A Taste of Thunder Bay
Celebrating Local Cuisine
By Sara Stoppel
Having lived in Thunder Bay for my whole life, I’ve had the opportunity to visit almost every single restaurant in town. After adventuring to different cities around the globe, and from my expertise in local cuisine, I came to the conclusion that when it comes to culinary scenes, there’s truly no place like home. For fellow local food enthusiasts, Feast On: A Taste of Thunder Bay offers an evening of delicious plates, drinks, and vibes. Taking place February 28 at Goods & Co. Market, Feast On will allow guests to experience the flavours of the region through a tasting of dishes made from Ontario-sourced ingredients.
The evening features chefs from Feast On-certified businesses African Lounge, AfroGourmets, Red Lion Smokehouse, NOMAD, Woodside Catering, and Donato’s Bakery, and a guest chef from Toronto’s Richmond Station (Thunder Bay’s own Hayden Johnston). Each chef will present a unique, totally local signature appetizer, entree, and dessert. The event also features live musical entertainment and beverages from Woodside Bar, Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., and VQA Ontario wines to sip on alongside the plates.
The menu is absolutely stacked. To start, appetizers like braised veal short ribs bites and spiced squash croquettes are on the card. Mains include non-vegetarian options, like lamb tagine, and vegetarian options, like mushroom tart (tarte de bosque) with each dish focusing on local culinary artistry and local ingredients. For those with a sweet tooth, several dessert options, like Ontario marshmallow, will be offered to perfectly complete the meal.
For those who don’t enjoy the brisk northern Ontario weather, it’s hard to find things to do during the winter months. Thunder Bay Tourism manager Paul Pepe says a goal of the Saturday evening affair is to create something to look forward to, while also enticing out-of-town visitors. Culinary tourism is an important aspect of supporting local restaurants, and events like this help encourage visitors to view Thunder Bay as a must-visit food destination.
“It’s really about celebrating our taste of the place, and also building bigger networks locally,” says Pepe. “Bringing in more local food suppliers, local farms, and local producers help build a stronger culinary ecosystem.”
With several options for people of all tastes and palates, I implore you to discover the wonderful world of Thunder Bay cuisine, because it truly is the best around.
Tickets are $125 per person and can be purchased online at visitthunderbay.com.
