Gold Medal Plates

Do you remember the 1987 Stanley Kubrick movie "Full Metal Jacket"?. It was a violent flick about the dehumanizing effects of the Vietnam War..every time I say Gold Medal Plates, I think of that movie..sounds kinda similar no? Perhaps in my own demented way, deep down, I've felt as thought the last few months, I have been preparing for a war.. running my own special "basic training"..putting myself through various recipe "battle scenario's", trying to strategize preparation techniques, taste, visual appeal, interest, the wow factor, wine affinity etc. etc. etc..Just like an army General would strategize about invading another country..Now in no way was any part of this experience "de-humanizing" or violent, although you could argue, that violent thoughts are certainly possible any time 10 competing chefs have to share such close proximity..(I'm kidding!!).., I did feel that I was an underdog, stacked against the "who's who" of the Toronto (and surrounding area) culinary scene. And consequently, that is where my own personal challenge lay. My fellow competitors, all being much younger, and better looking than me, having that distinct advantage that only youth and a "piss and vinegar" attitude could provide. (as opposed to my laid back Bohemian vibe), At the end of the day, most of the other culinary contributions could have been described quite accurately as being more "modern" in appeal. While my dish was certainly interesting, I didn't cross any gastronomic battle lines and it was certainly more rooted in the familiar than the approachable, even a bit safe and boring....

Gold Medal Plates is a cleverly named benefit/competition dinner held across Canada to raise money for Canadian athletes and Special Olympic athletes. It is a pretty swanky affair in its 10th year, and for a chef and sports lover, the cause couldn't be more worthy. Check out the website (http://www.goldmedalplates.com/).
The format is pretty unique...the first part of the evening is the most tense...10 competing chef's (ego's and all), serve their signature dish to 750 guests and 8 food judges...while the guests mingle and try all the food in about 90 minutes, the food judges receive our creations with a wine match. The second part of the evening is when the guests, having had their fill of food, move to the adjacent room for the entertainment...while that is going on the chefs wait around back stage catching up with old friends, making new friends, spreading gossip about each other and generally trash talking each other...(behind our backs of course- well at least that is what I did..lol..) It was at that point, sitting at a table with Sam Glass, Jason Bangerter, Ross Midgley and others that I came crashing down to earth..with several glasses of red wine well disposed of, I was overwhelmed with joy and happiness. Looking around at all the hard work and passion that went into such a highly pressurized and tense environment, I came to the realization of how lucky I am to be living a life full of great people, friends, colleagues, associates, students..at that point nothing in the world could have convinced me to get up out of that chair and leave that spot..I also came to understand when people (typically the losers) say "winning isn't everything" In my case, the opportunity, it turned out was the winning..some how fate recognized that my whole well being, mentally, professionally, physically was tied up to the very simple fact of being invited and actually attending..actually showing up and doing my best, and all of us doing our best..that was the only victory that really mattered in the end....
As the evening wore on, the winners are announced..Jonathan Gushue from Langdon Hall won gold, Rob Gentile from Buca won silver and Michael Steh from Reds Bistro won bronze. A more deserving and more talented group of chefs are surely not to be found. While I didn't really get a chance to see or taste the winning dishes, it was so much fun hearing the various opinions floating around the room...I wish Jonathan the best as he takes his enormous talents to Kelowna in February to compete nation-wide.You should go see the winning dishes and others (mine as well) at http://www.jameschatto.com

The best part of the day for me, the most fulfilling on a personal level, was that Ross Midgley chose to come along and give me a hand. I cant express enough how great it was to catch up with Ross, one of my favourite people and an extraordinarily gifted culinarian..Not only did we have a chance to catch up, but Ross filled me in on his new project, working with the famous Jamie Kennedy in opening up a new restaurant in the Falls. Ross, as Executive Chef will oversee the entire operation and what that means is that come February, when it opens, we will finally have a good restaurant to visit in Niagara Falls..so I wish him sincere luck and encourage all of you to go eat there next year...

As we were driving up to the battle in a rented Ford Van, I couldn't help recognize how comfortable I was in the company of a trusted friend. My mind wandered to the books I'd read as a young chef about the masters of French Cuisine, and how the very elite of them had formed bonds beyond the kitchen walls. Having each found souls that could understand the very intristic and delicately balanced professional lives we lead..these chefs became more that work mates, but trusted best friends..I felt honoured, humbled, inspired and apart from the physical exhaustion, a sense of boundless optimism that could only come from those soul gratifying moments..Those French chefs, sometimes not seeing each other for months, but yet always finding a way to help each other out, lend a hand, suggest an employee, any way to help the other make their difficult lives easier..People just don't find those connections unless they spill blood, spit and tears together, (sorry for the continued military parallel) but it really is just like going to or being in a war..(I know that for a fact cause, I watch Band of Brothers every November..my little way of thanking the Vet's)..living life with a feeling of benevolence and deep rooted contentment is the result of such connections...The cooking fraternity is like that..just when we feel we are about to be chopped down, we notice a few more sprouts have sprung and the roots go deep...and speaking of sprouts...

I could not have accomplished such an event as the Gold Medal Plates were it not for the support of my employer, Niagara College..while it has meant working 2 full time jobs, the opportunity to work with aspiring chefs has surprised me in its allure, challenge, and affinity I feel towards the work..I acknowledge that I have a long way to go but it is so interesting that I find myself inspired by the students interest in choosing such a difficult profession to make a living at. I look out at some of the younger ones and cant help think that perhaps they would be better suited to law or med school. It inspires me to know that they are, the very last of them, choosing to do something that makes them happy and not chasing the mighty dollar...At the GMP competition, a group of the most keen students volunteered to come and assist me and I humbly suggest, that I was blown away by the loyalty they showed me. At no time did I hear any of them complain about the long day, the lack of finding time to eat, or even attend a bathroom for that matter. An intrepid group to be sure..And hopefully, somewhere down the line, when they have achieved all the success they aspire to, they will look back on that day with fond memories and perhaps even find inspiration for themselves in reflecting on what a marvelous day it was. I hope they find the warmth of pride filling their hearts and the motivation to realize that there no "bad days", only days which are the building blocks to a long and successful career and life.