Young Comis Competition – April, 2011

The young commis Chaine des Rottiseurs Culinary Competition took place at NAIT on Saturday 2nd April 2011.

Seven young chefs from Sorrentinos, the Crown Plaza, The Shaw Conference Centre, the Westin and L2 restaurant at the Fantasyland hotel competed against each other.

The chefs had 3.5 hours to create their menus which included an appetizer, entree and dessert, presenting four plates of each course to our five professional Executive Chef Judges.

The chefs skillfully, skimmed, trimmed, sliced and diced their ingredients to prepare exquisite dishes that tantalized the eye and awakened ones senses to new heights of anticipation.

The overall winner, once all the scores were collected and counted, was Lindsey Porter from the L2 restaurant in Fantasyland. Lindsey was also our Edmonton winner in 2010, and will be competing again in Montreal at the National in October.

Lindsey’s delectable appetizer of seared salmon and scallop cerviche, with a tomato and quinoa salad, set on a heavenly pillow of diced Pineapple and an exquisite balsamique reduction was a brilliant bridge of flavours, which won applause from the tasting judges.

Her entrée was a small but perfectly rolled organic chicken breast with shitake mushrooms and, an intensely flavourful creamed sauce, enhanced with steel cut strips of Irving’s Farm back bacon, contrasting beautifully with Yukon gold potato and roasted pumpkin croquets. All textures and tastes were distinct and bold.

Lindsey’s dessert was equally spectacular. A rich Belgium chocolate Almond cake that broke into moist morsels at the touch of a fork, contrasting beautifully with her salted banana caramel, set on a delicate apricot coulis and a chevre goat’s cheese cream; a bold decision that paid off handsomely.