Le Creuset’s 90th Anniversary

To celebrate 90 years of cooking, Le Creuset hosted an exclusive soirée featuring dishes from some of Canada’s most renowned chefs – from The McEwan Group’s Chef Andrew Ellerby all the way to Vancouver’s Chef David Hawksworth. Each dish paid homage to Le Creuset’s iconic enameled cast iron cookware.

As each guest stepped off the elevators onto the 6th floor of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, they were treated to a vibrant signature cocktail, aptly named Vintage Flame to commemorate Le Creuset’s first colour of molten cast iron, as well as freshly shucked oysters from Hooked. While the summer rain kept guests away from Malaparte’s rooftop terrace, the space’s floor-to-ceiling windows provided plenty of light as well as stunning views of downtown Toronto.

O&B Corporate Executive Chef Anthony Walsh and Luma’s Chef Michael Wilson served up small plates of Fogo Island capelin and crab, as Chef Connie DeSousa of Calgary’s CHARCUT drew attention with her iconic pig head mortadella, thinly shaved using a hand-cranked meat slicer. Top Chef Canada Season One winner Chef Dale MacKay and Christopher Cho of Saskatoon’s Ayden Kitchen and Bar lured guests with their melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, while Food Network star Chef Massimo Capra simmered his famous Tuscan-style chicken cacciatore until it was fall-off-the-bone tender. Chefs Michael Caballo and Tobey Nemeth of Edulis plated mini versions of a classic French picnic, featuring pâté, herring à l’huile, Dijonnaise potatoes, and pickles. Rounding out the array of delicious dishes was Chef Jason Bangerter’s fresh cider vinegar sorbet, adorned with foraged leaves, flowers and herbs from the garden at Langdon Hall.

By some miracle, a few guests managed to save room for dessert. Custom-designed by The Rolling Pin bakery, the event’s celebratory cake bore an uncanny resemblance to the quintessential vintage Le Creuset pot – except much tastier, of course!