AMA Insider Winter 2016 | Page 59

Sauerkraut Stew serve with perogies, gnocchi or boiled potatoes /2 cup smoked bacon, diced 1 2 onions, thinly sliced 1 lb pork shoulder, cubed (or any meat) /2 cup white wine 1 1 lb kielbasa or other smoked sausage, cut into large pieces 2 bay leaves Chef Brad Smoliak in his Edmonton studio 1 tbsp garlic, chopped 1 tbsp paprika 3 lbs sauerkraut, drained 1 lb cabbage, chopped Locavore Food for Thought chef Brad smoliak cooks up classic ukrainian comfort food curtIs trent by JenniFer CoCkrall-king “Food brings people together,” says chef Brad Smoliak. “Nothing fancy, nothing pretentious—just comfort food and good conversation.” Growing up in Edmonton, Smoliak was surrounded by butter- and sour-cream drenched Ukrainian family feasts. In his twenties, culinary curiosity took him to Greece and Turkey, where family-style platters reign supreme. Upon returning home, Smoliak worked his way through some of the city’s top kitchens and became chef-partner at Hardware Grill, the wildly successful outpost credited with launching Edmonton’s local food movement. But sixteen-hour restaurant days eventually took a toll, so Smoliak sampled other cooking careers: corporate chef at Edmonton’s Little Potato Company; VIP cooking gigs during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver; and author of two bestselling cookbooks. In 2012, he opened his own place: Kitchen by Brad Smoliak in downtown Edmonton. The cozy 1,500-square-foot culinary studio serves as headquarters for Smoliak’s recipe development business for major food companies across North America. The space also hosts cooking classes and private dinners for up to 28 guests. “I’m a big believer that good food is just the catalyst for a great evening,” Smoliak says. “It’s really about the people.” It’s that connection between food and people that drives Smoliak to teach new twists on tried-and-true recipes, like his