The Regina Farmers’ Market was buzzing with excitement this past Saturday as the Chefs’ Challenge, presented by Regina Downtown Business Improvement District and the Regina Farmers’ Market, was back.
Hosted by Josh Miller, the Bearded Prairie Chef and top 3 finalist on MasterChef Canada Season 6, three local chefs were challenged with cooking a mystery box to win over the hearts, minds and stomachs of our celebrity judges and take home the coveted golden spatula!
Our chefs for this year’s challenge were:
- Rob Reinhardt, Prairie Spice and Smoke BBQ
- Roberto Flores, El Tropezon
- Aaron Ens, The Fat Badger
Each box contained a mystery protein and produce sourced at the Regina Farmers’ Market and curated by Chef Destiny Slobodian, owner and chef of The Bone and Broth Kitchen.
The Bone & Broth Kitchen is the latest addition to Regina’s downtown food scene. Opening soon, this locally-owned artisan grocer and custom catering company’s business design is focused on bringing people together through creative, innovative and approachable food. With easy grab-and-go meals, everyday kitchen essentials, pastry baked in-house, and a private chef’s table, this cozy shop is sure to have something for everyone.
Chef Destiny commented that she thought last year’s mystery box was too easy. She sure had the chefs stumped when presented with ingredients like kombucha, pumpkin spice butter, and an entire cherry pie.
Here is the full list of the ingredients picked by Destiny:
- Wild Boar (Golden Prairie Wild Boar)
- Cherry pie (Over the Hill Orchard)
- Heliotrope cauliflower
- Micro greens
- Kombucha (Crave)
- Pumpkin Spiced compound Butter
- Sweet Potatoes
- Chili Gastrique (The Bone & Broth)
- Tomatoes
- Fresh Garlic or Leeks
Chefs had an hour to cook their dishes and they worked hard to use all the ingredients in the mystery box, as they were judged on presentation, execution, and taste.
Our judges this year were:
- Destiny Slobodian, Owner/Chef of The Bone and Broth Kitchen
- Holly Laird, Executive Director of the Regina Farmers’ Market
- Ling Dele Cruze, Local food blogger for Ling eats.com
A crowd formed on the Pat Fiacco Plaza as many stopped to watch the competition, including RFM vendor Robert Barton from Golden Prairie Wild Boar, who supplied the chef’s mystery protein.
Each chef produced a fantastic meal for the judges. Chef Rob showed off his BBQ skills, Chef Aaron had a sauce that the judges could not stop raving about, and Chef Roberto’s lips were sealed about the garnish he used on his dish.
The competition was close this year and winning by a single point, Chef Rob Reinhardt took home the golden spatula!
Thank you to everyone who came out, and if you’re craving local foods, you’re in luck! Taste of Downtown is happening now (until September 25th). Enjoy meals from different downtown restaurants, including Chef Aaron’s special menu at The Fat Badger. For a list of restaurants and their menu items, check out RDBID’s website and social media.
