We dropped by the Great Toronto Tartare-off to discover a meatetarian frenzy
Luma’s Jason Bangerter predicted the event was going to be a meat fest, so he opted for a tuna tartare instead.
Last night, Grapes for Humanity corralled some of the city’s top culinary talent under one roof (that of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel ) for RAW! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off, an event to raise funds to support a high school in Guatemala. A panel of judges, consisting of John Higgins , Amy Rosen , Josh Josephson , Corey Mintz and, to the delight of many, Geddy Lee, was tasked with crowning one chef the King—or Queen—of Tartare. Those chefs included Jamie Kennedy (Gilead) , Didier Leroy (Didier) , Lorenzo Loseto (George), Jason Bangerter (Luma), Mark Cutrara (Cowbell), Brook Kavanagh (La Palette), Albert Ponzo (Le Sélect), Patrick McMurray (Starfish and Ceili Cottage) and, most impressively, Luke Wood of Thornton’s Wine and Tapas Room who flew in from Yellowknife specifically for the function.
Each tartare was paired with a wine—including picks from Rosewood Estates Winery and Stratus —and attendees moved around the room, swilling and swallowing as they best saw fit. Though chefs were invited to whip up meat, seafood or vegetable tartare, this was a meatetarian event lucked out, with only a handful of seafood options found in the room (we never found that veg pick). After tasting everything blind, the judges announced the winners in two categories: professional and amateur. Of the four amateur chefs present, Paul Pender of Tawse Winery snagged the top spot for his traditional beef tartare flavoured with capers, anchovies and leeks, with a horseradish kick to finish. But it was Lorenzo Loseto who was ultimately crowned King of Tartare for his artful cobia tartare topped with tiny skewered potato chips (although we must admit a certain fondness for Le Sélect’s offering ). And with that, the remaining attendees headed home, most likely to deal with some serious meat sweats.
Check out our gallery of all the dishes and chefs »
129177 Pender’s winning traditional beef tartare flavoured with capers, anchovies and leeks and horseradish Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-27-tawse-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-27-tawse.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-27-tawse.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-27-tawse/ raw-27-tawse 0 0
Pender’s winning traditional beef tartare flavoured with capers, anchovies and leeks and horseradish
129176 Paul Pender of Tawse Winery won the amateur competition Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-26-tawse-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-26-tawse.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-26-tawse.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-26-tawse/ raw-26-tawse 0 0
Paul Pender of Tawse Winery won the amateur competition
129171 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-25-crowd-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-25-crowd.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-25-crowd.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-25-crowd/ raw-25-crowd 0 0
129170 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Le Sélect’s Albert Ponzo was giddy for Geddy Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-24-geddy-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-24-geddy.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-24-geddy.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-24-geddy/ raw-24-geddy 0 0
Le Sélect’s Albert Ponzo was giddy for Geddy
129169 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Geddy Lee with judges John Higgins and Josh Josephson Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-23-geddy-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-23-geddy.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-23-geddy.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-23-geddy/ raw-23-geddy 0 0
Geddy Lee with judges John Higgins and Josh Josephson
129168 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Corey Mintz shoots Amy Rosen with Geddy Lee at the judges' table Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-22-geddy-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-22-geddy.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-22-geddy.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-22-geddy/ raw-22-geddy 0 0
Corey Mintz shoots Amy Rosen with Geddy Lee at the judges’ table
129166 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) A beef and muskox blend, spiced with smoked paprika, wasabi powder, shallots and Dijon mustard. Amelie told us that their tartare was her favourite—“but it’s the only one I’ve tried!” Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-20-thorntons-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-20-thorntons.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-20-thorntons.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-20-thorntons/ raw-20-thorntons 0 0
A beef and muskox blend, spiced with smoked paprika, wasabi powder, shallots and Dijon mustard. Amelie told us that their tartare was her favourite—“but it’s the only one I’ve tried!”
129167 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Over at the Thornton’s Wine and Tapas Room table, we found chef Luke Wood’s eight-year-old daughter Amelie running the show Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-21-thorntons-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-21-thorntons.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-21-thorntons.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-21-thorntons/ raw-21-thorntons 0 0
Over at the Thornton’s Wine and Tapas Room table, we found chef Luke Wood’s eight-year-old daughter Amelie running the show
129165 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Luma’s tuna tartare topped with a five-spice onion ring Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-19-luma-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-19-luma.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-19-luma.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-19-luma/ raw-19-luma 0 0
Luma’s tuna tartare topped with a five-spice onion ring
129164 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Luma’s Jason Bangerter predicted the event was going to be a meat fest, so he opted for a tuna tartare. He also graciously hammed it up for us Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-18-luma-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-18-luma.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-18-luma.jpg 656 437 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-18-luma/ raw-18-luma 0 0
Luma’s Jason Bangerter predicted the event was going to be a meat fest, so he opted for a tuna tartare. He also graciously hammed it up for us
129163 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Didier’s beef was mixed with cornichons, capers and a sprinkle of fleur de sel (from France, naturally), and sat on wedges of white “orgasmique” French bread Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-17-didier-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-17-didier.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-17-didier.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-17-didier/ raw-17-didier 0 0
Didier’s beef was mixed with cornichons, capers and a sprinkle of fleur de sel (from France, naturally), and sat on wedges of white “orgasmique” French bread
129162 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Chef Didier Leroy of, well, Didier, who made sure to point out the Canadian flag on his head, and the French one over his heart Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-16-didier-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-16-didier.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-16-didier.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-16-didier/ raw-16-didier 0 0
Chef Didier Leroy of, well, Didier, who made sure to point out the Canadian flag on his head, and the French one over his heart
129161 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) George’s cobia tartare: the oily whitefish was served with roasted fennel, shallots and black trumpet mushrooms, and topped with a stack of tiny potato chips that had been fried on the skewer Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-15-george-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-15-george.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-15-george.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-15-george/ raw-15-george 0 0
George’s cobia tartare: the oily whitefish was served with roasted fennel, shallots and black trumpet mushrooms, and topped with a stack of tiny potato chips that had been fried on the skewer
129160 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) At George’s station, Lorenzo Loseta was carefully attending to his cobia tartare Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-14-george-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-14-george.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-14-george.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-14-george/ raw-14-george 0 0
At George’s station, Lorenzo Loseta was carefully attending to his cobia tartare
129159 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Ceili Cottage’s ostrich tartare was served with pickled quail egg gribiche Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-13-ceili-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-13-ceili.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-13-ceili.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-13-ceili/ raw-13-ceili 0 0
Ceili Cottage’s ostrich tartare was served with pickled quail egg gribiche
129158 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Beef tartare from Starfish’s Patrick McMurray, with oysters, roasted laver seaweed and salmon roe Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-12-starfish-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-12-starfish.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-12-starfish.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-12-starfish/ raw-12-starfish 0 0
Beef tartare from Starfish’s Patrick McMurray, with oysters, roasted laver seaweed and salmon roe
129157 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The Epic station: wild venison tartare served on wild rice bannock, with pickled ramps, seaside blueberry powder, foie gras foam and pickled honey mushrooms Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-10-epic-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-10-epic.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-10-epic.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-10-epic/ raw-10-epic 0 0
The Epic station: wild venison tartare served on wild rice bannock, with pickled ramps, seaside blueberry powder, foie gras foam and pickled honey mushrooms
129156 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Epic’s Timothy Palmer offered up a wild venison tartare Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-09-epic-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-09-epic.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-09-epic.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-09-epic/ raw-09-epic 0 0
Epic’s Timothy Palmer offered up a wild venison tartare
129154 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The last time we saw Ponzo (at Recipe for Change), he also used quail eggs; when questioned he exclaimed, “I’m obsessed! It’s the year of the egg.” Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-07-select-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-07-select.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-07-select.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-07-select/ raw-07-select 0 0
The last time we saw Ponzo (at Recipe for Change), he also used quail eggs; when questioned he exclaimed, “I’m obsessed! It’s the year of the egg.”
129155 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Le Sélect’s Albert Ponzo perched quail yolks—encrusted in pistachio dust—on mounds of bison tartare nestled into chicharrón Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-08-select-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-08-select.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-08-select.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-08-select/ raw-08-select 0 0
Le Sélect’s Albert Ponzo perched quail yolks—encrusted in pistachio dust—on mounds of bison tartare nestled into chicharrón
129153 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Kennedy used house pickles and tomatoes in the mix, and added some chives that had been plucked fresh from his garden hours before Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-06-jk-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-06-jk.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-06-jk.jpg 642 428 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-06-jk/ raw-06-jk 0 0
Kennedy used house pickles and tomatoes in the mix, and added some chives that had been plucked fresh from his garden hours before
129152 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Jamie Kennedy doled his traditional steak tartare out onto a crispy and neutral-flavoured brioche Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-05-jk-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-05-jk.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-05-jk.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-05-jk/ raw-05-jk 0 0
Jamie Kennedy doled his traditional steak tartare out onto a crispy and neutral-flavoured brioche
129151 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Kavanagh’s venison tenderloin tartare, mixed with pickled wild leek bulb, gherkin and 64° duck yolk. Kavanagh opted not to do his signature horsemeat tartare as he was a bit wary of the judges Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-04-palette-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-04-palette.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-04-palette.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-04-palette/ raw-04-palette 0 0
Kavanagh’s venison tenderloin tartare, mixed with pickled wild leek bulb, gherkin and 64° duck yolk. Kavanagh opted not to do his signature horsemeat tartare as he was a bit wary of the judges
129150 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) La Palette’s Brook Kavanagh assembled cones of venison tenderloin tartare, placing them in a fancy cone-holding antler contraption Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-03-palette-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-03-palette.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-03-palette.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-03-palette/ raw-03-palette 0 0
La Palette’s Brook Kavanagh assembled cones of venison tenderloin tartare, placing them in a fancy cone-holding antler contraption
129149 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Cutrara opted for a venison tartare which he flavoured with black olive, cumin and spiced jalapeño Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-02-cowbell-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-02-cowbell.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-02-cowbell.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-02-cowbell/ raw-02-cowbell 0 0
Cutrara opted for a venison tartare which he flavoured with black olive, cumin and spiced jalapeño
129148 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The Cowbell crew was helmed by chef Mark Cutrara Raw! The Great Toronto Tartare-Off https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-01-cowbell-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-01-cowbell.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/raw-01-cowbell.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/raw-toronto-tartare-off/slide/raw-01-cowbell/ raw-01-cowbell 0 0
The Cowbell crew was helmed by chef Mark Cutrara
Chef Bangerter’s tuna tartare was amazing. My favorite of the fish ones for sure. And he was the funnest guy at the party.
Chef Didier’s beef tartare was my favourite meat one (can never get bored of it) and Chef Bangerter’s tuna tartare was fantastic – my favourite fish one. Chef Brook’s tartare has the best presentation.