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Local chef a competitor in Saskatoon

Nov 2, 2010 | 6:10 PM

A local chef has returned to Prince Albert feeling satisfied after a near win at the Gold Medal Plates competition.

Kevin Dahlsjo, the owner and head chef with Sublime Catering and Two by Dahlsjo, was one of ten chefs from across Saskatchewan to compete in the event that raises money for Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

“I performed well, I was very happy with what I did,” he said.
Dahlsjo’s made a modern twist to one of his grandmother’s dishes.

“I did a twist on chicken bergliot. I did a maple-glazed pork belly, stuffed duck breast with a butternut squash puree, an apple, pear, jalapeno caramel, with a clover-honey pumpkin cream and crispy prosciutto,” he said.

Dahlsjo said he was told by the judges that he missed third place by only half of a point.

Most of his recipes incorporate local and seasonal foods, an idea that is catching on across the province.

“I enjoy it. The big thing when I started cooking was I really didn’t want to do the box shopping where everything comes out of the freezer and it’s nice that it’s starting to get recognized,” he said.

The event in Saskatoon had 520 guests in attendance and raised more than $350,000 for the Own the Podium fund.
Dahlsjo says the experience of preparing dishes for such a big crowd was a little intimidating.

“It wasn’t even in a kitchen. The outside chefs could use the house kitchen, but it was all a booth so we had to prepare every dish in front of everybody. We just had four eight-foot tables and we had to assemble right in front of everybody,” he said.

Dahlsjo said he is looking forward to future projects that showcase local foods.

Chef Dan Walker of Weczeria Food & Wine, in Saskatoon, took home the gold award at the Saskatoon 2010 Gold Medal Plates competition.

He will head to the Gold Medal Plates Finale in Kelowna, British Columbia on Feb. 18 and 19.

ahill@panow.com