Never too many cooks in this kitchen: Local chefs key in success of Fall Flavours says organizer

Islanders are about to enjoy the 10thedition of Fall Flavours, a month-long event that TraceySingleton saidhas grown in leaps and bounds.

"We started off as a 10-day event and we've grown into a month-long festival," said thepresident of the Versatile Management Group, the organization thathelps manage the festival for Food Island Partnerships.

"We encompass all of the major products here on Prince Edward Island."

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Singleton said over 30 local chefs will be participating along with growers and harvesters.

"We've really grown from a small festival that took place in one destination to a large province-wide event taking in all the culinary talent here in Prince Edward Island."

Tourist draw

Singleton said many tourists attend the festival with the largest amount coming from Ontario. She added overall, 15,000 people attended the festival in 2016.

Many new guest celebrity chefs are taking part in the various events across P.E.I. as well as thosereturningto cook local dishes.

"Mark McEwan, he'll be here next weekend and he'll be hosting lobster party on the beach. This is his first time hosting that and the really unique thing about that is that Mark and his team will actually be catering that event," said Singleton.

"So it's quite unique to have a celebrity chef here actually physically catering the event. He'll be teaming up with a local team."

The organizer credits the local chefs for being key in growing the event. Singleton said theycookgreat meals with local food, in sometimes remote locations with limited cooking facilities.

"They are reallythe ones that make it happen so we really couldn't do it without them."

Fall Flavours begins September 1 and continues until October 1. A full schedule can be found on the festival's website.

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