2015 Foodies of the Year: Jessica Pelland

We think this Calgary chef is the next big thing.

Sign any investment contract and it will read: “PAST PERFORMANCE IS NO GUARANTEE OF FUTURE RETURNS”— alerting you to the strong possibility that something’s previous greatness is no promise that its next act will be equally amazing.  To heck with that. Even though the door to Charbar won’t open for a few months, we’re throwing caution to the wind and saying Jessica Pelland is the real deal. Truthfully, it’s not much of a stretch—she won Chopped Canada last year, did a stage at April Bloomfield’s acclaimed Tosca in San Francisco, and did some inspired maternity-leave pinch-hitting for Connie DeSousa at Charcut. Still, let’s think of her as an underdog so we look so much wiser when she knocks it out of the park.

Q&A 

What’s one ingredient everyone raves about but you just don’t see the fuss?Any variety of micro-greens. I do see how they can enhance and brighten the flavour profile in a dish, but just throwing them on top of everything with little thought does not wow me.Best cookbook of the past year?Pucker by Gwendolyn Richards.Dream bottle of wine?Is bourbon a wine?Food trend for the coming year?Dry-aged beef.Try out Jessica’s recipe for Ceviche Spot Prawn Toasts. Calgary’s Simmons Building in the East Village will play host to Charbar, opened by Foodies alumni John Jackson and Connie DeSousa, where Pelland will be acting as chef.