At the long-awaited, third annual Chef Challenge that was hosted by UBC Community Development, the guests were welcomed by friendly staff and upbeat indie music. This Thursday evening was graced by clear skies and a blazing sun that patrons hid from beneath umbrella-clad picnic tables, which had complimentary playing cards to encourage good times that anyone could join in for. The picnic table pods scattered the grass of the amphitheatre between the teams of competitors and a variety of drinks — both alcoholic (like craft beer by Driftwood Brewery) and non-alcoholic alike. Featuring an appearance by UBC Farms, the event supported local and seasonal produce, and was advertised as a zero waste event with compostable wooden plates and cutlery.
AMS
Coffee bika ambon topped with crispy duck prosciutto and durian coconut pearl, paired with Fat Tug IPA
The presenter of the food handed it to me stiffly and without a smile, but gave me direction as how to best eat the dish. Their caffeinated desert — a crunchy pastry with a jelly-like sauce — was an interesting mix to the spicy beer. It was unconventional, but good and creative nonetheless. Each element of the dish worked with each other as though it couldn’t exist on its own.
BierCraft
Goat cheese panna cotta with a triple berry compote and lemon shatter, paired with Cry Me a River Gose.
When I approached their booth, I was immediately greeted by their full team of smiling faces. Each of the four members would assist you in getting your beer and food. They also gave helpful instructions as to how to eat their unique dish, alternating between the food and beer to fully incorporate the beer as an integral part of the dish. This team radiated synergy and unity — something the other teams lacked. The desert tasted strongly of cream cheese that was hinted with lemon and accented by berries. While their dish didn’t match the beer as much as the others, their teamwork is what impressed me the most.
Koerner’s
Garlic and soy braised pork shoulder on hollowed sweet potato with java rice and UBC Farm pickled vegetables, paired with White Bark Witbier.
Their presenter's dish lacked detail and those at the table seemed a bit uninformed when I asked them about what they were serving — a friendly disposition does not fully make up for a lack of enthusiasm. I was thrown off by the spiciness of the dish, but was content regardless. It probably best matched the beer, which was so heavily citrus flavoured that one would think it was a heavy cider.
Point Grill
Entangled Hopfenwiesse braised short rib slider with caramelized Walla Walla onions, Golden Ears jersey bleu aioli, house-made pickle on an Entangled Hopfenwiesse hand-made brioche bun, paired with Entangled Hopfenwiesse beer.
They were the only team who detailed where the food came from, staying true to the local food theme of the event. The bun was freshly baked and the vegetables were sourced from the UBC Farm. Thanks to the cole slaw, the dish was delightfully colourful. The heavy beer paired well with the hefty pork.
Sage Bistro
Frenched baby back rib with jalapeno cornbread fritter and grilled local peaches, paired with Farmhand Saison.
The chef was friendly and charismatic, cracking a joke as he handed the dish to me saying that it was a delicious combination of “All the things people can’t eat [because of allergies], but should eat.” The dish may have lacked creativity as it was an entrée, but sometimes the classics are what work best as it was amazingly tender. The strong lager beer paired well with the fried items of the dish. However, each item was very capable of standing on it’s own so the dish lacked unity.
In the end, Koerner’s won the People’s Choice Award with Sage as the runner up. Sage won the Judge’s Choice while the Point Grill was the runner up.