juicy, it begged to swirl and twirl through the colours on the plate lapping up the vibrant goodness. This dish was spectacular! (Yes, I gave away a chop. I don’t eat meat, but love tasting it!)
More introductions and thanks and important moments. Then, the dessert.
Whoa, baby! Did I just fly away and land on a tropical island? This was unexpected for a wintertime dessert on the Canadian prairies. “Are you going to the hook-ee-la?” You know the song. (If you’re my age!) “The hook-ee-hook-ee-hook-ee-hook-ee-hook-ee-la!”But, it was deadly delicious. The coconut macaroon was anchored to the side of the bowl with a dab of chocolate. The pana cotta was all decked out in a pineapple raspberry ravioli and the sauce… passion fruit, and I am not sure what else… but, the sauce was the kind of dessert soup that I just wanted to bury my face into and blow bubbles with. Well, that may be going a little far. It was dreamy. The prefect culinary sunset to end a lovely meal.
The only element missing was one that is critical to where I find my core in my food community: Where did the food come from? There was no focus placed on the source of the food and when asked, the questions were deflected. I understand that this is an economic issue coming from 30 years of teaching with Edmonton Public Schools. I understand the difficulty in educational funding. I also understand that where one’s food comes from, food sovereignty and the effect of where food is sourced not only effects one’s local economy, but effects the global economy and the local food supply for generations to come. This is an issue that the NAIT culinary program needs to address. The time is now. Their program is so special and the students are so clever. We need them to leave their hallowed kitchens armed with not only knowledge of this, but the fundamental practice of it in place where they work and learn each day.
As Chef Townsend said, Susur Lee has the one critical ingredient that most chefs in his position lack: humility. There was no personal conversation with Chef Susur Lee, per se, and certainly, he was less than 5 minutes at the mike, but his demeanour was open, warm, kind and humble. That was completely unexpected after meeting my small share of Superstar Chefs.
The students paraded through the dining room to an enthusiastic standing ovation. I only wish each of them could have experienced their own food! Allan Suddaby was parading through the crowd with his class, below right, and came over for a brief visit. This is one young Edmonton Chef that is definitely going places! (He will share these recipes with me this weekend, so if you are interested in any specifically, let me know, and I will mail them to you. I will also revise the post after I get the recipes to include a couple key ones.)
My moment shared with our table, and Maki (wish we were all sitting together!). Mary is missing, but she was there! Thank you, Chef Lee, Chef Townsend and NAIT culinary students. Can you still hear me clapping?
(Big thanks to Maki from In My Element for this final photo.)
Boy oh boy. I am so jealous about your lunch!!!
I ate at one of his restaurants in Toronto – what a great experience.
Fun times!
what a pleasure to read about Chef Lee! a wonderful event and your table was overfilling with great foodies, how fun valerie, I loved the play on his trip to mexico and the sweet plate lookes amazing!!
have a great week
sweetlife
I’d love to go to an event like this sometime. What a beautiful selection of dishes. I love how the chef has kept such vibrant colours in his food… after all, we eat with our eyes first.
This looked like a fantastic experience.
*kisses* HH
OM This look amazing Valerie and all look dleiicous waht nice event! Lucky you! Im happy you really enjoy! xgloria
Sorry I wanna say delicious!! gloria
Please let this be the final torture ;-). The first was reading your tweets, the second was reading about this amazing lunch that I missed on everyone else’s blog, and third third (and hopefully last) is reading about it here and looking at all that food porn. I don’t handle “you can look, but don’t touch” well when it comes to food :-P. What an amazing, fantastic, chance of a lifetime event. So jealous! I’m a huge fan of lobster, more so than the highly looked upon and expensive abalone (in Chinese culture), so I would’ve died and gone to heaven with the first dish. Such a beautiful, elegant, luxurious dish. I’m sure the flavor was just out of this world delicious. And the dessert, oh my! I’d almost say it’s so gorgeous that I wouldn’t want to eat it, but who am I kidding, I could never resist something as lovely and delicious as that, especially when set in front of me. I can see by your gorgeous big smile what an amazing time you had. Wonderful food and great company, what every foodie hopes for. Another wonderful post you’ve shared with us, Valerie. Hugs!!!
Hmmmm, I can still taste it all. Nice chatting with you and thanks for spotting me a picture 🙂
Wow…
What a great experience you all had. Thank you for sharing.
The pictures of the food are fantastic Valerie, they keep getting better and better! What’s your secret?!
What a beautifully presented dinner! Everything looks amazingly delicious. How wonderful to be the the company of such a great chef. All of the recipes look fantastic but I’d love the lamb recipe!
What a great post! I think Susur Lee is amazing, and your fabulous photos show us his genius, and some of the new directions he is going in. I’d eat it all, but definitely save room for that dessert–yum!
Valerie what a lovely post! Most impressive is how you managed to snap such awesome pictures! I need to learn from you and admire my food before I devour it all 🙂 It was fabulous sitting with you (and everyone else on the table). Truly great company!
I know several of the ladies there. Jennifer was somehow able to cook in the kitchen with Susur Lee. What a wonderful exoerience even to sit at this amazing dinner.And the food, oh the food…don’t get me started….amazing!!!!!
Delightful to finally meet you in person and for all of the introductions to all of the people you knew. Your descriptions of the dishes bring it all flooding back. Great day indeed !
Great to meet you, too!, Miss H!
I love that about Social Networking… we get to meet so many interesting people and share what we all have in common! Did you guess who the picture was of?
😉
Valerie
Yes thanks for the lovely shot of me and Stephanie forgot to take one myself
I had to laugh because I can just see you communing with your food. But I have to say that I always do. I can’t understand people who don’t commune with fabulous food in front of them. The smells, the flavors, the textures, the beauty, it all requires the full attention of all of our senses! I want to share a meal with you! And this one looks amazing! The whole event… well, all I can say is I must move to Canada now. Another great write up. Especially your stunning description of the food.
Oh my goodness Valerie…. what a great experience, the food was awesome. I’ve actually never seen a fusion of Mexican, French, Italian and Canadian cuisine – now I can say I have. Awesome!
What a wonderful time for you Val. I think you should have your own cooking show, maybe on Oprah’s new network “OWN”. It is so wonderful to see your experience and watch your passion and zest for life and doing what you love!
Judy oxox
You have so many fun events lately Valerie… I am slightly jealous! And fun that you met Maki too (who I have been following for some time too) That food looks amazing (great shots too!)
Simone,
I actually “met” Maki in “real life” last year, at NAIT’s “Date with David Adjey” for we local food bloggers. I have noticed that you follow her. She is definitely the photography buff! I could learn a lot from her. I am working on it!
🙂
Valerie
You have been really busy and active :-)) Love that lamb and chickpea puree…
Beautiful and remarkable food presentations. Enjoyed the scenery Val
I can’t even begin to tell you how jealous I am!
Oh my Val – no wonder you haven’t had time to cook in ages – how can you???…..look at all the AHMAZING stuff you’re up to. You are forever an inpiration and that rack of lamb has turned my face a shade of green ‘coz I want some so bad and there you are getting to eat the WHOLE plate 🙂
Gorgeous event and so happy that you’re there to share! 🙂
chow! Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
Fusion cooking is what I love to develop most in my everyday cooking…and having it creatively presented is where I have the most fun.
This event is great for you to have assisted Valerie and very informative for us to cyber-tag along.
The most important point that I hope readers of your post have come away with was your astute perception that food source information was deflected. Why do they keep doing that. Same goes for the so-called organic/natural cosmetic products industry…very frustrating indeed.
I really hope that the organizers of this event get your post so that the message is re-heard. Our new generation of chefs need to push through into embracing our local food sources as much as possible. I realize that it’s not always an easy thing to practice at all times…but any effort is always appreciated ;o)
The captures of the platings were stunningly photographed…great event Valerie. Thanks for sharing this interesting part of your busy life.
Ciao for now,
Claudia
What an incredible lunch, the dishes look awesome! I’m a big fan of Susur Lee though I have yet to eat at one of his restaurants, really looking forward to it one day 🙂
This looks like a wildly successful event! How wonderful that the culinary students are getting the experience working with a large demanding crowd while at the same time getting the chance to show what they’re learning. That is the best way to gain experience.
I hear what you mean about where the raw ingredients are sourced. That is a huge topic of debate in Northern California right now with the newest trend eating foraged foods from the Bay Area. Is foraging popular in Edmonton?
The dessert was a stunning color. It looked like one of those glass sculptures by Chihuly.
Oh I would be in heaven too, you look so happy in the photo! the lamb dish would have been my focal point, although that dessert was so refined and classy and almost feminine, loved it.
Well, I guess I should actually blog more so I might get invited to stuff like this again 🙁 Susur is one of my favourite celeb chefs, wish I could have seen him!