Events

SIAL Canada 2022 Back Better Than Ever in Montreal Post Pandemic!

North America’s largest food innovation trade show has made its much anticipated in-person return to Montreal after going 100% virtual over the past few years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After participating in SIAL Canada back in 2018 and 2019, it’s become my favourite trade show to attend in the food industry and I’ve been itching to go back in person to witness all the marvellous food innovations and technological and sustainable advancements that many of the participating food companies have excitingly achieved.

Read a recap of my Montreal SIAL Canada 2018 experience here.
Read a recap of my Toronto SIAL Canada 2019 experience here.

SIAL Canada is the only national trade show that offers a complete range of food products under one roof with more than 1,200 national and international exhibitors from 50 countries, alternating host cities between Montreal and Toronto. It’s become a key to the Canadian agrifood industry and acts as an entryway to the US and international markets with over 25,000 buyers from all around the world attending. It’s pretty simple here, the exposure you get when you have a booth at SIAL Canada is unparalleled to any other trade show you’ll find in Canada.

This year in 2022, SIAL Canada was back in Montreal (and in person as well, no more zoom meetings!) from April 20th to April 22nd at the always lovely Palais Des Congres in the heart of the downtown core. I was so ecstatic to be invited back to the trade show this year and quite simply just be back with people! It was the first flight I’ve taken in two years since the pandemic began, and I couldn’t be happier that it was going to be in the world-class city of Montreal.

If you are planning to one day visit SIAL Canada in Montreal, choosing a convenient accommodation is going to be one of the first important decisions you will have to make. Since SIAL Canada runs over a span of 3 days, you’re going to want easy access to the Palais Des Congres. The first time I was in Montreal, my hotel was about a 10 minute Uber ride away. Although that may not sound too far, being mere minutes away walking wise from the facility was a total game changer this year and a huge convenience to have. I was able to quickly go back to my hotel room for breaks and recharge whenever I felt like it, and then being able to quickly go right back to the action whenever I wanted was amazing. With all that being said, if you’re looking for a modern and affordable hotel that is literally a one minute walk to the Palais Des Congres in downtown Montreal, look no further than Hotel Le Dauphin - Montreal Centre Ville. You don’t even need to bring your own laptop with you because every room is equipped with your very own Macbook!

During the first day of SIAL Canada, my favourite event happens in the early morning which is the annual SIAL Innovation Awards! In its 14th edition this year, the top finalists are each trying to take home the Gold ($10,000 prize), Silver ($5,000 prize), Bronze ($5,000 prize), and Sustainability ($3, 750 prize) awards for being the most innovative products of the year. This is always measured on four criteria: packaging, manufacturing process, merchandising, and recipe. This competition is open to all exhibitors where the winners will undoubtedly receive international recognition thanks to the World Champion Tour where they will be showcased in other SIAL trade shows around the world, and is why winning this prestigious honour can really catapult a product’s reach from a national audience to world-wide.

Read a recap of the 2019 SIAL Innovation Awards here.

Here are this year’s 2022 Finalists and Winners!

GROUNDUP - GROUNDUP ECO-VENTURES - CANADA (GOLD AWARD)

Range of flours and baking mixes made of upcycled ingredients. Selected as a new example of circular economy made accessible by the valorization of rejected ingredients into convenient, nutritious and tasty products.

TEMPEHINE - LES ALIMENTS MERJEX INC. - CANADA (SILVER AWARD)

Range of organic marinated and precooked ground tempeh. Selected for the quality of composition and the use of a new process to make tempeh a ready-to-use and versatile ingredient, enabling the addition of vegetable proteins to a wide variety of meals.

LA PRESSERIE - LA PRESSERIE - CANADA (BRONZE AWARD)

Range of raw and unpasteurized vinaigrettes made from cold pressed fruits and vegetables. Selected for their simple and natural composition, the use of fresh ingredients and the cold pressing process which adds culinary appeal to the products

GOOD CHIPS - PARAMO SNACKS - COLOMBIA (SUSTAINABILITY AWARD)

Organic beet and yacon chips with no added oil or sugar. Selected for the naturalness and authenticity of the product resulting from the origin of the ingredients, for the transformation process and the manufacturer's relevant commitments to sustainable development.

FARO - BRÛLERIES FARO ROASTING HOUSES - CANADA

Coffee beans aged in microbrewery oak barrels. Selected for the manufacturing process using an ageing technique that is unusual for coffee, for the sophistication of the product and the original packaging.

CLUB SÉLECT - CLUB KOMBUCHA - CANADA

High-end kombucha presented as wine. Selected for the premiumization of the kombucha offer and the proposed varieties. This product reinvents kombucha as a shared experience to be enjoyed over a nice meal.

ALTERNATIVE KITCHEN - LOC INDUSTRIES - CANADA

Range of products made from organic textured vegetable proteins. Selected for the diversity of the range allowing multiple applications as meat or carbohydrate substitutes, as well as the more ecological transformation process.

SIGNÉ CAMÉLINE - OLIMÉGA SIGNÉ CAMÉLINE - CANADA

Roasted camelina oil. Selected for the new taste experience due to the roasting of the camelina seed, offering a local, gourmet and allergen-free alternative to sesame oil

BAR TO COOK - THE FOODIE FAMILY - CANADA

Bars of sauce with world recipes. Selected for the originality of the format that makes the creation of culinary experiences very easy and accessible to all home cooks. Simple ingredients make it all the more appealing.

Once the SIAL Innovation Awards are handed out, the world was than my oyster here as I had three days to walk around the trade show floors, booth-to-booth, exhibitor-to-exhibitor, from one country to the next learning and finding what the next big food product is. If you’re one of those people who are trying to get their step counter in for their fit bit, coming here will definitely grant you those 12,000 steps you are looking for. This place is huge and you’ll have no problem filling up your day with things to do.

Besides the exhibitor’s booths here at SIAL Canada where if you’re lucky enough you may even be able to take some samples home with you, there are also a variety of other activities scheduled throughout the three days for you to enjoy.

You’re able to book some conferences in where you can take a sharp look within the food industry by sitting in on a variety of talks hosted by expert trend hunters in the agri-food industry. A selection of experts from various backgrounds speak at SIAL Canada each year to share with us the most up-to-date information on the food industry such as the any concerning issues, innovation, market trends and opportunities, and changes in purchasing behaviour.

If you’re a bit more of a thrill-seeker, you can also attend one of the many exciting competitions that play out throughout the trade show (outside of the SIAL Innovation Awards). Pick from the International Cheese Competition, the Olive d’Or Competition, and the Start-Up Pitch Competition. And of course you’ll be able to also see some live cooking demos while mingling with some other culinary professionals at the La Cuisine and the Inspire Drink workshops. There’s something here for everyone to enjoy!

One of the great perks of also going to SIAL Canada is that you’re in a world-class city of Montreal, and if you’re like a foodie like me, you’ll have nothing short of a laundry list of wonderful places to go eat out at when you’re not walking the trade show floors and want to satisfy those cravings you may be having after seeing all the food at the exhibitor’s booths.

Here are some of my top cafes to eat at while you’re visiting Montreal for SIAL Canada that is all in walking distance from the Palais Des Congres. I didn’t use any form of public transportation or car sharing services during my time here in Montreal, just my two feet!

La Finca Cafe (Two Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)

Mandy’s (Six Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)

Olive et Gourmando (Six Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)

Patrice Patissier (Thirty Minute Walk from SIAL Canada)

The planning for SIAL Canada 2023 is already under way. Next year it’ll be back in Toronto at the Enercare Centre from May 9th to May 11th, 2023 where we get to do this all over again! Hope to see you all there!

The Stella Supper Club is the Stella Artois x HYR Live Collaboration We've All Been Waiting For!

There are many different clubs out there in the world. The night club where you dance the night away. The book club where you can get lost in an imaginary universe. Or just a school club where you join not always because you’re interested in it, but because all your friends are there (been there, done that!). Now where is the club for foodies? The club for learning by interacting with seasoned professionals? Well folks, I’m here to invite you to the best foodie club there is. It’s called the Stella Supper Club and it just might be the club you’ve all been waiting and searching for to join!

Stella Artois and HYR Live have partnered together to create The Stella Supper Club, where it brings a variety of all-inclusive live and on-demand cooking classes with Canada’s top Chefs right into your kitchen. All of the ingredients are then delivered straight to your door within the Stella Supper Club meal kit to make this interactive cooking class as stress-free and easy as possible. All you need is an internet connection, some basic cooking utensils, maybe one or two kitchen helpers, and just an appetite to not only feed your stomach but also your mind as you learn from some of the very best chefs in our country.

With great skill in eating a diverse range of food, but not so much in the actual creation of it, I was very excited in getting a chance to take part in one of these live cooking classes. I mean I need all the help I can get when it comes to the kitchen, and who better to teach me then acclaimed Chef Nuit Regular from the highly acclaimed Thai restaurant Pai Northern Kitchen in Toronto!

In preparation for my live cooking tutorial, Stella Artois also sent me a beautiful Home Chef essentials kit to give me a taste of what was to come. Within this package was a beautiful leather Stella Artois apron, a marble charcuterie board, and a couple of their iconic chalices to go along with a 6-pack of beer. As you can see, it was a perfect way to spend a day out on the balcony with some delicious charcuterie and a cold glass of Stella Artois.

As the much anticipated day of the cooking class finally arrived, I had a knock on my door and a fresh delivery of produce and ingredients was dropped off at my doorstep thanks to Chefdrop. For anyone that signs up for a Stella Supper Club experience, you’ll not only get all the required ingredients to make your dishes that night, everyone will also receive a 6 pack of Stella Artois and two Stella Artois chalices. It’s safe to say you can never have enough of those beautiful chalices in your home. Such a simple way to elevate your kitchen!

Once your box of ingredients arrives that morning/afternoon, open it up and refrigerate any items in your box right before the event starts that evening. On the menu for me that evening with Chef Nuit Regular was getting to turn up the heat inside by learning how to make her signature Thai Red Curry Chicken (Gaeng Phed Gai), complemented by her bold Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum Thai). Two dishes that I loved ordering whenever I visited her restaurant, so being able to make it at home was absolutely incredible!

Once it was 7PM it was time to go! I laid out all the necessary ingredients in front of me, hooked up my laptop and laid it out on the kitchen counter, opened up the email link that contained the direct link to the cooking class, and voila - class was in session! It was a seamless process with Hyr’s interactive chat and video capabilities making it super easy to ask any questions live to Chef Nuit Regular whenever I needed any clarification to a step. I also loved the fact that they really seemed to care about the participants who signed up for the class as they called out and thanked individuals by name who was part of the class which I think was a very nice touch.

The first part of the class was learning how to make the Red Curry and man oh man if you guys could smell the aromas in the kitchen when this was being cooked on the stove top. The scent of the red curry paste, thai basil mixed in with the Chinese eggplant, coconut milk, and fresh red spur chili was phenomenal! It really was a restaurant quality dish being made at home. And then to top it off with the homemade Papaya Salad was just a great way to end the night as the sweetness and sourness of the signature Pai salad dressing perfectly cut the heat of the spicy red curry. At the end of the night I just kept repeating to myself…. “I can’t believe I made this!”

One of my favourite parts of The Stella Supper Club is after the class is over, you can then watch the entire class all over again. On-Demand. Stream anytime, anywhere. It’s so convenient to have that capability because if you decide to re-create the dish at a later time on your own, you can easily pull up the video again of the cooking class you attended and follow along once more.

The Stella Supper Club is something I would highly recommend anyone to join, because not only do you get to learn from some of the very best chefs in the country, it’s also a great excuse to start downing some Stella Artois beers because hey… it’s all part of the cooking experience!

To see all the upcoming cooking classes and to register for one of their live tutorials, please visit the website here. Cheers!

The Top Moments of SIAL Canada 2019

Just like that another SIAL Canada has come and gone. It was only last year in 2018 that I took part in my very first SIAL Canada trade show. I came back home last year feeling even more proud and patriotic than ever. There was no doubt that Canadian companies are now at the forefront of innovation in the food industry, and that was clearly evident by the quality of Canadian products being showcased at North America’s largest food-innovation trade show last year in Montreal.

Read a recap of my Montreal SIAL Canada 2018 experience here.

So when asked to become an official media partner at SIAL 2019 in Toronto, I jumped at the chance! For three days in May, Toronto was transformed into an agri-food industry hub not just for Canada but for the entire world! With a one-stop-shop concept, the Enercare Centre opened its doors to more than 1,100 food and beverage exhibitors from 60 different countries. Bring an empty stomach and comfortable shoes because when you’re walking through a 270,000 sq ft building with an endless supply of food and beverage samples, you’ll be exhausted and full….in the best way possible.

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If you recall my previous blog post, one of the main events and my personal favourite part of SIAL Canada is the SIAL Innovation Awards. Cash prizes with a value of $20,000 is handed out to the top three products that best embody innovation with criteria such as recipe, packaging, manufacturing, and positioning that gets judged by a panel of highly-esteemed industry professionals.

Read a recap of SIAL Canada’s unveiling of the Top 10 Finalists this year here.

During the first day of the trade show, the official SIAL Innovation Awards ceremony was held live at 10AM where Dana McCauley, SIAL Canada 2019 Innovation Ambassador, announced the Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Hopeful prize winners. As all the finalists held their collective breath, the winners one by one were announced. Below are your 2019 SIAL Canada Innovation Winners!!

Gold - Unbun Keto Foods - Vegan Keto Buns (Ontario, Canada)
Silver - Yummy Doh - Raw Cookie Dough (Quebec, Canada)
Bronze - Lofbergs Canada Inc - ICE (Ontario, Canada).
Hopeful - Partake Brewing - Partake Pale Alt Craft Non-Alcoholic Beer (Alberta, Canada)

For the first time ever this year in SIAL Canada’s 16th year history, all levels of Canadian government (federal, provincial, municipal) were in attendance. This is a huge milestone for the Canadian food industry as its further affirmation that investment in our local companies is important to further develop food innovation and sustainability within the Great White North. During the official opening ceremonies, Canadian government officials made their opening remarks to ring in the start of all the various festivities. Among them were Mr. Jean-Claude Poissant (Parliamentary Secretary), Ernie Hardeman (OMAFRA’s Minister), and Michael Thompson (Deputy Mayor of the City of Toronto). A special presentation was also made by Italian dignitaries to celebrate Italy as the chosen country of Honour at this year’s trade show.

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Speaking of the various festivities, one of the crowd’s favourite at this year’s SIAL Canada was the inaugural Canadian Plate Competition. Four competing Canadian chefs pushed themselves to new culinary heights when they were tasked to create a dish that they felt truly represented Canada, using thirteen ingredients from each province and territory. The four competing chefs were Andrea Carlson (Burdock and Co - Vancouver, BC), Laura Maxwell (Le Select Bistro - Toronto, Ontario), Josh Crowe (Monkland Taverne - Montreal, Quebec), and Pierre Richard (Little Louis’s Oyster Bar - Moncton, New Brunswick). Throughout the challenge, the four competing chefs pushed themselves further than they ever have and each presented dishes representative of their immense talents and Canada’s diverse ingredients. Ultimately it was Pierre Richard who came out on top taking inspiration from his east coast roots creating a twist on the traditional chowder. From dried morel mushrooms hailing from the Yukon, to snow crab from Newfoundland and Labrador, Pierre kept an open mind and applied regionally-specific techniques to perfect his dish. The final presentation included a bannock-inspired tuile and a pour over ‘Ocean Nage’ intended to represent the coming tide of The Bay of Fundy. A truly Canadian plate. Oh Canada!

Another big milestone event at this year’s SIAL was the very first International Cheese Competition. This was not only the first time it was held at SIAL, but in all of Canada as well. A jury of industry cheese professionals evaluated 230 cheeses from 9 countries across 23 different categories. Held in an open area at the Enercare Centre, visitors and exhibitors were able to watch the competition unfold right in front of their eyes along with the entire deliberation process. This competition aimed to highlight the innovation, know-how, and passion of cheese-makers on an international level, where awards like Best English Cheese prize, Best Italian Cheese prize, Dairy Farmers of Canada prize, Best New Cheese prize and Grand Champion Cheese were announced. As if the suspense wasn’t enough in waiting for the Grand Champion to be crowned, there was a deadlock between two cheeses by the jury on which cheese would be crowned victorious. After a tie-breaking vote, Quebec`s Fromagerie La Station’s Alfred le Fermier Grand Crucheese ultimately was selected as the big winner for its leading technical and aesthetic properties.

A personal favourite exhibitor booth I found at this year’s SIAL belonged to Davide Bazzali of Cuisine Opera who sang and cooked his heart out on the Italian Pavilion. Italy was in the spotlight at this year’s SIAL Canada as the country of honour with the very best of Italian cuisine being showcased along the many aisles of the building. Not only did Davide cook everyone a delectable plate of pasta, he also serenaded the crowd by singing Italian opera transporting everyone there to what felt like an authentic cultural experience in Italy. You just have to watch it to believe it!

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Overall SIAL Canada set a record attendance this year in Toronto compared to two years ago with a growth of 10%. Over 25,000 professional visitors from over 60 countries were present over these three days with 1,130 exhibitors and brands on hand.

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During my time at this year’s SIAL Canada I also had the pleasure of doing a sit down interview with Xavier Poncin, SIAL Canada’s Executive Director, as he talked about all the great things SIAL Canada 2019 was able to accomplish in Ontario and the milestone of having all levels of government involved in this year’s trade show.

“It’s just proof that our show is now anchored within the food industry in Canada. We first launched SIAL Canada in Montreal, so many people have always seen our show as more Quebecois than Ontarian, and even in the different contests we do like SIAL innovation for example, Quebec was number one. But the biggest growth that we have now been seeing with our exhibitors is now coming from Ontario. So having those three levels of government being involved in our show this year shows that SIAL CANADA is the top event for the agri-food sector not only in Ontario, but for all of Canada to be and participate in.”

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I want to extend my deepest thanks to the entire SIAL Canada team for inviting me to become a media partner at this year’s event. If you’ve missed it this year in Toronto, don’t you worry because SIAL Canada will be having its 17th edition in just under a year from now in Montreal at the Palais des Congres from April 15th to 17th, 2020. See you all there!

SIAL Canada Back With A Bang In Its 16th Edition

North America’s largest food innovation show is back bigger and better than ever, and for its 16th edition SIAL Canada will be held again in Toronto from April 30th to May 2nd at the Enercare Centre. Like the Rogers Cup, SIAL Canada is hosted in Montreal one year and then Toronto the year after that. I had so much fun last year in Montreal at my first SIAL Canada experience and was blown away at the enormous scale that it was. This is the trade show to be at if you are involved in any way within the food and beverage industry. A resounding 2018 success in Montreal, SIAL Canada last year welcomed 1,068 exhibitors and brands from 51 countries, where an astonishing 20,771 professional visitors made their way out to the 240,000 sq ft facility inside the Palais des Congres. It’s a must-attend event for anyone who wants to stay on top with the upcoming food trends.

For a full recap of my 2018 experience of SIAL Canada in Montreal, I’ve documented my experience in the blog post HERE.

This year I’ve been brought on as an official media sponsor for SIAL Canada and I cannot wait to show you all the new and innovative food products that will be coming out of it. One of my favourite aspects of this international food and beverage trade show is that it’s a “one-shop-stop.” It’s the only national trade show that offers a complete range of food products under one roof, whether it’s retail, catering, or food processing, you can find it all at SIAL Canada all under one roof. Even regional specialties from half way around the world you can find it here! SIAL Canada is not only key to the Canadian agrifood industry, but it’s also a priviledged entryway to the U.S. and international markets.

In fact, every year SIAL Canada honours one specific country during the trade show that has had and still has a large impact towards the Canadian food industry. This country will be featured heavily throughout the three days. Last year the country of honour was Spain. This year SIAL Canada names Italy as 2019’s Country of Honour. If you love Italian food like I do, this is the one year you do not want to miss!

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There will also be two brand new sectors making its inauguration in Toronto: Beverages and Food Start Ups. As SIAL Canada understands the current market trends, it created a new space dedicated to beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and food start-ups where fifteen young dynamic companies will illustrate this new branch of the industry: Food Tech. Last but not least there will also be a brand new international cheese competition that aims to highlight the innovation, know-how, and passion of cheese-makers at an international level. You literally can get full at SIAL Canada just by going booth to booth trying all the cheese samples. Trust me, I’ve been there!

With all these new and exciting additions to this year’s show, my favourite part of SIAL Canada has to still be the SIAL Innovation Awards! It’s a unique international contest that rewards the best innovations in food and non-food related products such as packaging and containers. The contest is open to all SIAL Canada exhibitors where the contestants are judged on the four following criteria: packaging, manufacturing process, merchandising, and recipe.

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The unveiling of the SIAL Innovation 2019 finalists happened just this past week in Toronto at Second Floor Events. Dana McCauley, SIAL Canada 2019 Innovation Ambassador was on hand to kick things off to a room full of industry professionals. She re-iterates that one of the most important things the jury must do each year is to take time to think beyond their personal feelings about the products submitted for evaluation, and must assess whether the products have a clear and solid value proposition for their intended target market. Once all that is considered, the top 10 most innovative products are chosen and the official awards for the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners will be handed out during the very first day of the show! Lots and lots of money will be at stake! $20,000 to be exact!

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Take a look below at the top 10 SIAL Innovation 2019 Finalists!

Vegan Tofu Dips - A&M Gourmet Foods Inc.

Booth #1221

Booth #1221

Seaweed Fed Lamb - Les Bergeries Du Margot

Booth #937

Booth #937

Instant Miso Soup - Abokichi Inc.

Booth #133

Booth #133

Partake Pale Ale - Craft Non-Alcoholic Beer - Partake Brewing

Booth #133

Booth #133

Todd’s Protein Crisps - Evova Foods Inc.

Booth #149

Booth #149

Vegan Keto Buns - Unbun Keto Foods.

Booth #1311

Booth #1311

Ice - Lofbergs Canada Inc.

Booth #905

Booth #905

Yellofruit

Booth #2145

Booth #2145

Naturalbliss Infusions

Booth #133

Booth #133

Raw Cookie Dough - Yummy Doh

Booth #949

Booth #949

Personally I cannot wait to check out all of these innovative products at this year’s show! If you’re unable to make it down in person to this year’s SIAL Canada, make sure you stay tuned right here as I will be writing a follow up blog post in the next few weeks to document everything that happened inside the Enercare Centre including which product will get crowned the winner at this year’s SIAL Innovation Awards! However if you’re able to come down in person (which I highly, highly recommend!), make sure you attend the most anticipated event of the show on April 30th at 10:30AM happening at Booth #625!

If you still have not registered for your visitor’s badge at this year’s SIAL Canada, make sure you do so HERE. What are you waiting for? I’ll see you all there!

Plant-Based Dinner and Converstations with Aeroplan

The past few months have been a whirlwind. I’ve been traveling a lot lately and from this constant travel naturally for me comes a lot of food. I travel to eat and eat to travel. No doubt about it! Do I eat healthy when I’m traveling abroad though? Not always. When I’m on the move it’s just so easy to pick up a quick snack and go. Junk food? Admittedly so. Lately it’s also been a lot of seafood and meat in my diet, so I’ve actually been craving some hearty and healthy vegetables after coming home from my trips in Prince Edward Island, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Florida. Those cravings luckily were satisfied ten fold.

Aeroplan hosted a plant-based dinner and conversation for some of their Aeroplan Diamond members at Evergreen Brick Works with two world-renowned plant-based chefs David Lee and Chad Sarno. Chef David Lee is the Executive Chef and co-owner of Toronto’s incredibly successful vegan restaurant Planta. He also holds fine-dining experience from all around the globe with an immense respect for sourcing quality ingredients, and is seen as a leader in plant-based cuisine space. On the other hand, Chef Chad Sarno from Texas is not only a creative genius in the kitchen with plant-based cuisine, but he’s also an educator, cookbook authour, and entrepreneur as co-founder of “Good Catch Foods,” a 100% plant-based seafood line launching December 2018. You know if you had these two culinary giants at the helm of one’s dinner you were in for a real treat. You could sense both of their passions for plant-based dining every time they told their stories and described their meatless dishes.

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Aeroplan has been partnering with some of Canada’s top culinary events, and if you would like to explore some other culinary events Aeroplan has been a part of this year, make sure you check out my previous blog posts.

It was truly a magical evening where the night’s dinner explored the idea of sustainable agriculture and the hottest trend in the food world right now: plant-based dining. Aeroplan created an evening aimed to inspire a new appreciation for the importance of local agriculture, healthy eating, and an understanding of just how well anyone can eat without any meat. The night started off with an open bar and plant-based horderves being served to guests mingling outside the dining area. After everyone got their bubbly and a sampling of what was to come, the main event would begin and guests started entering the main dining hall to get settled for the four-course plant-based meal. And oh yes, there was even wine pairings with each course!

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The four dishes were split between the two chefs to prepare where Chef David Lee prepared the first and fourth course, and Chef Chad Sarno prepared the second and third course. The second course for me personally from Chef Chad Sarno was my favourite of the night. I honestly have never ever tasted a dumpling as good as the one he made. It wasn’t the filling that caught my taste buds by surprise, but the dough. When asked how me made it, he simply said it was just flour and water. The good thing is his dumpling recipe is included in his cookbook, so it’s safe to say which recipe I will be hunting down next!

Take a look below and see some of the moments we savoured from that night’s meal. A meatless dinner that for sure was inspiring as it was delicious.

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FIRST

Cookstown Greens Hubbard Squash, White Kimchi, Pears, Pumpkin Pesto & Chicharron

Cookstown Greens Hubbard Squash, White Kimchi, Pears, Pumpkin Pesto & Chicharron

SECOND

Corn Dumplings, Coconut Corn Broth, Chiles & Herbs

Corn Dumplings, Coconut Corn Broth, Chiles & Herbs

THIRD

Charred Hoisin Maitake, Sesame Rice Cake, Pickled Cauliflower, Brussel Leaves & Mint

Charred Hoisin Maitake, Sesame Rice Cake, Pickled Cauliflower, Brussel Leaves & Mint

FOURTH

Niagara Peninsula Apple Pie, Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream, Candied Corn Nuts & Quebec Maple Syrup

Niagara Peninsula Apple Pie, Coconut Vanilla Ice Cream, Candied Corn Nuts & Quebec Maple Syrup

I’m very much looking forward to the upcoming winter months in Toronto when Aeroplan becomes the premier sponsor for Winterlicious. Bring on the snow!