Above, volunteer chefs in the tiny kitchen at Oz Kafé last night while resident chef Jamie Stunt is off to Kelowna, competing in the Canadian Culinary Championships.
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Ottawa’s cheffing community rallies to support
Oz chef Jamie Stunt in national culinary championship
this weekend in Kelowna, B.C.
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FEB 07 13 – 10:40 AM — They arrived with trays of braised beef cheeks, cauliflower flan, sous vide lamb, deep-fried chicken tails and coconut butter tarts on Wednesday — the first “chef’s takeover” night in the tiny Oz Kafé kitchen on Elgin Street, where Ottawa’s close-knit cheffing community is rallying this week to support one of their own competing in far-away British Columbia in the grand-daddy of cooking contests, the finale Canadian Culinary Championships for Gold Medal Plates.
On four nights ending Saturday, some two dozen volunteer chefs working in shifts of six or so each night are preparing everything from appetizers to mains and desserts to keep the small café open while resident chef, Jamie Stunt, winner of last fall’s Gold Medal Plates regional competition in Ottawa, is off to Kelowna to compete against nine other finalists from across Canada in the prestigious, potentially life-changing event.
Above left, chef Chris Lord of Union Local 613; right, Oz Kafé sommelier Alex Scott.
“The fact that chefs in Ottawa are keeping us open is appreciated more than chef Jamie and owner Oz Balpinar can say,” says Alex Scott, café sommelier, who remains behind to mind the business while others run the kitchen.
Joining Stunt and Balpinar in Kelowna for the championship, which raises funds for Canadian Olympic and Paralympic atheletes, is Oz Kafé sous chef Simon Bell and cook Michael Bednarz. The grand champion will be announced late Saturday, after two days of tough challenges.
Top, opening salad by chef Jonathan Korecki of Sidedoor, with marinated flank, kohlrabi, barbecue albacore tuna, dried scallops, crispy shallots, sweet lime vinaigrette. Bottom from chef Chris Lord, Union Local 613, jalapeño and garlic-marinated chicken tails on sliced raw scallops with finger lime, buttermilk sauce, cilantro shoots.
Without help from volunteers back home to keep the lights on and the cash register ringing, contestants and their employers stand to lose upwards of $10,000 to cover costs, including travel and hotels, to join in the national cooking contest. And that’s not chump change, especially for a small restaurant with about 50 seats where Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday are their busiest days.
Small wonder each “takeover” day this week is sold out — actually, as of late Wednesday there were only four seats remaining for tonight — with fabulous food from some of the best chefs in the nation’s capital at the reasonable price of $80 plus tax and tip, with $20 from each ticket going to the Ottawa Food Bank.
Top, from chef Marc Doiron (town), breadcrumb-coated cauliflower sformato (similar to flan), parmesan, capers, mustard vinaigrette, smoked candied pecans, blue cheese fonduta, arugula; bottom from chef Jonathan Svazas (Fauna), sous vide oriental lamb shoulder, carrot tamarind purée, crispy kale chips, pearl onions, pomegranate, mint, curried gnocchi.
“I certainly appreciate their help as a staff person, because quite frankly I need to keep working too,” Scott says.
“It’s just so cool to see this come together. It’s phenomenal to see some 28 chefs make it happen for us. It’s absolutely amazing.”
Invading the kitchen on the first night, Wednesday, were chefs Marc Doiron, of town; Jason Duffy, Arc.the hotel; Jonathan Korecki, Sidedoor; Chris Lord, Union Local 613; Jon Svazas, of the soon-to-open Fauna; and Ross Fraser, Fraser Café. Also assisting were sous chefs Mike Ackison from Arc.the hotel, and Billy Khoo of Fauna.
The stellar lineup continues through Saturday with a different cast of volunteers, who even donated the food they served. Lord brought his portable deep-fryer to finsh his floured, marinated chicken tails (the fatty knob we often refer to as the “pope’s nose”).
Top from chef Jason Duffy of Arc.the hotel, beef cheek braised with Dr. Pepper, celery root, smoked cheddar, braised cipollini with pickled dehydrated shoestring celeriac. Bottom from chef Ross Fraser of Fraser Café, warm coconut butter tart with sour cream ice cream, shaved pear on raspberry coulis.
Kitchen takeover was born last year when Ottawa chefs, organized by chef Matt Carmichael, descended on Atelier restaurant on Rochester Street for three nights while chef/owner Marc Lepine was off competing at the same Canadian championship. Lepine said later that having a cheering section back home was most encouraging — even better, Lepine returned to Ottawa with the grand prize.
This year it was Lepine’s turn to organize volunteer chefs for his friend at Oz Kafé. (Lepine could not participate, as he’s also in Kelowna as last year’s winner to serve a reception for VIPs.)
Tight quarters in the Oz Kafé kitchen, L-R chefs Jason Duffy, Marc Doiron, Jonathan Korecki.
Chef Jonathan Korecki introduces his dish to guests at Oz Kafé.
“It’s all about being part of the community, helping chefs who need a hand,” says Korecki, a finalist on last year’s season of the TV show Top Chef Canada.
“It’s most awesome for Jamie to be out in Kelowna, knowing he’s got 25 chefs keeping the lights on at home. A little 40-seater needs to keep going while they’re away,” Korecki says.
“This way, they don’t have to worry about Oz Kafé while they’re gone,” says Svazas, who plans to open his own place, Fauna, at Bank and Frank streets.
While most chefs used their professional kitchens to prepare the food, Svazas spent three days at home getting ready.
“This is also a nice chance to get out as Fauna before we open sometime this spring.”
Left, chef Jonathan Korecki; right, chef Ross Fraser. Centre, signatures of participating chefs last night.
Left, chef Jason Duffy; right from left, chefs Marc Doiron, Chris Lord, Jon Svazas.
Adds Duffy: “This is also fun for us. On the way here we were saying you’d never see something like this happen in Toronto.”
Among appreciative guests is Stunt’s life-long friend, Jason Brault. “I’m here because I like good food,” he says. “And to see Jamie do as well as he is, well, that’s amazing.
“I’m so proud of that guy — he’s such an original chef. And I find Ottawa has a very tight-knit cheffing community.”
Centre, at the end of service chef Jon Svazas toasts a job well done.
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