Chefs take on Captain Ed in chowder challenge
Maple Creek, SK February 18, 2011 — It may come down to that special secret ingredient on Feb. 19 during the Seafood Chowder Throw down fundraiser at the Salvation Army.
“Well there will be some secret ingredients added to our chowder as well as Captain Ed’s,” said Star Cafe & Grill chef Noy Lim. “But we work in a kitchen everyday that’s why we have an edge!”
Neither teams of Chef Lim and Michael McKnight or Captain Ed Dean will speak on what will be going into their chowder at the cooking challenge event. The throw down, which will take place at noon at the Salvation Army Hall on Feb. 19, was conceived during a chat between Captain Ed and Chef Noy.
The Salvation Army Captain is known to be an avid cook, and was unable to attend the restaurant’s chef camp. The throw down concept was a fun challenge for Dean, who enjoys cooking. “I have made chowder for the cultural mosaic and there are quite a few that have tasted my chowder and have wanted it ever since,” said Dean.
On Saturday, for $10 residents will be able to sample each team’s chowder and specialty biscuits before voting on the winner. “Well I can’t reveal any of the secrets, as a matter of fact I can’t even take the other cook with me,” said Dean. “Because I don’t want them to know what I’m putting in mine.” Interest grew on Feb. 7 as volunteers began putting up posters, and residents began buying tickets.
A native of Nova Scotia, Dean said, “A seafood throw down is something fun for me. I do enjoy seafood and chowder. I do miss the East Coast, and so it will be fun to bring the culture back.”
The Salvation Army has been selling tickets and received inquires about Dean’s chowder from former maritimers in the community. According to Dean, organizers for the fundraiser would like to see 100 tickets sold. “Just come out, have a good time, try some chowder, something different,” he said. The event will also feature live music. Homemade biscuits will accompany each team’s chowder.
According to Lim, the Star’s team will be presenting a different take on angel buttermilk biscuits, and the Salvation Army will be making Alaskan biscuits. Ultimately Lim says it will be the people who taste the food that get to judge and determine which one is better.
The event, which is the first of its kind in Maple Creek, is aimed at fundraising for the Salvation Army Church.
Throughout the year, the Salvation Army runs several campaigns to support the community. Recently, the church accepted a gift of 40 lbs of food from a local youth. The youth, who wished to remain anonymous, asked her friends on the occasion of her birthday to bring gifts of non-perishable food items, which her family donated to the Salvation Army. “The church actually pays the bills,” Dean said. “So sometimes once in a while it is kind of nice to put back into the church pot too.”
Story courtesy: Monique Massiah of the Maple Creek News-Times