Cochranites have something to chew on, as far as John Gilchrist is concerned.
The go-to food critic for Calgary and the remainder of Southern Alberta for nearly four decades, Gilchrist has long included Cochrane on his dining map – making occasional stops in the foothills community to sample an old favourite or a new flavour.
“I think it punches well above it’s weight - in culinary terms,” said the food aficionado over a bowl of sweet potato soup drizzled with crème fraise and maple syrup, paired with a croque-monsieur sandwich at the recently opened Fence & Post restaurant on Cochrane’s Main Street.
The restaurant is staking out its claim as Cochrane’s hot spot for contemporary Canadian cuisine – lending credence to Gilchrist’s theory that fun and interesting is in, while fine dining and white tablecloths are out.
Selecting a table with the kitchen directly in his sight lines, Gilchrist’s approach to eating an early lunch was casual enough but methodically professional.
His attendance at the Fence & Post was more research and less review, taking note of the modern, brightly elegant décor and pop-top water bottles dressing the tables.
Indulging hungry reporters as dining companions does not appear to be a rarity for the Herald columnist, CBC reviewer and author – who offered up samplings of his soup and sandwich while carefully tasting the arancini appetizer across the table from him.
“A solid, contemporary restaurant that focuses on local, seasonal produce is what will fly here (in Cochrane),” said Gilchrist, noting that Cochrane has a good variety of ethnic fare – from Indian to Japanese to classic and contemporary Italian.
His most recent nods to Cochrane – the fastest growing municipality in Alberta and second in the country – included a placement of The Boot on his “Top 20 Restaurants of 2016” list and homage to Thai Onzon – Cochrane’s dedicated gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan diner – on his list of best places to eat around Calgary this summer.
His praises of Chef Francesco Tradati of The Boot – Cochrane’s contemporary Italian eatery were high.
“What he’s doing is so bang on with what’s happening in Italy right now … it’s the only place around here I can think of,” he said, referring to this movement away from classic Italian fare.
The notion of opening a restaurant is ambitious to most – and it is, according to Gilchrist, who said it never ceases to amaze him how many people are willing to lay it all out on the line to pursue their food dream.
In another respect, an economic downturn has bred competition – allowing the cream to rise to the top and for natural selection to run its course.
“Our economy for 10 years has proven to be too healthy – it sustained a lot of restaurants that should have shut down,” he explained, adding that while doors closing on some popular Calgary restaurants has made headlines – most he was familiar with suffered from more problems than the immediate effects of a sliding economy.
He also cautioned that downtown Calgary restaurants have long been beholden to the suits crowd and that restaurants that “live by the corporate credit card, die by the corporate credit card.”
Totally independent with no association memberships or vested interests, Gilchrist said his commitment to objectivity has earned him mixed responses from owners and chefs.
“Reviewing a good restaurant is easy, reviewing a bad restaurant is even easier – but a boring restaurant makes a boring review,” he said, reflecting on the laundry list of restaurants that have pleaded for good reviews – a common misconception that a journalist is the same as a paid blogger.
“I’m not working for the restaurant, I’m working for the public,” he stressed, adding that this has seen him thrown out of a few restaurants over the years.
A Wetaskiwin farm boy, Gilchrist said while he loves a great steak, he equally enjoys a tasty vegetarian meal.
If he had one cuisine to live by, he said it would have to be Thai – for it’s “fresh, bright flavours”. French cuisine comes in second – a foodie culture Gilchrist admires for “their approach to food … their commitment to it.”
Fence & Post owner Melanie Martzoukos was pleasantly surprised to see Gilchrist stroll in for a first sampling last week. She and business partner, executive chef Chris Hartman, both know the food critic from previous restaurants in Calgary where Hartman was executive chef – the Bears Den and Farm (now closed).
A regular reader of his columns, Martzoukos welcomes the opportunity to carve out a place among Calgary’s finest.
Gilchrist’s best new restaurants list of 2016 was dominated by veggie-centric, Asian-inspired eateries, with the top three spots taken up by Foreign Concept, The Guild and Pure Contemporary Vietnamese.
Martzoukos said they are seeking to produce “food that’s approachable – with a twist.”
She is looking forward to this week’s launch of their new menu and is looking to continue to build the local market while also providing an option for tourists.
Cochrane’s climb up the culinary ladder comes as no surprise to Cochrane Tourism Association president John Thomson.
“While Cochrane has long been a western heritage themed shopping and special events destination, Cochrane Tourism recognizes that we are becoming more and more known as a culinary hub for those looking for exceptional food and dining experiences,” said Thomson.
“We have amazing farm to table restaurants, a variety of ethnic restaurants, world-famous ice cream, craft beer, spirits, candy - many venues featuring ‘made in Cochrane’ products.”
Gilchrist said his list of passé trends in food includes insects, ciabatta, long meal rituals, poutine and sriracha chili.
Creative ways to cook poor cuts of meat, farm-to-table, Asian-inspired and contemporary twists rank high.
