Calgary Stampede is highlighting the bold flavours and ingredients found in the province through debut food competitions and events.
Taste of Stampede will be a new series of events featuring live cooking demonstrations, competitions, cook-offs in the BMO Centre during the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Food is a major part of the Stampede experience, said entertainment and festival experience manager Neil Christopher.
“What we’ve done is really to lean into the amazing culinary arts within Calgary and Alberta, and create some interesting and fascinating links between what we as consumers use and cook every day at home, and our agriculture and agri-food activities we support here at the Calgary,” Christopher said.
Each day they will incorporate a new ingredient which can range from anything from beef, grain, and even bison.
Alberta’s top chefs will be competing in the new Culinary Cup, where talent will compete for a $10,000 championship title over the 10 days of Stampede.
Community challenges are also planned that will pit local groups against one another in tests of culinary skills.
Two ticketed events are planned that will highlight Calgary’s unique flavour profiles, Neil said
On July 7, Canadian pastry chef Anna Olson will host a pastries-to-champagne experience.
On July 9, Calgary Mixologist Thom Hill will host a molecular mixology class on “midway mixology flavour,” and how they can be incorporated into bars.
Meanwhile, the top four finalists from the Youth Agri-Food culinary challenge will also making a return on July 8 to compete in a head-to-head battle at the event.
Fourty Calgary high school students dished out their skills in the kitchen for the inaugural challenge on Sunday, part of the Calgary Stampede’s new opportunities to connect youth with agriculture, food production, and western heritage through hands-on learning opportunities.
The two-day event was hosted by the Calgary Stampede in partnership with SAIT’s School of Hospitality and Tourism.
Students from Grades 10 to 12 participated in the competition, which builds culinary skills while learning about Alberta’s agri-food system through team-based challenges and experimental learning methods.
The program focuses on sustainability, creativity, and local food culture, and offers participants the chance to learn from industry professionals.
Students also compete for $20,000 in cash and prizes, and engage in mentorship opportunities with provincial food systems and suppliers.
All these events help everyone learn more about what they eat before they even dig in, Neil said.
“Having Taste of Stampede as a venue not only encourages home cooks to think differently about how they can use ingredients, but also a celebration of the full-range culinary ecosystem within Calgary,” Neil said. “We’ve got (both) established and up-and-coming innovative chefs, but we want to inspire youth of Calgary and Alberta to explore what food and culinary arts can do for them.”
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