NAIT culinary director Hong Chew names Pasta Delight his must-stop farmers market vendor
Head of NAIT's Culinary Arts program highlights the fresh pastas and robust pesto sauces at Bountiful Farmers' Market.
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Hong Chew, head of NAIT's Culinary Arts and Professional Food Studies program and a decades-long Edmonton food insider, has a go-to vendor at Bountiful Farmers' Market: Pasta Delight.
Chew moved to Edmonton from Brunei in 1990 and has spent years working in the city's food industry. He's a graduate of what was then called the Commercial Cooking program and now leads the team training the next generation of chefs. When asked about his favourite local finds, he points directly to the fresh pastas and sauces at Pasta Delight.
"The pesto sauce is phenomenal," Chew said. "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."
He's particularly drawn to the roasted pepper-basil and artichoke-basil pestos, which he uses for everything from dressing roasted potato and chicken dishes to making the base for vinaigrettes. When the person training Edmonton's next generation of chefs vouches for a vendor, it's worth making the trip.
