If you were to take a Western classic and ask Nancy Meyers (the mastermind behind The Holiday and Something’s Gotta Give) to direct it, you would get The Old Red Barn experience.
“Our Farm to Flame dinners transport you back in time, to the basics,” says Matt Schur, who owns the 1950s barn with his wife Melissa. They started their business in 2017 but their premier culinary experience was born in 2022.
From June to September, on select Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, you can escape the city (or take a night off parenting duties in this adults-only space) for a few hours and enjoy an elevated multi-course meal.
Imagine stepping into a space filled with romantic rustic influences and the beautiful view of Whitemud Creek, the whole experience feels like being inside a storybook.
The Schurs’ YesChef membership paid off. It was within the online platform’s cooking classes that Matt came across Argentinian chef Francis Mallmann, a master at open-fire cooking. He and Melissa had been searching for food inspiration and found someone who understood the craft of “cowboy cooking,” as he describes it. The couple did not hesitate to purchase Mallmann’s cookbooks, amongst them his popular Seis Fuegos — in which he describes his seven open-flame cooking techniques. These were the methods and approaches the Schurs incorporated into their cooking, which include flame, coals and wood ovens.
The Schurs want to immerse their guests in a farm-to-table experience, as the name indicates. Part of that means introducing you to the hands that grew it; during the evening, you will meet your farmer. Getting to understand people and place behind the ingredients you are savouring feels magical. It is not just a plate placed in front of you but a story made into a meal. It’s the antidote to fast food, which you throw back in a rush and without a second thought.
The Schurs’ cooking is based on the season and each month features different dishes. Their curated menu is the result of a collaboration with award-winning resident chef Tyson Wright — his slow-cooked bison cheek won him the gold medal at the Great Canadian Kitchen Party 2025.
There is no way of knowing exactly what the Schurs and Wright have in store this year, but past seasons have featured fire-smoked beef tenderloin, braised bison short rib, smoked chicken tacos, coal-roasted vegetables and fire-baked desserts. So, at least you know you will receive a high quality meal worthy of an Albertan.
Aside from leaving full and happy, Matt says some guests report feeling nostalgic and more connected to their childhood, especially those who grew up on farms themselves. But for those of you who never had a chance to step into this kind of environment, you’ll get a proper introduction.
The long communal tables play a crucial role in the experience. You feel as if you joined a big family dinner. “I have seen couples share a cab back to the city with other couples,” says Matt. “Even those who come alone have made lasting connections here.” He recalls a newcomer who joined them without knowing anyone in Edmonton, and he left feeling more at home already.
This is not just a meal you are experiencing but culture. The culture of the land we call our home. The Old Red Barn tells the region’s story, says Matt. It shares a broad perspective of Alberta and Edmonton, with the guests. What a better way to connect to our roots than by savouring it?
The Old Red Barn
25532 Township Rd 490, Leduc County, AB | theoldredbarn.ca
