One of the 2016 signature events for the PEI Fall Flavours Culinary Festival was the Great Big Barbeque. Hosted by celebrity chef, Mark McEwan, this event was held at the PEI Brewing Company in Charlottetown.
The Great Big Barbeque was a roving feast with food stations set up around the perimeter of the brewery as well as on the second level.
In total, there were nine different food stations each featuring a local Island Chef with a signature dish.
Benjamin Bridge Winery, the 2016 Festival wine sponsor, greeted each patron with a glass of their Nova 7 wine.
The PEI Brewing Company was kept busy serving small mugs of their handcrafted Gahan Ale straight from the tank. You can read the story I previously wrote about this brewery by clicking here.
The main event hall was set up with picnic tables. From here, patrons circulated around the food stations in the order of their choosing.
The Adam MacGregor Band provided lively entertainment for the evening.
Station #1 – PEI Seafood Chowder
Chef Kyle Panton (Simms Corner Steakhouse and Oyster Bar) was kept busy dishing out his award-winning seafood chowder which he served in small glass jars.
The chowder was accompanied by homemade biscuits, always a winning combo.
Station #2 – Lobster Poutine
Chef Brad MacDonald (The Brickhouse Kitchen and Bar) served up a dish featuring Island lobster and potatoes in the form of lobster poutine – hand-cut fries with a lobster veloute and melted cheese curds.
Station #3 – Glasgow Glen Farm’s Grilled Cheese
Jeff McCourt, chef and cheesemaker, from Glasgow Glen Farm in New Glasgow served an open-faced grilled Gouda cheese sandwich with smoked salmon and apple slaw on baguette slices.
Station #4 – PEI Brewing Company Wood Fire Pizza
The brewery has a wood fire brick oven which was kept hopping with fresh made-to-order pizzas.
Station #5 – Island Striploin with Lobster Béarnaise
Chefs Cody Wallace (Fishbones Oyster Bar and Seafood Grill) and Jordan Dennis (Sobeys West Royalty) teamed up to present grilled PEI beef striploin with lobster béarnaise.
Station #6 – Island Beef Burger
The barbeques were kept busy grilling the slider beef burgers which Chef Brock MacDonald (The Gahan House) presented on cornbread brioche with avocado mayo, pickled red onions, and peppercorn blue cheese. 
Station #7 – Marinated BBQ Kabobs
A huge barbeque at the brewery’s side door was filled with veggie kabobs consisting of zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes grilled in a smoky Gahan Iron Bridge Brown Ale BBQ sauce. These were the creation of Chef Andrew Cotton (Merchantman Fresh Seafood and Oyster Bar).
Station #8 – Freshly Shucked PEI Oysters
Sous Chef Alexandre Jolin (The Barrington Steakhouse and Oyster Bar) ensured lots of PEI oysters were shucked and ready for patrons.
Station # 9 – S’Mores Dessert Bar
This bar was set up so patrons could toast their own marshmallows to make S’Mores.
This was a lively and interactive event and the brewery was an ideal location for this casual barbeque. It was great to see so many local Island chefs featured. We have a lot of great things happening on the food scene on PEI and the barbeque offered the opportunity to sample many of them.
Follow these links for stories I have written on other PEI Fall Flavours Culinary Events:
PEI Shellfish Festival (2012)
Farm Day in the City (2012)
Savour Victoria (2012)
Toes, Taps, and Taters (2013)
Lobster Party on the Beach (2013)
Applelicious (2013)
The Great Island Grilled Cheese Challenge (2013)
Feast of the Fathers (2014)
Lamb Luau at Crowbush Cove (2014)
Feast and Frolic Dinner (PEI Int’l Shellfish Festival) (2014)
Beef and Blues (2014)
A Taste of New Glasgow (2015)
Beef ‘n Blues (2015)
Chef on Board (2015)
Cooking with Chefs Anna & Michael Olson in Brudenell, PEI (2015)
Le Festin acadien avec homard/Acadian Feast with Lobster (2016)
Pin Me to Pinterest!
