Last November, founder Roy Abourgeili approached us to promote and attend Privé Food Thought‘s inaugural event, “Ottawa’s Underground Chef’s Market.” Suffice it to say, I was dubious.

Originally, Abourgeili’s descriptions and the associated marketing brought back memories of “Taboo Eats” and its ill-fated “My Neighbourhood Bites” series of “amateur”-cooking competitions.

Taboo Eats met its abrupt end at the beginning of 2013. That is, despite a handful of events being held during the fall of 2012.

We participated in one of the Taboo Eats events, a pair of home cooks wanting to showcase one of our dishes. Our experience was mixed.

While we applaud then organizer Donna Henhoeffer for her vision and moxy to bring the Toronto Underground Market festival concept to Ottawa, we found Taboo Eats less than well organized. The event was a burden for the venue. In converting our recipe from an entree we would serve friends at a dinner party to an appetizer we could assemble and serve event-goers, it completely lost its integrity.

Privé Food Thought’s Underground Chef’s Market turned out a tad differently. Like Taboo Eats, Abourgeili recruited 20 aspiring-chefs and food-entrepreneurs. Unlike Taboo Eats, of the applicant vendors selected, the vast majority were professionals, cooks and sous whose day jobs saw them working the line. Each paid $150 to set up and operate stations at the Ottawa Convention Centre (55 Colonel By Drive). While Jenn and I were on honeymoon in Nice, France, approximately 1500 people attended.

“It was big and crazy,” described Abourgeili.

Several participants, like Tarek Hassan and Ulises Ortega, represented Ottawa’s emerging street food contingent. Licensed to operate on specific street-side locations, they own the Gongfu Bao and Mr. Churritos carts, respectively. Both are also equipped for indoor onsite catering.

Unlike Henhoeffer, Abourgeili’s intention is to help expose the National Capital Region to innovative food ideas. Consider his event an incubator, empowering talented cooks to try something new in a controlled environment. Well, as controlled as a 1500-2000 attendee station-based food festival-style event can possibly be. While Henhoeffer claimed she was working towards opening a “community kitchen” for developing and commercializing new products, Abourgeili, originally started Privé as a marketing company.

While lamenting the sheer number of big-chain restaurants in Ottawa, he explained that he wanted to support local chefs and cooks. He wants to cultivate a more mature dining-out crowd by diversifying options in the food scene.

Participating in his family’s food enterprise, Orlean’s Delicious Steakhouse, he knows first hand how difficult it is to launch anything, let alone make it successful. His sentiment is shared by street food operators. The lower upfront costs and overhead of a street cart or modest food truck means it can be somewhat easier for entrepreneurs to strike out their own.

“I want to let chefs try new ideas; test the waters; introduce [their] food to people; [and] get real feedback.”

“There is talent in Ottawa. [People] just need to be given the opportunity.”

The approach makes sense. Experimental food can be market tested on event attendees. However, vendors need to contend with long lineups of impatient people. This means frantic service to get food out and extremely limited field kitchens.

Next Saturday (February 22, 2014), Privé will hold its second event, a noodlefest called “Sip n’ Slurp.” Ottawa having a renewed interest in noodles, the event is nearly sold out. Tickets are $10/person (not including Eventbrite’s transaction fee). Dishes are priced $1-6, cash-only. Click here to purchase tickets.

Why noodles? Said Abourgeili, “Why Not? People love noodles! Everybody loves noodles! They’re great for winter!”

While the city isn’t known for its ethnic options, there are noodles here. And, there is a case to be made that immigration in Ottawa and the resulting cultural exchange grew our dining-out options in the 80s. At one point in time, Italian food was considered “ethnic.” Pizza “pies” pushed boundaries. Today, everyone clambers for bowls of fresh Japanese ramen. There is A LOT of Vietnamese pho here.

So, back to Sip n’ Slurp. Lessons learned from the first event? Abourgeili planned fewer sweet options; more savoury.

“It was very good. People loved [the event], but they don’t go crazy for desserts. People want more food than desserts.”

Graciously, he shared a sneak-peak at the lineup:

Savoury

Chow Down: An Asian-fusion food truck (one of the on-street permit incumbents)

Gongfu Bao: A fusion steamed bun food cart (one of the on-street permit incumbents)

Wei’s Noodle House (726 Somerset Street W.): A new pseudo-fusion noodle house in Chinatown (formerly Fuschian). Every bowl seems based on Vietnamese pho.

New Mee Fung Restaurant (350 Booth Street): A celebrated Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown

Buns with Balls: A soup vendor from previous event

Miso Japanese Restaurant (132 Bank Street): A Japanese-fusion restaurant (formerly Teriyaki Plus and Kyoto Sushi) located at the corner of Bank and Slater streets.

My Catering Group

5 Senses Catering

Sweet

Hot Cream Holes: A hand-made doughnut ice cream sandwich vender.

Mr Churritos: A churros food cart (one of the on-street permit incumbents)

Chef Jonny Korecki will be participating, so you can pretty much assume there will be David Chang’s Momofuku Noodle Bar-style ramen. It is a poorly kept secret that his brigade prepares ramen noodles from scratch during lunch service at Sidedoor Contemporary Kitchen (18 York Street). In fact, noodles are popular enough, Korecki trained a passionate ramen cook, Nick Beech.

The Sip n’ Slurp is shaping up to be an interesting event!

Only, Abourgeili begs attendees have patience. Even for many of the seasoned pros, this will be the first opportunity they serve noodle soup. Each vendor will be trying their very best to keep up with demand.

Also, as before, this is a cocktail event. So, expect the Convention Centre to set up a number of cash bar stations.

Jenn and I purchased our tickets months ago. Are you going to come slurp noodles with us?

What: Sip n’ Slurp! Ottawa’s NoodleFest

Where: Ottawa Convention Centre (55 Colonel By Drive)

When: Saturday, February 22, 2014 from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM

Cost: $10 per person for entry (not including Eventbrite transaction fee); “All food is priced between 1-6$”

Update: