A Saint Lucia Dinner with Top Chef Fan Favourite Chef Nina Compton

Winter is technically still one month away but I seriously don't remember the last time I felt this cold in November, nor do I remember ever being stuck in traffic for three hours from the city's first snowfall of the year (and that's snowfall not snowstorm). Methinks it's gonna be a long winter. Then again, at least I'm not in Buffalo.

Ah, what a perfect segue into the #SaintLuciaNow Dinner in the Moonlight. No, I wasn't in Saint Lucia last week (oh how I wish I was!) but I was invited by Saint Lucia Tourist Board (@saintlucianow) to attend a dinner last Monday at St. James Cathedral's Deanery hosted by Saint Lucia's Culinary Ambassador, chef Nina Compton. 

If you're not familiar with Saint Lucia, it is one of the Windward Islands of the West Indies, nestled halfway down the Eastern Caribbean archipelago. Saint Lucia is known for its natural beauty and diverse attractions, including the signature Piton Mountains, a tropical rainforest, and one of the world's few drive-in volcanoes. The island's culturally rich offerings include the bustling marketplace in the capital of Castries, quaint fishing villages along the coastline, and the annual Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival. I also want to add that it's currently 30 degrees there. Just take my money and get me a ticket to Saint Lucia STAT!

As for the food, Saint Lucia’s culinary profile is diverse from upscale dining to street food. Saint Lucia has some of the finest grade of cocoa in the world and sources fresh food from their land and sea offering - a true farm to table experience. And who is better to educate us about Saint Lucian cuisine than Saint Lucian chef Nina Compton?

Celebrity chef Nina Compton (@nina_compton) is the daughter of Sir John Compton, the late Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, and was the runner up and fan favourite on the most recent season of Bravo’s TV’s Top Chef. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, Compton began her professional journey at Daniel in New York City, working and learning alongside Daniel Boulud and Alex Lee. She has trained in French, Caribbean and Italian cuisine, and is a self-proclaimed "gnocchi queen". Compton recently left her post as Chef de Cuisine at Scott Conant's Scarpetta at the Fountainbleau Miami Beach to take some time off to travel. At the Saint Lucia dinner, Compton shared with guests a delightful meal inspired by her native Saint Lucia, but first things first, a drink is in order. Compton gave us a quick demonstration of her signature cocktail, the Cocoa Tea Martini. 

CHAIRMAN'S RESERVE COCOA TEA MARTINI

Kujira Japanese Cuisine

Promising Japanese fusion cuisine and, according to its website, where "Eastern flavours meet Western modern fusion", Kujira on 12 Cumberland Street opened its doors a little bit over two months ago in upscale Yorkville. Chef Kevin Hyunki, formerly of Nomé Izakaya, helms the kitchen in the new 56-seat restaurant. Kujira's detailed menu starts with soups and salads, followed by sushi and sashimi, and ends with cold and hot tapas from the sushi bar and kitchen, respectively. All in all, Hyunki's plates are pretty, innovative and unique. Keep in mind that Kujira (Twitter: @JapKujira, Facebook: Kujira Japanese Cuisine) is not an "izakaya" (i.e. a drinking establishment that serves small cheap plates of food to accompany drinks) but an eatery serving Japanese tapas, or shareable plates, that can be enjoyed with a group of friends. Needless to say, Sapporo and sake are always welcomed.

Tucked in a few steps below street level, floor-to-ceiling glass panels open the restaurant to its modest patio out front. Kujira is no doubt an excellent spot for people watching in the summer :)

The natural woods - from the floors, wall paneling, to the custom tables and chairs - give a warm and cozy feel to the restaurant.

Don't you love the detailing on this teapot?

The Winners of the 2014 Gourmet Food & Wine Expo Giveaway are...

@nicoleroannef

@dho86

@DonJames76

Congratulations Nicole, Diana and James! You've all just won a pair of tickets to this year's Gourmet Food & Wine Expo VIP Preview Night on Thursday, November 20th, from 6pm - 10pm! Please email me at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com :)

I also want to say a big THANK YOU to the 56 contestants who participated in the contest. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #gfwefjc hashtag from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want to win a pair of tickets worth $90 to the @GFWE VIP Preview Night! http://bit.ly/1196MbV #GFWE #gfwefjc". Each person could tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below is the list of the 117 valid entries:

.

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick the three winners for me.

Fall Menu Preview at Earls Kitchen + Bar

I was invited to Earls Kitchen + Bar's new fall menu tasting several weeks ago at their 150 King Street West location (@earlskingst). In case you are not aware, all of Earls' menus are designed by a group of talented, award-winning chefs called the "Chef Collective". Here's a quick introduction about this group of elites.

It all started this summer when Earls (Twitter: @earlsrestaurant, Facebook: Earls Restaurants), a Vancouver based, family owned restaurant group, opened a brand new Test Kitchen in Vancouver. Although the kitchen is not only open to the public, it asks for feedback as they test new dishes - it is the first chain restaurant in North America to let the public in on how they create unique new dishes and methods those dishes are created with. 

(Photo Credit: Earls)

Instead of working with a small team of in-house culinary development chefs with guest chefs and chef consultants contributing a menu item, or with a “celebrity chef” putting their name on the entire menu, Earls decided to hire some of those consulting chefs to work for the company, some full time, some part time, but to have all of them work together collaboratively. Their talents are vastly different, yet equal, as are their positions in the kitchen. They noticed dishes that started with a brilliant idea from one chef could be elevated even further by another, or the reverse, a complicated fine dining recipe one chef brought to the table could be simplified and reworked to make a great Earls dish. Chefs working together brought new ideas, new cooking techniques, new ingredients and new inspiration into Earls Test Kitchen, so instead of a group of chefs working individually, it was a group of chefs working collectively. 

Meet the Earls Chef Collective

A series of Earls Chef Collective videos.

These awesome chefs flew in to Toronto to join us for the menu tasting and I had such a great time chatting with chef Dawn and chef Hamid during dinner! Anyway, enough about the chefs, right? Here's a look at what I got to taste that evening:

CRAB & LOBSTER ROLL

Lobster & prawn salad, capers, parsley, lemon, aioli, grilled brioche

BBQ PORK BUNS

Hoisin hot sauce, cilantro, roasted peanuts

Omakase at Yasu Sushi Bar

Opened merely just six months ago on 81 Harbord St. at Spadina, Yasu has already received a slew of positive write-ups and reviews from food bloggers and food critics in the city. So what makes this place so special? For $80 per person excluding taxes and gratuities, Yasu serves each guest 18 pieces of nigiri and a dessert. And no, you don't get to choose what sushi you want in this tiny 12-seat restaurant, it's omakase, which means you simply sit down and give full control to the chef - he is the one deciding what you'll eat. 

There are two seating times available at Yasu (Twitter: @yasutoronto, Facebook: Yasu) every evening at 6:00PM and 8:30PM (they don't accommodate for walk-ins). Don't be overly diligent and arrive early because they will literally lock the door and force you to wait outside until it's 6:00 PM / 8:30PM on the dot (I really hope they'll do something about this "policy" come winter time). Lastly, a credit card is needed to when you make your reservation. Any cancellations, no shows or reduction in the number of parties made less than 24 hours will be charged the full price of the dinner plus HST unless they are able to fill your seats. 

There are 10 seats at the bar and a two-top by the window.

Taped on the wall behind the chef is a list of fish and where they are from. It's safe to say that most, if not all, of the fish you'll be having that evening will be on that list.

Two chefs work behind the counter and they hardly talk to one another (or to guests for that matter) and if they do talk, they talk in very hushed tones. Generally speaking, the atmosphere at Yasu is very quiet, subdued and borderline sterile...similar to an art gallery.

2014 Gourmet Food & Wine Expo Giveaway - CLOSED

I'm giving away THREE PAIRS of tickets to this year's Gourmet Food & Wine Expo VIP Preview Night on Thursday, November 20th, from 6pm - 10pm! Each pair of tickets is valued at $90.

The 20th annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (North Building), will take you on a food and beverage journey around the globe. Sip and savour your way through international gourmet cuisine, exotic delicacies, incredible wines, cutting-edge cocktails, stunning craft beers and much more.

VIP Preview Night admission on Thursday, November 20th, offers a sneak preview amongst the city's most elite guests. It is the first night of the Expo and the first chance that attendees get to try the samples and see all the exhibitors.

HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu I want to win a pair of tickets worth $90 to the @GFWE VIP Preview Night! http://bit.ly/1196MbV #GFWE #gfwefjc

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #gfwefjc hashtag. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream it means there is no entry from you. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Sunday, November 9 and ends on Sunday, November 16 at 12PM. 

Three lucky winners will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winners on Sunday, November 16. 

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

The Winner of the HALFPOPS Giveaway is...

@loribaz

Congratulations Lori! You have just won a jam-packed box full of 2oz & .75oz bags of Butter & Pure Ocean Sea Salt and Aged White Cheddar flavoured HALFPOPS! Please email me at foodjunkiechronicles@gmail.com with your first and last name and your mailing address :)

I also want to say a big THANKS to the 85 contestants who participated in the contest. 

Here's a snapshot of the Excel spreadsheet where I tracked the #fjchalfpops hashtag from day one of the contest. The tracking was done using chronological order, as in, #1 was the first person to enter the contest. To enter, the person had to tweet "Hey @foodieyu I want to win a jam-packed box of partially popped & fully delicious @HALFPOPS! http://bit.ly/1t3KJ0T #fjchalfpops". Each person could tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Once the contest was over and everybody's entries were accounted for I checked to see if they follow me (@foodieyu) on Twitter. Below is the list of the 158 valid entries:

.

I used "True Random Number Generator" from random.org to pick the a winner for me.

HALFPOPS Giveaway - CLOSED

I'm giving away a jam-packed box full of 2oz & .75oz bags of Butter & Pure Ocean Sea Salt and Aged White Cheddar flavoured HALFPOPS!

HALFPOPS (Twitter: @HALFPOPS, Facebook: Halfpops) are partially popped popcorn. Instead of the light and airy fluff you get from traditional popcorn, these compact little popcorn balls packs much more flavour and crunch. They are great for snacking or as a delicious crunchy addition to ice cream, soups and salads. I tried HALFPOPS for the first time yesterday and no joke, after my first bag I had to stop myself from opening another; these half-popped little orbs of kernels are very flavourful and highly addictive.

HALFPOPS are gluten-free, nut-free, non-GMO, and have no preservatives, no corn syrup, no artificial flavours, and no hydrogenated oils. They were featured in Food & Wine, The New York Times, Bon Appétite and Backpacker Magazine.

HALFPOPS are now available at Costco where they are sold in 18 packs of convenient 1.8oz individual bags. Or you can win a box full of HALFPOPS for FREE by entering my contest ;)

HOW TO ENTER

1) You MUST be following me (@foodieyu) on Twitter

AND

2) Tweet the following sentence, exactly as shown, nothing before or after it: 

Hey @foodieyu I want to win a jam-packed box of partially popped & fully delicious @HALFPOPS! http://bit.ly/1t3KJ0T #fjchalfpops

1. For your entry to be valid, you need to tweet the above sentence exactly as shown

2. You may tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Re-tweeting others do NOT count as a valid entry

3. Contest is tracked by the #fjchalfpops hashtag. If you don't see your tweet in the hashtag stream it means there is no entry from you. Read this to find out the possible reasons why your tweets are not showing up
4. Contest is valid in Canada only.

CONTEST DURATION

Contest starts on Tuesday, October 21 and ends on Tuesday, October 28 at 12PM. 

One lucky winner will be chosen randomly from www.random.org and I will announce the winner on Tuesday, October 28. 

GOOD LUCK!!! ^_^

The Whole Shebang + More at Patois

When "Caribbean meets Asian Soul Food" you get Toronto's newest Asian-Caribbean restaurant, Patois. Chef and owner Craig Wong's repertoire of casual dishes not only pays tribute to his Chinese-Jamaican heritage but also includes delightful mash-ups of different Asian flavours inspired by Korean, Japanese and Thai cuisine. Opened three months ago in July, Patois is one of the hottest restaurants in the city right now, and rightfully so.

Me and three friends visited Patois (Twitter: @patoistoronto, Facebook: Patois) last Thursday night. The place was packed at 6:30pm - thank goodness we made reservations.

Off-the-menu cocktail features, specials and desserts can be found on the message board hung one end of the bar.

My photos of the dining room didn't turn out so I didn't include them here (I'm sure you can find them online.) However, the photo of these kids' inflatable flotation devices hung on the ceiling turned out quite well.

The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro - Cooking With Beer

As if 50 gourmet burgers weren't enough, The WORKS has introduced three new limited time only burgers. From October 20 through January 4, 2015, the gourmet burger bistro will be featuring "Cooking With Beer" burgers. Think root-beer BBQ glazed pulled pork, beer barbecue sauce, and beer-battered beef patty. 

I was invited to The The WORKS' 
(Twitter: @WORKSBURGER, Facebook: The WORKS Gourmet Burger Bistro) for lunch last week for a sneak preview of their "Cooking with Beer" burgers. The WORKS opened its first restaurant in 2001 in Ottawa and has now expanded across Ontario and Newfoundland. It has won numerous awards including Ottawa's best Burger for the past 13 years in a row, Kingston's / London's / Milton's Best Burger, and MacLean's Best Small & Medium Employers in Canada. The WORKS now has 25 locations across Ontario.

The WORKS is a full-service gourmet burger restaurant offering over 50 hand-prepared gourmet burgers, hand-cut fries, milkshakes and beer, which are all 100 per cent Canadian. Guests can choose from seven different patty options (beef, elk, chicken, turkey, veggie, cheese stuffed beef and mushroom cap) as well as gluten-free and vegetarian combinations. 

It was an ideal day for the rooftop patio. We didn't even need to turn on the heat lamps.