CHEF DARREN MACLEAN WELCOMES ANDREW WONG AS PART OF HIS INTERNATIONAL CHEF EXCHANGE IN CELEBRATION OF CANADA’S RICH GASTRONOMY
CHEF DARREN MACLEAN WELCOMES ANDREW WONG AS PART OF HIS INTERNATIONAL CHEF EXCHANGE IN CELEBRATION OF CANADA’S RICH GASTRONOMY
Canada’s 50 best restauranteur and TV personality, Chef Darren Maclean, hosts UK’s Michelin-Starred Chef Andrew Wong in Calgary, Canada
Critically acclaimed Chef, Darren MacLean, and founder of three of Canada’s Top 100 Best Restaurants – Shokunin, EIGHT and NUPO – is gearing up to welcome London’s leading culinary talent Andrew Wong to collaborate in his International Chef Exchange, hosted in Calgary, Canada. The exchange seeks to actively promote Alberta’s and Canada’s culinary background and cross-cultural character around the globe, while learning about other country’s cooking styles and practices.
Another British chef to cross the pond and join Chef MacLean in his kitchen, Andrew Wong is the proprietor of two Michelin-starred A. Wong in London. A. Wong is the home to award-winning cuisine. One of London’s most exciting chefs, Wong’s years of meticulous research has created a cuisine that celebrates the diversity of China’s vast food culture held within its 14 national borders.
A true craftsman, his dishes are contemporary and artistic interpretations of traditional dishes and ancient recipes, paying homage to authentic tastes and flavours and the dedicated skill and applied techniques developed throughout Chinese culinary history.
During his visit, Wong will participate in local foraging and fishing, heading to secluded streams by helicopter, to collect the country’s finest and freshest seasonal ingredients. Together, MacLean and his special guest will create a varied and innovative, cross-collaborative menu, bringing together their diverse experience and finesse to MacLean’s restaurants. Their menu will be served for two ticketed dinners, firstly at Shokunin, MacLean’s first and flagship yakatori restaurant, and then as a finale to the trip at EIGHT, MacLean’s renowned eight seater restaurant, offering innovative dishes using ingredients, techniques and flavours that make up the cultural mosaic of Canada..
The combination of two critically acclaimed chefs aims to build on the rich diversity of food, and concludes the programme, celebrating top international talent and the combining of their culinary experience, an opportunity like no other.
Chef Darren MacLean comments on the International Chef Exchange: “It’s the best way for us to learn more about ourselves, whilst learning from each other. Food is ordinarily the first interaction we have when exploring new cultures. The exchange is not only a discussion on what Canada has to offer, but rather fostering a catalyst of creativity and collaboration.”
The Exchange is in its second year running, having hosted a plethora of talent in previous years including Mark Best, Amanda Cohen and Timothy Hollingsworth. This year’s programme is supported and sponsored by Alt Hotels which will provide accommodation for each chef during their stay; Calgary-based global airline partner, WestJet, and global technology company, Square. The Chef Exchange is also developed in partnership with Food Tourism Strategies.
Chef Darren MacLean is one of Canada’s most acclaimed and outspoken chefs, restaurateurs, and environmental advocates. Seeking to showcase Canada’s culinary scene to international audiences, MacLean was Canada’s sole contender and a finalist on Netflix’s global cooking competition The Final Table. He is also the first-ever Canadian chef invited aboard to consult and collaborate with Princess Cruises. MacLean created the International Chef Exchange programme through a desire to showcase Canada’s rich mosaic of culture and culinary, whilst collaborating and taking inspiration from top chef talent from across the world.