Taste of Stampede brings Alberta's top chefs to BMO Centre for 10-day competition
The inaugural event runs through the Calgary Stampede with free culinary competitions, demonstrations and cook-offs featuring chefs from Major Tom, The Nash, Bar Chouette and more.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Alberta's top chefs are competing at a new culinary showcase during the Calgary Stampede called Taste of Stampede, running 10 days on a kitchen stage at the BMO Centre.
The inaugural event is free with park admission and highlights a different homegrown ingredient each day — Alberta bison, beef, lamb, pork, or grains. The programming falls into three main categories.
The Culinary Cup is a bracket-style tournament where chefs from acclaimed restaurants including Major Tom, The Nash, and Bar Chouette compete for a $10,000 championship title. Preliminary rounds run July 3 to 7, with top point-earners advancing to knockout-style quarter-finals on July 9 to 10, semi-finals on July 11, and finals on July 12.
Community Showcase events blend competitive constraints with collaborative elements — chefs team up with media reporters, classical musicians, and Olympic athletes to cook from mystery baskets of local ingredients. Winning teams are judged by celebrity guests including Andrew Phung from Kim's Convenience and Michelle Morgan from Heartland.
Chef Demonstrations run 30 minutes each, featuring local chefs preparing global cuisines using Alberta ingredients — ginger beef, bison skewers, congee with pork meatballs, and beef galbi. Attendees can sample the finished products and pick up techniques.
