Feed A Farmer Cook-Off Showcases Alberta Agriculture

Agriculture for Life hosted their Feed a Farmer Celebrity Cook-Off on Tuesday in celebration of Canada's Agriculture Day.

The event was hosted at the Atco Blue Flame Kitchen in Calgary, where local celebrities and chefs paired up to impress a judging panel of farmers with their dishes made from Alberta ingredients.

Ag for Life CEO, Luree Williamson, says a lot of people are interested in where their food comes from.

"There's a lot of curiosity about food related to health and nutrition and that leads back to agriculture. This special day is an opportunity to take time to highlight and thank the hard working farmers and ranchers that allow us to have food on our table."

Canadian Olympic curling silver medalist in the 2010 Vancouver Games, Cheryl Bernard was paired with Chef Laetitia Chrapchynski in the competition.

They took home the first place belt buckles with their dish of mushroom ragu and northern bean gnocchi topped with tasty Alberta beef, a creamy sauce and a micro slaw.

"We're so fortunate to live in an agriculture community and country," Bernard says. "We rely on it so much, so I think it's great to able to showcase it and thank everyone that works so hard on the farm, and the agriculture community, for what they do."

The tables were turned on an Airdrie area farmer who had the food provided to him as part of the judging panel.

Ian Chitwood produces cereals, oilseeds and cattle on his family farm, and also represents over 1,500 canola growers in the Calgary area as a director of the Alberta Canola Growers Commission.

Chitwood says the event was a great way to connect with the community.

"It's the importance of understanding where our food comes from. It is literally in your (consumers) backyards' where producers work all day long to produce some really great ingredients."

Ag For Life hopes to make the cook-off an annual event.