On the banks of Calgary’s meandering Bow River, the elegant boutique Hotel Arts Kensington exudes the motto of Relais et Chateaux…comfort, calm and best of all in my books, Prairie flats, rolling foothills, ranch lands and a Rocky Mountain backdrop. This quintessential Alberta locale is more than an adventurer’s paradise. It is home to ranchers who raise some of the world’s best beef.
Celebrating Alberta’s ranching roots, Hotel Arts and Trail’s End Beef are hosting a Farm-to-Table dinner experience on Food Day Canada (August 3, 2019). Bringing the table to the farm, diners are hosted at the homeplace of Trail’s End Beef ranchers, Rachel and Tyler Herbert, where the prairie meets the rolling Porcupine Hills. A truly Albertan experience, guests will learn about local and ethical ranching practices from vegetarian turned rancher Rachel Herbert.
“We’ve always had a vision for a long table dinner in our barn, which is essentially the heart of our home,” says Rachel Herbert of Trail’s End Beef. “Sitting down to a meal with our friends, customers, and supporters of the ranch, not only celebrates how special truly ranch-raised grassfed beef tastes, but it recognizes the important relationship between producer and consumer. It is the genuine relationships that are centered around real food that allow our communities to thrive. Tyler and I believe in working hard for what we believe in – healthy, happy land, animals and family – and that good food and drink are one of life’s biggest rewards for how hard we work.”
Trails End Ranch was the original summer range of the Ings family (famous Alberta ranchers who settled here in the 1880’s) and has been passed down through the family over four generations. The latest generations, Linda Loree and her daughter, Rachel (along with husband Tyler Herbert) introduced the grass-fed and direct to consumer ranching practices that we see today.
From farm to table. Along with learning about Alberta’s ranching roots, dinner guests will savour a four-course beef and barely inspired menu by Hotel Arts Executive Chef Quinn Staple complemented with pairings from Alberta craft breweries and distilleries.
“Celebrating Canadian food in our restaurants and educating customers to learn more about where our food comes from and why we should support Canadian farmers and producers is built into our way of life,” says Chef Staple. “This is what inspired us to go to the ranch for our Food Day Canada dinner. The experience will provide guests with an intimate opportunity to engage with and learn from the ranchers who raise the beef and their relationship with the chefs and at-home cooks who prepare it.
Contact Oxbow Hotel Arts Kensington at the number below to reserve a Food Day Canada table.