Since moving to Edmonton from Brunei in 1990, Hong Chew has seen a lot of Edmonton’s culinary world. He’s spent decades working in the industry, he’s a graduate of what was then called the Commercial Cooking program, and now he’s the head of NAIT’s Culinary Arts and Professional Food Studies program. All this to say, he’s good at finding the best things to eat.
“Edmonton is such an underrated city,” Chew says, mentioning the many great chefs behind some of the city’s most beloved restaurants.
The Bountiful Farmers’ Market is one of his go-to shopping destinations — specifically, Pasta Delight, a vendor that serves up fresh pastas and sauces, which he says is a must-stop for pasta lovers.
“The pesto sauce is phenomenal,” Chew says. “I find the pestos very flavourful and versatile in their uses — the garlic comes through in a robust yet complimentary manner with whatever dish you are pairing it with.” The roasted pepper-basil and the artichoke-basil pestos are two of his favourites, which Chew says he uses for everything from dressing roasted potato and chicken dishes to making the base for vinaigrettes.
When the man in charge of training the next generation of chefs says it’s good, you know it’s worth a trip to the market.
If there’s anything to be gleaned from this series: we Edmontonians love food and we love being outdoors. When we’re not slurping noodles or lingering over brunch, we’re taking scenic strolls, stopping at dog parks and snapping pictures at river valley vistas. Delve into this year’s list of Edmontonians’ favourite things — with best-loved picks from a variety of noteworthy locals who span the arts, business, sports and non-profit realms — to help build your own summer bucket list. And if you can’t make it beyond your backyard, you can at least follow this foolproof formula and enjoy something tasty in the sunshine.
