What’s cookin’ at the Juno Awards?
Chefs draw on local finds to create fun and delicious dishes for the celebrity crowd to enjoy
The Juno Awards officially kick off Friday with a reception dinner that’s sure to be as delicious as it is star-studded. Presented by Music Canada, the event is set to showcase West Coast fare through the lens of two Parq Vancouver restaurants: Honey Salt and The Victor.
“We wanted to showcase some of our restaurants here at Parq Vancouver, and highlight some memorable dishes,” chef Kim Canteenwalla of Blau + Associates, explains of the evening’s planned eats. “For such a fun event we wanted to showcase the fun in our food.”
For attendees, that will translate into delectable dishes that highlight some of the freshest ingredients Western Canada has to offer.
“Most of the vegetables on our signature Honey Salt market table are Canadian, and come from Klippers Organics,” Canteenwalla says. “Klippers is a small, certified-organic farm located in Cawston. The inspiration for the whole dish was teaming up with them to showcase what the bounty of British Columbia can offer.”
The four-person team manning the market table at the relaxed reception (organizers opted for a less formal approach to the traditional seated dinner service so guests could mingle) will include charcoal beets and squash, pickled vegetables, cauliflower hummus, peppers, radishes, heirloom carrots, sweet potato chips, and “goddess” dip, according to Canteenwalla.
At the The Victor’s booth in the hotel’s grand ballroom diners will enjoy assorted sushi as well as one of the typical three “tiers” of meat the upscale eatery serves: Canadian Angus Reserve, USDA Prime, and Japanese Wagyu. As you likely guessed, the chosen meat is one that best celebrates “Canada’s Music Awards.”
“For our dish during the Junos, we will be serving the Canadian Angus,” Canteenwalla says. “We will also be serving sushi that features local and sustainable fish.”
The beef will be presented in the form of a classic Philadelphia cheesesteak — with an unexpected twist.
“We’ve incorporated a truffle component that people will be surprised and delighted with,” Canteenwalla says.
Reception guests will also be sipping beer from Toronto’s Steam Whistle Brewing and wine from Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estates.
How far in advance did the culinary team have to prep for the planned 1,200 diners?
“The Junos are in two weeks and we’re ready to go now,” Canteenwalla says with a laugh. “Our chefs
are very good — and very quick — at building menus based on the needs of the guests at events. Once the menu has been decided, it’s the preparation and execution planning that takes the time.”
Canteenwalla says that while planning for an event of this size can pose some problems, it also offers the opportunity for his staff and their guests to see a different side of local cuisine and cooking styles.
“Having the cooks and chefs be in the forefront of the guests, they get to see and appreciate a different side that they don’t always get to see,” he says. “And that’s what it’s all about.”
■ The 2018 Juno Awards, hosted by Michael Bublé, are March 25 at Rogers Arena.
Recipes
Victor Style Philadelphia Cheesesteak Rolls
Makes: 20
3 lb (1.4 kg) thin sliced roast beef (your choice of cut, we use a prime striploin)
2 sweet onions
8 oz (226 g) aged white cheddar cheese, grated
Black truffles (optional) Minced chives, as needed
20 mini hotdog buns, sides trimmed off for grilling (full size also OK)
Cook beef to desired doneness (recommended medium rare). Cut onions into thick slices, season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook onions on a grill, or caramelize them in a pan. Remove from pan and when cooled, give them a rough chop.
Once the beef is cooked and rested slice as thin as possible and cut the shaved beef into quarters — it will fit better into the buns if you cut it down. Butter and grill the buns on both sides. Place the warm beef into the buns. Put the grated cheese alongside the meat. Top with the onions. Pop the buns in the oven if the cheese is not quite melted enough. Microplane truffles over the top, and finish with sea salt and chives.
Cauliflower Hummus
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup (250 mL) cold water 2 oz (58 g) olive oil
2 oz (58 g) tahini
½ tsp (2.5 mL) ground cumin ¼ tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper ½ cup (125 mL) lemon juice Salt to taste
Blanch cauliflower florets in salted boiling water until tender (approx. 5-7 mins). Cool on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Put cauliflower and cold water in a blender, purée until very smooth. Transfer the purée into a bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, cayenne, salt. Blend well with a whisk or a hand mixer until smooth. Check seasoning and adjust with salt or more lemon juice.