By Mike Lowe
The Niagara Food Festival kicked off Friday evening in Welland and threatening weather this weekend did little to dampen the spirits of dedicated food aficionados.
Saturday, an eager crowd turned out to see celebrity chef Chuck Hughes, star of Chuck’s Day Off and Chuck’s Week Off which is shot in Mexico.
The affable, good-natured and often wisecracking Hughes warmed the hearts of fans sheltered from a mid-day downpour under tents and umbrellas. Hughes entertained with kitchen stories and spoke fondly of his triumph in kitchen stadium on the popular TV show Iron Chef. He is one of only two Canadian contenders to claim victory in the legendary culinary battle.
Hughes whipped up dishes of grilled peaches with prosciutto, beef tartare and a plum upside-down cake.
Following the noon show Hughes signed copies of his cookbook titled Garde Manger, also the name of one of his Montreal restaurants. Other celebrity chefs at the show this year include Food Network stars Trish Magwood and David Rocco.
Wandering about the festival grounds food lovers will be spoiled for choice this year. You’ll find everything from corn to candy floss. One must-try dish is the spicy jerk chicken with rice and peas presented by Kool Katts of Niagara Falls. At only $6 it’s a great deal. But watch out for that hot sauce they offer — use it sparingly!
After feasting on smoky ribs from Big “G” BBQ and a sample plate from The Smokin’ Buddha I was satiated and in search of liquid refreshment. Thankfully, Niagara College Teaching Winery and their brewery are represented at the festival. One of my favourite pours was the college’s “Butler’s Bitter.” A college research project is also offering free samples of alcohol free beer. That is, free when you do their taste survey.
By now, I can’t eat another bite but I spy a youngster devouring something sweet and sidle over to get an opinion. Young Ivan agrees to a photo saying that his deep-fried Oreos from Cool Licks is, “Kinda crispy on the outside, soft inside and I can really taste the icing.”
The Niagara Food Festival runs through Sunday, offering plenty of events and entertainment. One must stop by the Mobile Culinary Theatre to see cooking demos presented by both celebrity and local chefs.
The state-of-the-art kitchen on wheels is a fixture at the festival and one worth seeing. Check out the festival web site for a complete listing of vendors and schedule of events. A free shuttle departs approximately every fifteen minutes from the back parking lot of the Seaway Mall and really is the best way to get there.
Intriguing look at the food festival,great pictures Mike,I’m sure you enjoyed meeting Chuck,his dish looked amazing!!!