The number of rounds and length of the competition is intentional, Maleki said.
“We spread it out a bit as we didn’t want to pull chefs out of their kitchens as frequently, as we know that many businesses in our industry are impacted by tight schedules. We wanted to be respectful and mindful of that,” Maleki said.
Each contestant gets three secret ingredients and an hour to prepare and plate a dish. The panel of judges evaluates taste, presentation, and how well the competitors pair their dish with the secret spirit revealed at the beginning of the night.
Maleki said the judges will vary from round to round, and they’re open to suggestions. “We are looking for judges that will be excited to attend, have a passion for people and food, and are great YEG community ambassadors.”
The organizers also hope the competition will showcase the culinary talent that is behind the “beautiful and delicious” restaurants that have opened in the city in recent years. “The reason we have seen a greater shift in more dynamic restaurants is that we have some incredibly talented people in our city that allow us to do that,” Maleki said.
The public will also have a chance to taste the dishes each round. Tickets are $180 for two people and include cocktails, an appetizer, an entrée, dessert, and four competition tastings.
“We really wanted to invite people to sit, watch, and enjoy the experience of seeing many of these great chefs and talented cooks in action through a fun and entertaining competition,” Maleki said.
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