No, it’s not an event with racing birds; it’s the ultimate “farm-to-fork” recipe competition for Ontario’s future chefs.
On Saturday, April 1st our friends at King Cole Ducks will play host to teams of students from some of Canada’s top culinary schools. They will be competing in a recipe competition that focuses on farming philosophies, practical kitchen skills and ultimately, the perfect duck dish using ingredients sourced along the way.
The Great Amazing Duck Race begins at the crack of dawn with teams collecting eggs and then running to the main farm to showcase their knife skills by prepping galantines, supremes, and confit. They will bus, then subway as fast as possible to Union Station where they will race to St. Lawrence Market to shop for the ingredients of the recipes before the last stop: a cook-off at George Brown College.
Teams will be judged on creativity, practicality, kitchen skills, appearance, and flavour by a panel of judges that includes Duff Lampard, Executive Chef Metro Toronto Convention Centre; Robert Mills, Executive Chef, Fairmont Royal York; Jesse Mutch, Executive Chef, Chantecler and Lucy Waverman, Editor, Food and Drink.
“Great farmers make great food,” said King Cole’s CEO and 3rd generation duck farmer, Debbi Conzelmann. “We are pleased to create a true, “farm-to-fork” event for the culinary students of Ontario. We want future chefs to understand what we do and why we do it, to appreciate the local products available to them, and the importance of what farmers bring to their tables.”
