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Being in Alberta Chef Bruno Marti was surprised, but pleased, to see smoked salmon on board at the Canadian Culinary Federation/Canadienne Culinaire (CCFCC) annual trade show and convention held June 8-12 in Edmonton.
“This underlines the value of such an event,” says the president of CCFCC. “The purpose of a trade show is to highlight the products of the region to chefs from all over the country. Trade shows are a good thing. It excites chefs when they see good food and it’s a supportive thing for the industry, so it’s a two-way street.”
For Roberto Sgambaro, one of the purveyors of smoked salmon, this was his first trade show. In the past he had avoided such shows because his business, Experience Gastronomique, could ship only in Alberta. After winning top spot (and $100,000 in cash and in-kind services) in the VenturePrize Business Plan Competition by Edmonton Economic Development Corporation a few months ago, he now has the means to build a new processing facility. Therefore, he can be federally inspected to sell outside the province.
Glenn Veenendaal of Vanderpol’s Egg Products, however, estimates he’s done more than 200 trade shows, which he calls “the most efficient way of meeting the customers.”
Murray Primeau of Canada Bread Frozen Bakery in Calgary says the company was there to show off its artisan line, which is new to the Canadian food service industry, and make contacts for the “as close to homemade as you can get” bread line. The long-process, hands-on product out of San Francisco has more crust and flavour, which reflects diners’ wish for something different from standard dinner rolls.
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Visitors to Claude Buzon’s booth were trying on, rather than tasting, his wares. “We make some of the best quality chef’s uniforms in Canada,” says Buzon, president of Chef’s Hats Inc. “It’s made right here in Edmonton, but shipped all over the world.”
A highlight of the show was a tour around Alberta’s countryside to check out one of the growing markets in the industry — organics. About 15 junior chefs toured Sunworks Farm, a certified organic free range operation 45 minutes southeast of Edmonton.
Co-owner Ron Hamilton cracked open an egg and pointed to the deep yellow yolk, “Look at the way it stands up,” Hamilton said to murmurs from his audience. About 300 dozen of those eggs sell in no time at the Old Strathcona Farmer’s Markets in Edmonton each weekend, with brisk sales in Calgary as well.
Hamilton and his wife Sheila led the junior culinarians through sheds and across fields to view some of the free range pigs, cattle and poultry Sunworks has become known for. The couple described their organic operation further as delegates gathered on the farmhouse veranda for organic juice, fruit and cheese.
“I think chef’s spend so much time in the kitchen and see things in plastic bags … they almost forget where food comes from and how much care and attention goes into growing good products,” Manfred Kalk, sous-chef at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, said in explaining the farm tour on the junior chefs’ program.
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