“A thin disc of beet-and-red-pepper aspic crowned the drum, which sat on two little sheets of seared green kale dressed with a kombu-plum wine vinaigrette.”

That is just a taste of some of the words James Chatto, the eminent food writer and Gold Medal Plates head judge had to say to Liane Faulder of the Edmonton Journal. Was he talking about another gourmet plate prepared with meat and simply dressed with vegetables? No, Chatto was actually lovingly describing the first vegan meal in the Gold Medal Plates competition, which went on in that round to win silver.

It seems the chef who entered the dish, Carolin Ishii, runs Zen Kitchen in Ottawa. Some of my readers may recall a previous post I made about a trailer for a reality show called “The Restaurant Adventures of Caroline and Dave“, which started sometime in January. This means we have a reality show based on the experiences of a couple opening a vegan restaurant, a chef who just won silver for a vegan dish in the Gold Medal Plates, and the first vegan dish ever entered in the competition all rolled into one. Personally, I think that’s a very positive thing for vegans all around!

Of course, I will not know for sure until I’m able to check this dish out for myself. Maybe I can be the first vegan judge in the competition?