Townhall Public House in Sunset Ridge is about to be elevated to a Top Chef-worthy level, now that culinary competition winner Chef Matthew Stowe is running the show.
“He’s, in my opinion, one of the best chefs in Canada,” said Ryan Moreno, CEO of Joseph Richard Group, which owns the Townhall brand. “It elevates things from a culinary standpoint for our guests.”
Chef Stowe took home the title of Top Chef Canada in Season Three, after creating the most spectacular five-course meal at Rush Restaurant in Calgary. Moreno scooped him up as director of culinary operations for his chain of restaurants – which includes eight Townhall pubs – last month.
Cochrane’s Townhall eatery opened about two years ago and is described as “a modern pub, not your dad’s pub” – a contemporary but friendly place where you can grab breakfast in the morning or finish off the day with a nightcap in the evening. Moreno said the atmosphere of the town is very much in line with the philosophy of the business.
“I know there’s a lot of young families in Cochrane … It’s a great community. That whole community vibe is really what Townhall is all about,” he said, adding his company hopes to invest again in Cochrane in the future. “It’s certainly booming – there’s a lot happening.”
Stowe said customers will start to taste his influence in the next two to three weeks, starting with an upgraded burger and a revamped pizza menu. Other revisions across the board are also expected in the months to come.
“We’re looking at our entire appetizer section, making them a little more modern, a little more interesting,” he said, adding he wants to highlight Alberta ingredients as much as he can. “Being Canadian, from a chef’s standpoint you can really draw from flavour profiles all over the place. You’re able to really be super-creative because you’re not pigeonholed into a specific style of cuisine.”
Those looking for a more up close and personal interaction with the Top Chef will have their chance in the new year, when Stowe makes an appearance at the Sunset Ridge eatery.
“We’ll do some dinner and lunches with regulars that we have,” he said. “We’ll get a sneak peak at some of the dishes that are coming down the pipe.”
Townhall Public House Cochrane at 2101-101 Sunset Drive is open at 11 a.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. on weekends.
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