The international Iron Chef series is coming to Peterborough this Wednesday, October 2, and it’s firing up to be a great show of local food and talent. The competition will be taking place at the Wednesday Market in the Louis Street parking lot between Charlotte Street and King Street. The Market runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the competition starting at 10 a.m.
“For the past three seasons, we’ve had guest chefs,” said Jill Bishop, the Manager of the Wednesday Market.
“The guest chefs cook meals using seasonal ingredients on-hand from the Market, then give out samples to the public. This year we said, ‘We’re gonna up it!’”
Bishop explained that they wanted a similar interaction with the Market-goers but on a larger scale, so this year, they decided to introduce the Iron Chef Competition.
“The point of the guest chefs is to try something different,” Bishop added.
“Everything they use can be purchased from the Market, and often, chefs will show you new ways to incorporate in-season foods to your meals.”
The inventive chefs taking part in this year’s competition include Brad Watt from the RARE Grill House, Martin Vanden Anker from Holiday Inn, and Ursula Fugger from the Elmhirst Resort. All three are huge supporters of local food and claim they shop for themselves and their restaurants at the Market.”
There will also be guest chefs from previous years at the event, as well as a fourth, surprise guest.
“The Iron Chef Competition is an opportunity to showcase seasonal food, and to provide different ways of seeing food in general,” said Bishop.
She believes that the most challenging aspect for the chefs is to be able to think on their feet, as they will only have an hour and a half to complete their dish. On top of that, the chefs will have to work with a “bare-bones kitchen.”
“While there will be barbeques for the chefs to use, we’re in a parking lot with no electricity or running water,” Bishop reported.
“Since they’ve previously been guest chefs, though, they have an understanding of what they’re coming into.”
The Iron Chefs will be given a variety of foods straight from the Market with which they will make their one dish. They’ll also receive $5 to spend on one secret ingredient of their choice.
“It’s a cool way for the chefs to be creative,” Bishop commented.
The Wednesday Market, which is almost 20 years old now, guarantees that all food is local and comes directly from the producers.
“The farmers that you’re buying from are there, sometimes even with their kids,” said Bishop.
“They can tell you about their product with pride. We work to make sure that shoppers have the best experience, and despite the association that it costs more than food at the grocery store, the Market is [still] very affordable. You could get most of your shopping done here!”
What else is going on at the Wednesday Market right now? “We’re currently running a pilot, extending the season until October 30,” Bishop reported. This means that the Peterborough community still has 5 more weeks to get fresh, local produce from the convenience of the downtown core.
Bishop hopes that the Iron Chef Competition will become the first of an annual event for the Wednesday Market. “For people who haven’t been to the market before, it’s a good excuse to come down and check it out!”
The chefs are currently building anticipation and hype over Twitter. You can get more information and updates about the event by visiting the Wednesday Market on Twitter at @PtboWedMarket.
