Not your mom's grilled cheese

TORONTO—Have you ever made a grilled cheese sandwich with figs, prosciutto, arugula and Canadian Gouda cheese?

Michael Howell has. The owner and executive chef of Tempest in Wolfville, Nova Scotia used those ingredients to win the first Grate Canadian Grilled Cheese Cook-off, against some of Canada’s best chefs at the Canadian National Exhibition.

Howell’s ‘Panini Toscano’ topped grilled cheese creations from Corbin Tomaszeski, executive chef at Holt’s Café in Toronto, Paul Rogalski, co-owner and executive chef of Rouge in Calgary, which made the list of S. Pellegrino’s world’s best restaurants list this year, and Melissa Craig, executive chef at Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler.

Each chef had to create two grilled cheese sandwiches with the only stipulation being the use of Canadian cheese, as Dairy Farmers of Canada sponsored the contest.

Howell used cheese from Nova Scotia’s Fox Hill Cheese House for his winning sandwich, which he said was inspired by a pizza he tried while on a visit to Italy.
“It’s important to me to support Canadian cheese and local producers when I am cooking,” said Howell.

Tomaszeski, who missed the event due to a broken wrist, sent Holt’s Café sous chef Lucas Castle to prepare ‘The Spicy Shrimp’ and ‘Chef Corbin’s Best Ever.’

He used garlic puree, Canadian Smoked Mozzarella, prosciutto, cooked bacon, jalapeno and Havarti in his sandwiches.

Craig kept it relatively simple for her ‘Ham Grilled Cheese’ and ‘French Toast Grilled Cheese,’ with Canadian Swiss, Black Forest Ham, ciabatta, and Camembert among her ingredients.

Rogaski cobbled his ‘Curry me Brie’ and ‘Cheddar your Wagons’ sandwiches together using mango chutney, curry powder, naan, Brie, roast beef and barbecue sauce.

Rita DeMontis, food editor at the Toronto Sun, Lucy Waverman with the Globe and Mail, and Corey Mintz, former food critic with the Toronto Star, judged the creations.

“They have elevated the grilled cheese to star status. I think the caliber is incredible,” DeMontis said.