Table to Palate at Cirillo's Culinary Academy

Stepping into Cirillo's Culinary Academy feels like stepping on to the set of a top cooking show. The neutral colours of the walls and floors are enlivened by perfectly placed flower arrangements of vibrant neon greens and crisp white. The immaculately clean space holds numerous cooking stations, each loaded to the brim with all the shiniest cooking gadgets one can imagine. The space is warm, elegant and obviously quite functional while still managing to look like a dream kitchen from the food network. The academy turned out to be the perfect venue for one of Table to Palates first events held on April 20th, 2010. The event, an interactive wine tasting that combined food, wine and great company, was featured around the question as to whether or not wine tastes differently depending on the type of glass that was being used. Between the always entertaining, yet of course educating, antics of wine writer and connoisseur Michael Pinkus, delicious wines courtesy of Nicolas Pearce and Tannin Fine wines, stellar Schott Zwiesel glassware provided by Lloyd Thistle of Fortessa Canada Inc. and amazing food caringly prepared by Chef John Cirillo, the night turned out to be fabulously informative and fun evening.
Aside from being in a culinary academy, surrounded by a place setting that included five very differently shaped crystal wine stems, the set up was quite similar to that of a restaurant. Chef Cirillo diligently worked away at the front of the school; preparing five different courses that were specially paired with the five wines from various wineries including the Ontario based Organized Crime Winery.

The wine procedure was simple: each wine was first poured into a tasting glass. From there, we poured a little bit of that wine into each of the varying glasses in front of us. We then took turns sniffing and tasting the wine from the differently shaped and sized glasses, testing to see the difference that each glass made. A general vote, via hands in the air, was then taken by Michael to see which wines were preferred with which glass, whereupon the shape of the glass and its intended function was discussed by Lloyd and Michael. At the beginning of the night few were brave enough to outwardly answer why they preferred particular glasses but as the wine flowed and the food served, we all began to warm up to the idea of sharing, sometimes yelling out, our opinions.

After Lloyds brief introduction to Fortessa Stemware and their patent Tritan technology (which was demonstrated by Lloyd by banging one of the glasses against a counter top- and I mean banging, this was no gentle tap-to illustrate how Schott Zwiesel's use of a titanium alloy instead of lead ensures a durable, scratch resistant yet still delicate and stylish glass) it was time to eat, drink and gab.

I have been to other wine tastings before that say that food pairings will be served only to be left bitter and hungry afterwards when all that is offered are fancy crackers and minute slabs of cheese but Chef Cirillo fed us like kings. His gastronomic creations blew all of those other wine tasting food offerings out of the water, where they were then beaten, to a pulp. I would honestly consider trading in my first born for a life time supply of Cirillo's creamy risotto.

What more can one ask for when they are surrounded by amazing wine, unforgettable food, great people and fabulous stemware?

Cheers!


About Michael Pinkus
Michael Pinkus is the Grape Guy and head writer behind the renowned site ontariowinereview.com. The award winning writer is also vice president of the Wine Writers Circle of Canada and in 2009 he placed fourth out of 250 other amateur and professional wine know-it-alls in the Tasting Challenge held in Toronto. Most Recently, Mr.Pinkus was awarded the Promoting the Promoters Media award at Cuvee 2010. He has stated that it is his mission to bring Ontario wines into a more positive light, not just for fellow Ontarians but global wine lovers alike. His incredibly personable, witty and informative reviews and writings are highly popular as they are not only educational but are also very encouraging in terms of inspiring others to form their own understandings and love of wine.


About Chef Cirillo
Chef John Cirillo is renowned for his role in promoting the culinary arts. He is a two-time honoree (1998 and 2003) of the Escoffier Society of Toronto’s “Chef of the Year” award. After years spent mastering his craft abroad, Chef Cirillo was appointed executive Sous Chef at the Hilton Toronto working under distinguished Chef Albert Schnell between 1994 and 1996. At age 31, Chef Cirillo was named Executive Chef to the Hilton Toronto Airport. Four years later he was appointed to the position of Executive Chef of the Hilton Toronto. Chef Cirillo is an active member of the Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks, Escoffier Society of Toronto and the international organization, Les Toques Blanches.


About Lloyd Thistle
Lloyd Thistle is the President of Fortessa Canada Inc, a company that through innovations in products and processes, strategic partnerships and the use of modern facilities and cutting-edge technology, has become a leader in the tableware industry. Their prominent line of crystal stemware, Schott Zwiesel, is the inventor of Tritan Technology- a crystal that uses a titanium alloy rather than lead, which thus hardens the surface of the stemware, making it more durable and scratch resistant. The technology allows for stemware that has the same clarity and aesthetics as other crystals but with a much lower breakage rate.
“This is not your Grandma’s crystal, it’s not your mama’s crystal either, this stuff has to be experienced to be believed.” (Michael Pinkus)