The Chef's Table

	Travel Alberta Magazine 2011
	Chef's Tables By Jodie McKague Believe me when I tell you I'm no Foodie. I have yet to figure out what exactly a sous chef does and I still catch myself mouthing the phrase BMW (bread, meal, water) under my breath any time I find myself at a table with too many forks and not enough elbow room. So how exactly did I end up sitting smack-dab in the middle of the kitchen at the Hardware Grill- Chef Larry Stewart's Edmonton restaurant known for its swanky clientele and award-winning menu of Canadian Prairie Cuisine? I was there to partake in the intimate Chef's Table dining experience. This decadent feast for the senses includes a five-course meal with the wine pairing created especially by Stewart, and is served at a handsome granite table right next to the assembly line of prep cooks and kitchen staff chopping away as you dig in. What used to be reserved for VIP's is now a growing trend among diners looking for an adventurous night out. Let me tell you, when it's just you and a couple of friends receiving personalized attention from a man who looks like he knows a thing or two about the sensuality of eating, it feels like a really, really big deal. A little intimidating even. Not that it should be, says Stewart. "The term fine dining is an antiquated one. It implies a pretentiousness that has nothing to do with really good food," the Chef tells me as he personally delivers a plate of baked scallops with vanilla-chardonnay cream, sending me deeper under his spell."For people who are intimidated, this is the best place in the house to sit. It's casual, you're relaxed and you get lots of attention." Three and a half hours after I arrive, I am on my way home with a very satisfied belly and my fear of fine dining has been replaced by a new appreciation for Foodie culture.