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BEST OF THE WEST Steve Squier crowned Top Chef Saskatchewan
CHEF STEVE SQUIER of Picaro Restaurant in Saskatoon took home the title of Top Chef Saskatchewan after the final Chef’s Series competition at A Taste of Saskatchewan earlier this summer. The final chef-to-chef showdown took place at noon on Sunday, July 16 after a week of tough competitions on the Farm & Food Care Chef's Series Stage, now in its third year at the food and music festival in Saskatoon. Fourteen chefs competed in daily “Chopped”style match-ups throughout the week leading up to the Top Chef final, in which Darren Craddock, Executive Chef at the Delta Bessborough, took on Steve Squier. The final competition consisted of three rounds: appetizer, entrée and dessert. For the appetizer portion, the two chefs had to randomly select numbers that corresponded with Taste of Saskatchewan vendors and purchase a dish from each—then repurpose those ingredients into a new appetizer. For the entrée stage of the competition, each competitor had access to a pantry of Saskatchewan-grown ingredients and had 45 minutes to create six delicious plates. Finally, the chefs were presented with a mini-black box from which to create a dessert. A panel of judges adjudicated the final dishes based on taste, use of ingredients, plating design and originality. “That was one of the hardest competitions I’ve ever done,” Squier said after completing the three-part challenge—all during one of the hottest days we’ve seen this summer. Squier’s winning entrée included green lentil fried Saskatchewan turkey with white country gravy and Saskatoon berry hot sauce, accompanied by a fennel and strawberry salad, quick biscuit and charred pepper relish. The Chef's Series is presented by SaskTel Centre and Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan. “This was a record-breaking year for us,” said John Howden, Director of Business Development for SaskTel Centre, which promotes and organizes A Taste of Saskatchewan each year. “More people than ever came out to enjoy the Chef’s Series this year, and it’s clear
why: there was something exciting happening every day.” “This was a fantastic event,” said Clinton Monchuk, Executive Director of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, a group that represents thousands of farm families and food businesses
in the province. “This festival celebrates both our great food as well as the amazing talents of our local chefs. It’s great to make that connection between food and farming and I hope people went home with a better understanding of the many creative ways to enjoy our food.” www.restobiz.ca | Fall 2017 43