After a well-reviewed event at the Victoria Golf Course in March, Edmonton’s Geoscapes Events is back for its second edition of the geodome outdoor dining experience, this time situated at the base of the Snow Valley Ski Club. Edmonton’s top chefs will be bringing the heat, but don’t worry — the domes are air-conditioned.
Running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 15 to August 29, the event features local chefs such as Eric Hanson, Lindsay Porter, Mai Nguyen, Troy Griffiths, Tony Le, Calvin Teufeld and Shane Chartrand. The chefs will have the chance to showcase their culinary creativity as they take over the menu each weekend and serve up a variety of custom dishes.
Gold Medal Plate-winning chef Eric Hanson will bringing new ideas to the table for his July 23 to 25 service. Coming off a five-year stint at Prairie Noodle Shop, Hanson has used his down time to revisit some of his favourite dishes with new approaches.
“I really took the time to put my craft into the product I was making,” says Hanson. “Some of these menu items are very different from what I would normally do at the noodle shop, but at the same time, you can see the influence that five years at Prairie Noodle Shop has had on me.”
Hanson will also use edible citronella blossoms, dill blossoms, cilantro and other herbs from his home garden for guests to sample starting July 23.
Chef Calvin Teufeld from Rub’d Smokehouse BBQ wants to use the Geoscapes experience to emphasize the sense of community and togetherness that comes with sharing a fantastic barbecue platter.
“I really want to take a family-style approach of eating together in the domes,” says Teufeld. His August 20-22 service will feature smoked oysters to start, followed by brisket, ribs, pulled pork and other smoked meats served on a butcher paper covered table. Teufeld wants his communal presentation approach to encourage guests to get their hands dirty with a traditional barbecue platter.
For those who want to take part in the Geoscapes experience without a reservation, The Botanist Garden cocktail bar will operate alongside the Geodomes, featuring a custom cocktail list created by Hanson that showcases Botanist Island Dry Gin and many other spirits.
“We wanted to ensure this was event was as accessible as possible,” says Kris Harvey, a Geoscapes Events partner and owner of The Chvrch of John. “We want people to be able to come and enjoy the space, services, food and drinks without a minimum spend.”
Tito’s Patio will also be on site Thursday to Sunday, serving up signature cocktails and smoked meats while the TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival provides musical entertainment for attendees.
There are 14 domes in total, and each dome can accommodate up to eight guests. More guest seating can be arranged by emailing [email protected], and vegetarian and gluten-free options are available upon request. Tickets are available for purchase on the Geoscapes website.
