StettlerLocal.com on August 13, 2023 at 7:29 pm
Brad Wohlgemuth is a board member who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty – or covered in sauce.
Wohlgemuth, a director of the Stettler Regional Board of Trade, was a first-time volunteer at the Taste of the Heartland Long Table Dinner held on Stettler's Main Street on August 13.
"I want to see stuff like this work," he said, explaining his reasons for volunteering.
Wohlgemuth was one of several volunteers serving dinner at the sold-out event. According to Donna Morris, Project Manager at the Board of Trade, 155 plated meals were served to guests and vendors.
The three-course meals were prepared by four chefs and two sous chefs in the kitchen of Brenda's Cozy Café.
In addition to the 27 volunteers at the event, including dishwashers and set-up/take-down crews, Morris says there were 33 sponsors, 19 local producers, and four local farms that supported the event.
The meal included an appetizer (roasted cauliflower with sauce and garnish), an entrée (lamb shank with beans and garlic mashed potatoes), and dessert (strawberry cheesecake).
Kami Ritz, Communications and Office Assistant at the Board of Trade, acted as traffic controller for the dinner service. Ritz had sectioned the long table into four quadrants, and directed volunteers accordingly to make service as efficient as possible.
The plated courses were generous in size, and guests seemed delighted by the presentation of the food. There was much laughter and conversation along the table, one of the hallmarks of a successful evening.
Taste of the Heartland, organized by the Stettler Regional Board of Trade, is an annual celebration of Central Alberta food and hospitality. It also underscores the importance of the agricultural industry.
"People forget how important rural is," said Mayor Sean Nolls in his address.
Next year's Taste of the Heartland is scheduled for August 17, 2024.