Hot Chefs, Cool Beats, and a Good Cause with Alberta Pork in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Ode to The Chef

"My happiest place is when I am "in-the-moment". The world can go by when I am in the kitchen. Cooking makes me whole. It is my passion and purpose. It is what I am and what I do.

I am amazed by the chemistry and the intricate processes that take place when food ingredients are combined with energy. My knowledge and skill transform it into culinary perfection. I have no care in the world other than to watch steak grilling, sauce thickening, cake rising, and pork crackling transform into golden crispy bits of sunshine. 

My moments are complete when I witness precise olfactory, taste and visual symphonies of well-plated food. It becomes a magnum opus of culinary glee to see it, an experience that is only topped by the primal moans of pleasure coming from a loyal patron as they bite into a course I carefully prepared. 

This is what I am dedicating my life to. It is my vocation."

This is part of the TWO COWBOYS' EPIC GLOBAL TRAVEL & CULINARY EXPERIENCE - 2019! 

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Hot Chefs Cool bEats

We recently attended the "Hot Chefs Cool bEats" event in Edmonton, courtesy of our partner Alberta Pork. It featured interactive food stations from Edmonton's top culinary talent. Attendees could also sample wine, beer, & spirits from Canadian wineries, local craft breweries and distilleries. If that wasn't enough, it included performances from DJs, dancers, street performers, and live musicians.

The initiative began in 2011 as a fundraiser for The High School Culinary Challenge's Canadian Culinary Fund, and after a short break, it was back with a new home at Edmonton's Mosaic Centre and a restricted guest list of 200 privileged patrons. It meant that not only was the food top-class, there was also enough so that you didn't go home hungry or thirsty. Most importantly, it introduced you to some of Edmonton's more innovative chefs and their talents. You could sample a variety of the best creations like litchi moose, mini ice cream cone tacos, pork on a bun, and more.

Some of the highlights for the Cowboys were the Pork Coppa and Prosciutto made by the young chefs Peter Keith (himself an alumni beneficiary of the scholarship) and Will Kotowicz of Meuwly's Charcuterie, Sausage and Preserves. They promised us it was only BertaPork! Then there was Scott Downey from the ButternutTree's deep-fried Canadian moss. If we knew that these vegetables were so delectable, we would forage our forests until they are empty! Apparently, the moss was from Back East.

However, the start performance of the evening was Paul Shufelt's (The Workshop Eatery, Edmonton) collaboration on a Wagyu Holstein Beefetta. It wasn't pork. However, it was BertaBeef, and so they were forgiven for rekindling our love for meat on a stick. You just needed a large stick for this one and a massive appetite! They did promise us a suckling pig for next year, to honour their loyal sponsor, Alberta Pork.

All proceeds from ticket sales and silent/live auctions benefitted the Canadian Culinary Fund and its main program, The High School Culinary Challenge, so it was all for a good cause.

Observations

Being a chef is not an easy job, and to venture into the culinary industry requires guts and you to be a little bit crazy. It is a lifestyle and a vocation that continues to draw attention for its opportunity, but also for the harshness, low wages, and extreme physical and mental demands on the individual.

Contrary to the glitz and glee of television programs like MasterChef, it is far from glamorous. Most of what chefs do is monotonously droned behind the scenes, in hot holes, spending long hours with equally weird and crazy people feeding the masses with basic fair. Only a few become "rock star chefs". Even less survive as small businesses and entrepreneurs.

However, the culinary industry provides endless opportunity for creativity, learning and mastery. These are the opportunities that the Canadian Culinary Fund attempts to unlock for young people when they introduce and lure them into the possibilities in preparing food.

We salute them for it and congratulate them on a Hot Chefs Cool bEats event that set the bar high. We look forward to the next one. We travel the world for food, and we are entitled to our opinions. Edmonton's chefs should get more attention. They surprised us. It will get more from the Two Cowboys for sure if this is the standard we can expect.

Now, if only there were more pork...

Hendrik

Alberta Pork's Cowboy

P.S. We thank our partner Alberta Pork for making this work possible. Now, go eat more pork!

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Photos

On a Plate

Moss Discovered

Canadian Ceviche

Double Trouble

Epic!

Two Cowboys: Conversation with Julian Bond at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, Canada

If Your Name Is On The Door

You find these people in the slums of grimy chip shops in London, at local markets across Asia, or at the roadside taco stands in Mexico City. They operate a smashed burger food truck grill on a beach in New Zealand or the dessert station of a world-renowned hotel's kitchen. They mind the oven at the local pizza parlour or the pasta station at the Michelin Star restaurant in Downtown New York. I am referring to the ever-present culinary workforce that is responsible for much of our food every day.

The food industry is vast, and the opportunities are endless. There are possibilities for anyone, anywhere in the world. It was always, and still is a trusted way to earn a living. Cooking and food preparation is as old a profession as civilized man, itself.

We wanted to know from Julian Bond, the Vice-President & Chief Operating Officer at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Art (PICA), what determines the success of the individual that ventures in by choice or chance, in such a vast array of opportunity, locales, and roles. 

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Sue Singer founded the Institue in 1997. The school is located in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada, at the entrance to Granville Island. It is an accredited, private and co-educational culinary training facility that provides students with world-class training in a setting filled with both cultural and recreational opportunities.

They provide an array of programs from casual classes to wine programs, their award-winning Bistro 101 Restaurant and Bakery 101 Café course. They cater for a wide range of corporate events. The flagship is their Professional Diploma Programs in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts.

Observations

What is considered success nowadays in the culinary world? Is it surviving the next paycheck as line-cook, obtaining the almighty Michelin star as a chef, gaining fame and celebrity on television, or having the fortune of owning your business? Maybe it is becoming a mentor and a teacher training the next generation of cooks and chefs like Julian is doing?

He had some choice words. Like most sages, much of what he had to say went beyond his profession. He shared some life lessons.

For example, some people enter the business through the dishwasher's door; others have the privilege of attending a prestigious culinary school and working with a renowned mentor. For everyone, their foundation, work ethic, focus and commitment determines their path in the culinary industry, as it does in any other business.

It helps to start with a good foundation. It makes it easier in the long run. For some, a sound basis is cutting their teeth on the hard work at the bottom rungs of a kitchen, learning the basics and work ethic that goes with the playing field. For others, the foundation is the chemistry of ingredients they discover in a structured certified cooking program like the ones at PICA. For all, it is ultimately their focus and commitment that determine the chances for success. More often, it is not the talent that makes it to the top. Instead, it is the person willing to put in the work, that becomes distinguished.

There is no substitute for experience and only two possibilities to get it. You can either make your own mistakes or surround yourself with the right people and use the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. A culinary school provides an ideal environment where you can learn from a lot of errors - your own, and those of your classmates.

It still left us with the big question. What is a success and how do you recognize it in the industry? Success is realizing the value of sitting down with your family for a home-cooked Sunday afternoon meal. It is the discovery of the transitional states of sugar and seeing the unfolding of a protein. It is tasting the burst of caviar, the perfume of truffle, the tingling of champagne bubbles and the fragrance of a freshly peeled orange. Ultimately, success in food is very much the same as it is for life. If you blink, you miss it. If you look away, it slips by you. Success is the realization that every moment counts, and it is only the moment that count.

If your name is on the door, you better be in the restaurant. If your bread is in the oven, you better watch it. If your steak is on the grill, you better keep an eye it. It happens fast in a kitchen as it does in life. If your students are in the class, you better teach them. If you've found your passion in life, you better live it.

Ultimately, success is being in the moment in all its glory. Before you know it the restaurant will be opened, entrees prepared, souffle done, stars awarded, desserts served, service completed, dishes washed, and goodbyes said, before all starts again in the morning.

It always starts again in the morning.

Hendrik van Wyk

Cullinary Cowboy

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Passion

Perfection

Creativity

Excellence!

Personality!

Traveling Cowboys: Lingering for a Slice of Brisket at the Best Smokehouse in Lethbridge, Alberta

Lingering Smoke

There is such a thing in BBQ as "too much smoke." Just because you can keep a piece of protein in a smoker for up to 13 hours, doesn't mean you should.

Smoke plays two prominent roles in cooking. Firstly it provides a distinctive flavor. Secondly, it helps to preserve. When you grill, there is smokiness. When you BBQ then smoke is a key flavor ingredient that contributes materially to the taste profile of what is cooked. The risk is that introducing the "seasoning" of smoke can jeopardize other flavors if it becomes too overbearing. Contrary to popular belief, smoke doesn't cook the protein. Temperature does the job.

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On our trip to Lethbridge earlier this summer, we were on the hunt for our favorites. Beer, Ice Cream, and BBQ. We asked the locals about their favorite local BBQ spots and couldn't get a straight answer. It seemed that Lethbridgians haven't discovered much beyond the standard pile of nationally branded franchise outlets when it comes to dining out preferences in the town. Or, we've not asked the right people. Before giving up, we consulted the universal "know-it-all" - our friends at Google - which suggested the Smokehouse BBQ & Bar.

We stepped in early to find Michael Wilson opening for the day's business. The Smokehouse BBQ & Bar is a southern style smokehouse where they smoke everything from brisket to chicken to ribs and seafood. It is a southern tradition right here in Southern Alberta. Two "Souths" cannot be wrong.

Michael, the owner, and executive chef was born and raised on a farm in Southern Saskatchewan. He has an impressive CV. Not the kind of schooling you find in most Smokehouses. He began cooking at the age of 8 years. He moved to Lethbridge in 1995, at the age of 26, to start cooking professionally. He attended Lethbridge Community College thus beginning his goal to become a Red Seal Chef. In 1996, he received a Certificate in Commercial Cooking. In 1997, he was awarded the Apprentice of the Year Award in his second year of apprenticeship. In 1998, he received his Journeyman Certificate as a Red Seal Chef. He has worked with many excellent restaurants as Executive Chef, such as Streetside, Brewster’s Brewing Company, Ric’s Grill and Firestone Restaurant.

Observations

Smokehouse BBQ & Bar is as unassuming as it comes. It is all about the food like it should be in such a fine establishment owned and operated by a seasoned chef. Michael serves all the trusted smokehouse favorites with an ample array of home-made sauces.

Something is different here, though. There seems to be a more refined touch. A sense of balance.

Usually, we reek of smoke for days after visiting a BBQ or smokehouse. You can get it out of your clothes when you take a shower. What we struggle to do, is get it out of your palates and olfactories. Maybe, BBQ pitmasters get so used to the smoke that they don't realize how overbearing it becomes. It shows in their food.

Instead, we found that the dishes at the Smokehouse BBQ & Bar was done with just the right amount of smoke. It had the full melt-in-your-mouth texture experience with a broad repertoire of traditional and new flavors. The smoke complemented it. It was almost as if a qualified Chef was involved in the preparation.

We may get into trouble for the following two statements. Firstly, of all the BBQ we've had since the Two Cowboys hit the road (including at competitions), this visit stands out. It is a definite must-do!

Secondly, if we can ask for one thing from Michael (not that we want to mess up a new friendship), it is that he should please serve some local Alberta beer. Eating at the Smokehouse BBQ & Bar was like a symphony with one out of tune (beer) violin. A local Alberta brew will perfect the performance.

We will be back.

Hendrik van Wyk

Old(er) Cowboy

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Expert Conversation

Food Porn!

In Case You've Missed It

Now for some Local Alberta Brew

Traveling Cowboys: The Best View for Spot Prawns in the Bow Valley at Juniper Bistro, Banff, Alberta

Spot Me a Prawn

Chef Angus An of Vancouver’s Maenam Restaurant is a good friend of Chef Chris Irving. Chris is a good friend of ours, so we managed an invitation to see what Angus can do with a very precious Canadian delicacy - Spot Prawns.

It is part of the "Chef's Series" hosted at the Juniper Bistro in Banff, where Chris invites his best friends from around the world to cook for the sophisticated palates of the Bow Valley.

Yeh! Spicy street food! This was what we thought when we heard Thai and Prawns. What we discovered were the familiar flavor explosions you'd expect from Thai. Yet, it was done with a sophisticated bistro twist. If fermented rice sorbet gets your attention, then join us for the highlights of the evening as it unfolded.

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Three things came together, and a fourth was missing.

Let's start with the star of the attraction. The venue, Juniper Bistro is arguably the restaurant with one of the best views in Banff. Chris confessed that his famous chef friends are all too eager to make the trip up the valley. When they hear Banff and Juniper Bistro, they don't need a second invitation. The setting makes it a sought after opportunity to cook in a place that is on the bucket list of many travelers. The view of the evening of the 23rd of May didn't disappoint. It was Spring. The valley was green. The waters were turquoise and the sky, a powdery blue. The setting was perfect for a pinnacle food event.

Secondly, two very talented chefs collaborated in a special menu to celebrate the start of the highly-anticipated Spot Prawn season. Angus and his restaurant Maenam is the reigning champion of “Restaurant of The Year” in the Vancouver Magazine‘s Restaurant Awards. He has held a Gold rating for Best Thai since 2009. Maenam is considered #32 in Canada’s 100 Best. The second member of the team, Chris Irving, is used to rub shoulders with celebrities. He cooked for David Beckham and his family three days a week. The other two days for Gordon Ramsay. Now we are fortunate that he cooks for us, the Two Cowboys, in the Bow Valley.

Number three, the Spot Prawns, were flown in alive and fresh for the day of the dinner directly from the icy waters of the Pacific Ocean. Wild BC Spot Prawns are a delicacy known around the world for their sweet, delicate flavor and firm texture. They are most recognizable for their reddish brown color which turns bright pink when cooked.

Observations

We had the view, the talent, and the ingredient. What could be missing? This is where we may ruin our newly formed friendships.

We loved the evening. Everything was perfect. The service was outstanding! The prawns were poached, grilled, crackered, oiled and downed to perfection. However, we missed the familiar spiciness and heat of Thai. In our opinion, the chefs were not at fault. We know it is hard to balance delicate flavors and make a very fragile ingredient the hero of an extensive and creative menu. Rather, it is something else that is all too familiar when authentic oriental foods are involved. In our opinion, something is wrong with the Canadian palate.

It reminded me of a chefs' revolt we witnessed a couple of years ago when an authentic Indian restaurant opened in Okotoks. The chefs were principally imported from India to provide a truly authentic curry experience. After two months of Vindaloo complaints, they refused to cook one more curry and packed their bags promptly back to Bangalore. The chefs refused to adjust the authentic recipes and departed for a market where their cooking is appreciated.  The verdict? Canadians cannot stand the heat.

If there was one thing missing from the evening, it was the heat. I have a suspicion that if we met Chris and Angus in a more private setting, it would be there. Until then, we will have to settle for "Canadian Thai" - if there ever was such a thing.

Hendrik van Wyk

Hot Cowboy

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Final Touches 

Prawn Team

The Hero

Complexity

Appreciation

Two Cowboys: Come for the View and Stay for Comfort at Murrieta's in Canmore, Alberta

A Comfortable View

(Learn: * Inspire: * Amaze: ** Live: ****)
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There are many perfect spots for restaurants in Canmore. There is one that is a little more perfect than the others. This is where you will find Murrieta's Restaurant.

The restaurant is centrally located on Main Street in Downtown Canmore. One floor up from street level you get the best views of the surrounding mountains and the hustle and bustle of mountain town holiday shopping. Murrieta's makes the most of it with large windows to the North, West and South. It is located across from the iconic and historic Canmore Hotel.

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Murrieta's has spectacular surroundings, and it makes the most of it. As you'd expect from a property in a mountain town it has the compulsory comforting hearth, vaulted ceilings, majestic beams, open plan and captivating scenery. It combines this with soft rays of natural light that flood in from the expansive glass windows. Day or night, prepare to be amazed by open vistas or bright starlight. Have I mentioned the view is spectacular?

Observations

We met up with their new Swiss Chef Marco who recently joined the restaurant. His is doing his second stint in the Bow Valley. He recently revamped Murrieta's menu with new dishes for the Winter season from high-quality ingredients sourced locally and abroad (from B.C. and other places with Sablefish). The cuisine offers up an adventurous, refreshing and inviting blend of seafood, meat dishes and pasta. Ask for the Two Cowboy version of the Pork Chop. Trust us, you will like it. All is served with uncompromising flair and style.

Cody Marks, the Assistant General Manager assured us their trusted favourites are still on the menu. "We keep it on for the locals that know that Murietta's is not just about good food and great views, but also about comfort", he said. "Here you can do a weekly stop for a cold beer, glass of wine or a cut-above bar nibble. It is not just a Sunday place."

Murrieta's is a restaurant with white tablecloths, starched napkins and silverware that includes more than one knife and fork. You will find more than one wine glass at your table, which is necessary when you discover their extensive list of wines on offer. However, Murrieta's is not pretentious. It is a comfortable place where you can bring your wife and girlfriend, out-of-town business guests or the whole family on a Sunday to have comforting well-prepared food.

Everyone is going to get something they like off the expansive menu and people won't look funny at you when you accidentally drop your fork.

Come for the view, the ambience, and the food. If you are local, come to see friends at Canmore's original white tablecloth restaurant. The place with the best views in town.

Hendrik van Wyk
Pork Chop Cowboy

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Home

Happy

Service Up

The View

Two Cowboys: Mi Lugar Favorito Para Margaritas en Canmore, Alberta

My Two Girlfriends

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Here's the confession. If you don't know already, I have two girlfriends.

Caipirinha and Margarita are both breathtakingly beautiful. They make my world a better, happier place. You need to be careful to pick a favourite. If you do, don't let them know about each other. If I have to pick one, it will be Margarita (Please don't tell Caipirinha).

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If I cannot meet her her at her place we often meet halfway at our favourite alternative spot in Canmore, Alberta. A small restaurant operated by Mexico City natives. A place she calls her home away from home. For me, it is my home with good friends, good food, and good Margarita. It is
Aroma Mexican Restaurant, an authentic Mexican establishment in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, that is owned and operated by Jose Castillo. A little bit of Mexico in the snow. Margarita and my happy place.

Jose and his maître d', Rafael transports us weekly to lapping shores on the Caribean sea, filled with flavours and aromas from his homeland. Mole verde, salsa verde. Pick any verde, for your little bit of Mexico in the mountains. Above all, remember to meet Margarita. She will take your breath away.

Impressions

Canada is a land of many peoples. Immigrants from all over the world make it their new home. The Castillo family from Mexico journeyed via Montreal to finally settle in Canmore. They operate their very own authentic restaurant on Main Street. They are now Canadian. With them came their traditions of authentic Mexican cooking and a wicked understanding of the perfect Margarita.

Canmorians gained a little bit of Mexico without having to make the pilgrimage south. We can have our weekly dose of the good times in measured and responsible quantities, right here at home in Canada.

How do I know it is authentic?

Ask for Jose, the owner, operator and head chef. You will see a head peak out from a hole in the wall with a view to the kitchen at the back. This is where Jose will be busy stirring his mole on the stove, which is Mamacita's recipe from way, way back when. The restaurant is authentic because, the owner, which is Mexican, cooks his favourite home-made dishes for his favourite customers, himself.

Aroma is often filled to capacity. Yet, you will always find one table marked "reserved". That is the table that is kept for the surprise arrival of special guests. Friends of Jose and Rafael. Loyal and long-standing customers.

Let us just say, we've never been turned away.

"Jose, thank you for introducing me to Margarita. Thank you for bringing Mexico to us in the mountains. Thank you for always treating my family, my guests and I with the very best in food, hospitality and friendship."

P.S. Thank you for sharing your favourite Mezcal with me.

Hendrik van Wyk
Mexican Cowboy

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¡Salud!

Happy Place

Mexico

The Market

Teamwork

Andale

Mole Verde

o-CNN: Big Sky BBQ Smoked Meat and Beer With Friends in Okotoks, Alberta

BBQ With Friends

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Rob Bolton has a lot of friends. Believe me. A lot of them!

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It is not just because he does amazing BBQ and serve cold beer. It is because he is a community guy, an entrepreneur at heart and he knows what his customers want. We are a fan of whatever Rob is cooking up next. That is why we cannot wait to get the word out about his latest adventure.

We checked in with Rob on the opening weekend of his new venture: Big Sky BBQ.

It is a BBQ Pit, Barn, Drive-Through, Drive-By, Patio, Drive-in, Biker Yard, Lawn, Bar, Hangout. Call it whatever you will. One thing is for sure. It is going to be the meeting place on the 22A into Okotoks, Alberta. The place where women will come looking for their husbands.

What we didn't expect is Rob's plan to make it an Okotokian Breakfast stop on your way to work in Calgary. He assured us that the app is in development. We checked with the developer in new Zealand. It is on schedule. The plan is for all breakfast to be eatable one-handed and that you will have it within 30 seconds from pulling up to the window. How you clean your hands in the car is your problem.

I guess a sticky steering wheel will just serve as the ideal reminder to pick something up for dinner on your way home.

Rob, you have a winner. You had us at BBQ and Beer. We are glad to be friends. Now we have one more excuse to make the trip to Okotoks.

Guess where it will be?

Hendrik van Wyk
BBQ Cowboy

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Head Office

Outside Bar

Smoker Love

Carnivores

Balsamic Love

Hangout

o-CNN: Cowboy News Network - Canmore Uncorked, Quartetto Perfecto!

A Progressive Dinner with Raw Emotion

A perfect night, and another bottle of crisp chablis was Uncorked in the Rocky Mountain town of Canmore, Alberta.

We hit the downtown courtesy of the Canmore Uncorked food festival with twenty good friends and four world-class travelling musicians. Communitea Cafe was the start with a refreshing Vodka and salad (and some tea... I think), while we were serenaded by Quartetto Gelato.

Before we knew it, we were swinging away to Latin rhythms and reciting love poems for lovers long gone, or yet to be found.

The music was a classy touch to another innovative Progressive Dinner Tour from the organizers of this great food festival. Our palates travelled through the wonderful flavours and aroma's of Canmore's best dining establishments, and we were swept away to far away destinations and foreign cultures, by the sweet sounds of the Quartet that beautifully paired their songs with the establishments, meals and wine.

Upstairs at the Hive we were treated to Blake's White Gold cheese, factory ricotta stuffed burrata, Evoolution dill olive oil, fennel crystals, black pyramid salt, radish, Korean chilli and Canmore micro greens. If you weren't wax lyrical after this, you were then given a paint brush and a blank table cloth to express your hidden inner artist. Another cocktail or two had to follow.

This is where it all came undone. The sensory overload of the magnificent elixirs, exquisite food and breathtaking art stirred raw emotions that were amplified by the solo of the Oboe, and accompanied with nostalgic Chello and Violin. Someone shed a tear...

The tour concluded in a ruckus haze where the Buffalo Roam. Another fine night. Thank you Canmore for the privilege to call you home.

Hendrik van Wyk
The Singing Cowboy

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Tea Time! 

Promise

Focus

Somewhere Out There

Just Call it Blake

My Horse

Chablis

Make Something!

o-CNN: Cowboy News Network - Canmore Uncorked, Long Table Dinner

Many Many Courses Later...

The weather was good. The mountains were beautiful. The sweet aroma of roast pork filled the air as the guests arrived for the pinnacle event of the Canmore Uncorked Festival: The Long Table Dinner. 

You couldn't have asked for a better venue, weather or company at this years dinner. Not one seat was empty. A hundred and fifty guests were treated to more courses than they can remember. Remembering appeared to be the main challenge this year while the wine flowed, the beer was crisp, and the waiters were galloping plates of delicious edible creations to an enormous table in the middle of the road, in downtown Canmore.

The event is usually sold out long before the tickets go on sale. Yes, you heard it right. You need a local to scalp you tickets for this one. 

Canmore Uncorked is about talent, dishes, and superb beverages. The long table dinner never disappoints. Set your watch and calendar for 2017's dinner reservations, and make sure you befriend a Canmorian (or, as some old timers refer to us: "Canmorons") to secure your ticket. Without this treasured relationship, you will be exactly where you are this year. A spectator!

You should be here...

Hendrik

Still Recovering Long Table Dinner Chef (Yes, I made the Gelato for your desert...), and roaming Cowboy News Network Reporter

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Three Amigos

Looong Table

Just One More Please

Delicious 

See the Wine

Did Someone Say: Gelato?!