Around Town: Embassy Chef Challenge dishes out exotic flavours for charity

You know your event is growing when even the Irish ambassador’s official residence, a sprawling mansion in Rockcliffe Park, just doesn’t feel roomy enough anymore.

Organizers of an annual fundraiser for Crohn’s and colitis moved this year’s sold-out Embassy Chef Challenge from the ambassador’s residence to the John G. Diefenbaker Building, also known as Old City Hall, with the hope of providing more elbow room for its food, wine and beer-tasting guests.

Some 300 attendees of the $100-a-ticket event spent the evening Thursday sampling exotic and delicious dishes created by chefs with the British, Hungarian, Moldova, Philippines, Trinidad & Tobago, Spain and Thai diplomatic missions. The People’s Choice Award went to Chef Jil Aranas from the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines while the winner of the Embassy Chef Challenge was Chef Resa Solomon-St. Lewis, from the High Commission of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

From left, embassy chefs Nata Albot (Moldova), Jil Aranas (Philippines), Carlos Uxio Lens Lopez (Spain), Jiraporn Bunlert (Thai) and Resa Solmon-St. Lewis (Trinidad & Tobago) on stage as the chefs are introduced to the audience during the second annual Embassy Chef Challenge.

In the crowd were former Liberal foreign affairs minister John Manley, now head of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, and his wife, Judith, chatting with retired diplomat Larry Dickenson. His wife, cookbook author Margaret Dickenson, was on the event’s judging panel with Ottawa chefs Matthew Carmichael, Cory Haskins and Kent Van Dyk.

From left, John Manley with his wife, Judith, and Larry Dickenson at the second annual Embassy Chef Challenge.

Dr. David Mack, head of gastroenterology at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and director of the CHEO Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre, attended. Later, he helped to accept a $100,000 cheque from the IBD Foundation, represented by its president, Michele Hepburn. The money — raised from this and last year’s fundraiser — will go toward purchasing equipment for a IBD procedure room at CHEO.

From left, Dr. David Mack, chief of gastroenterology at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario and director of the CHEO Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre, with Michele Hepburn, president of the IBD Foundation, and Sgt. Patrick Alden with the Governor General’s Foot Guards.

Among the hottest items sold by charity auctioneer Kent Browne was a signed Sidney Crosby hockey jersey (it got scooped up for a grand) and an embassy dinner for 10 that fetched $8,000. It will be hosted by British High Commissioner Howard Drake and his wife, Gill, at their official residence, the historic Earnscliffe. No bangers and mash here. 2014 Embassy Chef Challenge winner and 2015 competitor Mathieu DesJardins will give guests a fine dining experience.

Photos: Embassy Chef Challenge dishes out exotic flavours for charity

From left, chef Kent Van Dyk, chef Cory Haskins, award-winning cookbook author Margaret Dickenson and chef Matthew Carmichael judged the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, as part of a fundraiser for better IBD care at CHEO.
From left, embassy chefs Nata Albot (Moldova), Jil Aranas (Philippines), Carlos Uxio Lens Lopez (Spain), Jiraporn Bunlert (Thai) and Resa Solmon-St. Lewis (Trinidad & Tobago) on stage as the chefs are introduced to the audience during the second annual Embassy Chef Challenge, held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, as part of a fundraiser for better IBD care at CHEO.
Stewart Chadnick, co-owner of sponsor Pat Flesher Furs, with his wife, Lori, at the second annual Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds toward a new IBD procedure room at CHEO.
From left, prominent Ottawa real estate broker and charity auctioneer Kent Browne with Royal LePage sales representative Colleen McBride-O'Brien and Andrew Levitan, president of Larco Homes, at the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds toward a new IBD procedure room at CHEO.
Chef Nata Albot from the embassy of Moldova prepared stuffed vegetables with smoked spare ribs at the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive.
From left, John Manley with his wife, Judith, and Larry Dickenson at the second annual Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds toward new equipment for a specialized IBD procedure room at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
Mathieu Desjardins, chef with the British high commission, and his team prepared roasted spicy maple pork belly for the second annual Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds toward a new IBD procedure room at CHEO.
From left, Valerie Newton with Kristin Perrin from sponsor Pattison Outdoor Advertising, at the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds toward a new IBD procedure room at CHEO.
From left, Dr. David Mack, chief of gastroenterology at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and director of the CHEO Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre, with Michele Hepburn, president of the IBD Foundation, and Sgt. Patrick Alden with the Governor General's Foot Guards at the Embassy Chef Challenge and fundraiser for IBD care at CHEO, held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive.
From left, Kimberley Todd modelled this mink and fox coat donated to the live auction by Ottawa's Pat Flesher Furs while Rebecca Dale sported an Apple watch, which was also sold off for charity at the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive.
Trisha Owens, a radio and TV host for BellMedia Ottawa, and colleague Jeff Hopper from CTV Morning Live emceed the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, in support of IBD care at CHEO.
From left, Ottawa's Dueling Piano players Dave Kalil and Tyler Kealey performed at the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, as part of a fundraiser to improve IBD care at CHEO.
The team at the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines was kept hopping as hungry guests lined up during the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds for IBD care at CHEO.
Event coordinator Karen Morrison with her husband, Sandy Morrison, former chair of the board at NAV Canada, at the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds to improve IBD care at CHEO.
The embassy food stations, including the Royal Thailand Embassy, were beautifully decorated at the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds toward a new IBD procedure room at CHEO.
The Governor General's Foot Guards prepare to command attention with a trumpet fanfare during the Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds toward a new IBD procedure room at CHEO.
Chef Zsolt Varga from the Hungarian embassy smiles while he and his fellow chefs are introduced, with help from the Governor General's Foot Guards, at the second annual Embassy Chef Challenge held Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the John G. Diefenbaker Building on Sussex Drive, to raise funds to improve IBD care at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.