Archive: YYC EXP Through the Years
2023 EDITION
The third YYC EXP festival, held Mar 17-26, had a remarkable 70 plus restaurants participating in the prix fixe program alongside six signature events. After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the 2023 festival was a welcome sight for restaurants and public alike. While the program was slightly scaled down, it was met with such enthusiasm and support it proved again how important and valuable this dining event has become.
70 Restaurants | 10 Chefs | 10 Days | 6 Sponsors | 6 Signature Events
Sponsors
Downtown Calgary
Calgary Tourism
Travel Alberta
Avenue Magazine
Culinaire
Savour Calgary
Participating Chefs
Matthew Batey Teatro
Alex Chen Boulevard, Vancouver
Connie DeSousa Charcut
John Jackson Charcut
Duncan Ly Foreign Concept
JC Poirier St Lawrence, Vancouver
Tre Sanderson Toronto
Mikko Tamarra Fortuna’s Row
Emcees & Visiting Winemakers
Brad Royale Sommelier & Emcee
Signature Events
YYC EXP 2023 Kick-Off at Barbarella Bar
Exclusive Rancher’s Dinner with Ex Nihilo Wine Pairings at Modern Steak
Fat Ox—A Northern Italian Pop-Up Dinner at Bonterra
Clos de la Oyster Barre with Chef Alex Chef of Vancouver’s Boulevard at Teatro
Brunch with Top Chef Canada Winner Tre Sanderson at Fortuna’s Row
BBQ, Bourbon, and Blues Finale at Charbar
2020 EDITION
The second annual YYC EXP Feb 28-Mar 15 showcased delicious offerings from over 65 restaurants for the Brightside Prix Fixe program and an impressive lineup of 14 signature events featuring visiting chefs and winemakers. The 2020 festival saw significant growth and support from industry and the public, which made the event extremely successful, proving there was great appetite for this type of culinary programming in the city.
65 Restaurants | 27 Chefs | 17 Days | 6 Sponsors | 14 Signature Events
Sponsors
Brightside
Wines of British Columbia
Calgary Tourism
Open Table
Avenue Magazine
City Palate
Participating Chefs
Chris Barton Deane House
Matthew Batey Teatro
Katelin Bland Bridgette Bar
Alex Chen Boulevard, Vancouver
Laetitia Chrapchynski North Feasts
Connie DeSousa Charcut
Cam Dobranski Brasserie Kensington
Matthias Fong River Café
Merritt Gordon The Dandy Brewing Company
John Jackson Charcut
Shawn Jackson The Guild
Blair Lebsack RGE RD, Edmonton
Nick Liu DaiLo, Toronto
Duncan Ly Foreign Concept
Darren MacLean Shokunin/Nupo
Rebecca MacLeod Pigeonhole
Rory McGouran Flores and Pine
Peter Paiva Raw Bar
JP Pedhirney Concorde Group
Jessica Pelland Charbar
Erin Pickering Empire Provisions
JC Poirier St Lawrence, Vancouver
Liana Robberecht Winsport
Evan Robertson Market
Michael Robbins AnnaLena, Vancouver
Paul Rogalski Rouge
Joseph Solokoff Bridgette Bar
Emcees & Visiting Winemakers
Shane Munn Martin’s Lane Winery, BC
John & Virginia Weber Orofino Wines, BC
Kathy Malone Hillside Winery, BC
Priya Kaila Calcutta Cricket Club
Mijune Pak Food Personality & Emcee
Brad Royale Sommelier & Emcee
John Gilchrist Emcee
Signature Events
YYC EXP Cocktail Kickoff presented by Brightside at Hotel Arts Poolside
A West Coast Collaboration with Vancouver’s AnnaLena at Lulu Bar
Winemakers Dinner with Orofino Vineyards and RGE RD’s Blair Lebsack at Rouge
A Gluten-Free Pairing Dinner at Market
Sugar Shack: Cabane à Sucre with Chef JC Poirier of Vancouver’s St. Lawrence at Charbar
International Women’s Day Dinner at Donna Mac
Pearl & Company: A Pacific Coast-Inspired Ocean Wise Dinner at Bridgette Bar
Get Crafty: Artisan Pizza Making & Craft Beer Dinner at Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.
For the Love of Lobster at Flores & Pine
DaiLo meets Shokunin: Binchotan Dinner at Shokunin
Hillside Winery Dinner at The Guild
Winemaker’s Dinner with Martin’s Lane Winery at Deane House
Canadian Cultural Mosaic Dinner with Chefs Alex Chen & Darren Maclean at NUPO
Thriller Finale Dinner at Foreign Concept
2019 EDITION
The inaugural YYC Food & Drink experience March 1- 10, was received with tremendous enthusiasm. With 54 restaurants participating in the prix fixe menu program and 16 signature events, there was something for everyone. An impressive lineup of celebrity, international, and visiting chefs, entertaining emcees, and the support of several key sponsors made the 2019 festival one for the record books.
54 Restaurants | 33 Chefs | 10 Days | 6 Sponsors | 16 Signature Events
Sponsors
Brightside
Wines of British Columbia
Calgary Tourism
Open Table
Avenue Magazine
City Palate
Participating International Chefs
Graham Campbell Scotland
Tim Hollingsworth Los Angeles
Charles Michel Colombia & France
Esdras Ochoa Los Angeles
Angel Vasquez Mexico
Participating Chefs
Galasa Aden Dean House
Brody Ashton Charcut
Matthew Batey Teatro
Ned Bell Ocean Wise, Vancouver
David Bohati Murrieta’s
Ashely Cawdle Royale
Connie DeSousa Charcut
Cam Dobranski Brasserie Kensington
Krissy Dumas Dean House
Matthias Fong River Café
John Jackson Charcut
Justin Leboe Pigeonhole
Duncan Ly Foreign Concept
Darren MacLean Shokunin
Garret Martin Concorde Group
Michael Nop Buffo
Ryan O’Flynn The Guild
JP Pedhirney Concorde Group
Jessica Pelland Charbar
Erin Pickering Empire Provisions
Tony Pittoello Modern Steak
Chad Rittenhouse Charbar
Liana Robberecht Winsport
Shelley Robinson Vintage Group
Paul Rogalski Rouge Restaurant
Joseph Solokoff Bridgette Bar
Amy Turner Donna Mac
Jeff Van Geest Tinhorn Creek Winery, BC
Emcees & Visiting Winemakers
Ingo Grady Poplar Grove Winery, BC
Phil Mcgahan Checkmate Artisanal Winery, BC
Andrew Windsor Tinhorn Creek Winery, BC
Mijune Pak Food Personality & Emcee
Brad Royale Sommelier & Emcee
John Gilchrist Emcee
Signature Events
Kick-off Dinner Party at Charbar
Big BC Reds Lunch at Modern Steak
Sake & Sushi: The Final Table Experience Dinner at Shokunin
Mexicali Brunch at Brasserie Kensington
River Café Pop-Up Dinner at Central Library
Lunch at Murrieta’s Bar & Grill
Sustainable Seafood Lure Lunch at Bridgette Bar
Pearl & Company—A Pacific Cuisine-Inspired Ocean Wise Dinner at Bridgette Bar
Lunch at Foreign Concept
Sub Rosa Multi-Chef Long Table Dinner at The Guild Sub Rosa
Lunch at Rouge Restaurant
Tinhorn Creek Winery Crush Club Dinner at Sub Rosa
CheckMate Winemaker Dinner at Teatro Restaurant
RAW—Plant-Based Food & Natural Wine YYC Women’s Chef Collaboration Dinner at Donna Mac
The Ultimate Sunday Brunch at Pigeonhole
Poplar Grove Wine Dinner at Avec Bistro