The Elgin Street Mission held its second annual Sensational Soup-Off fundraiser Friday to support its operations.
Community members gathered in the parking lot across from the mission March 27 to do their bit to help those in need, as well as enjoy some delicious soup. Proceeds from the event support the work of the Elgin Street Mission, which provides services such as meals, showers and laundry to the city’s vulnerable population.
Members of the public were welcomed to try a variety of soups. A panel of celebrity judges then sampled the soups, with the Colonial Sports Bar taking home the win for their perogy soup, making them back-to-back champions.
The fundraising goal was $5,000, with people encouraged to make donations in exchange for a bowl of soup.
“It’s been a long winter for all of us, and especially for our clients,” said Amanda Labreche, the director chaplain of the Elgin Street Mission.
“There’s been a lot of loss recently. So this is just a great event to get people out and have a nice bowl of soup. The sun is shining, and soup warms the heart and the soul.”
Labreche said she very much appreciates the restaurants who contributed pots of soup.
“These restaurants give of their time, of their resources, and we’re so thankful that they can come and do this,” she said.
Mayor Paul Lefebvre was one of the celebrity judges.
He said whenever the Elgin Street Mission or the neighbouring Blue Door Soup Kitchen ask for support, he’s happy to help.
The participating restaurants go “out of their way to really bring it up a notch, and it’s just phenomenal to be here,” Lefebvre said.
Sudburian Chris Mask, who has appeared on MasterChef Canada and Wall of Chefs, was at the event along with daughter Olivia, 14, with their smoked salmon and fennel chowder.
The enthusiastic foodie said he was excited to be asked to take part.
“So we made a smoked salmon chowder, and we confited the salmon and butter,” he said. “And then, in turn, I took the skins from the salmon and the butter from the confit. I dehydrated the skins, we turned it into another type of butter, which we put on a crostini.
“We’ve got a creme fresh with a little bit of dulse in it, some lemon, some dill, and then we’ve got a little bit of the extra smoked salmon that we’re putting on top. You scoop that all into the bowl, dip your crostini in there, and Bob’s your uncle.”
Sean Trottier, night shift cook with Hardrock42 Gastropub, made a roasted red pepper mulligatawny soup, with curry and apples.
“It’s a really simple soup, but delicious,” Trottier said, who added he thinks the event is fantastic. “I’m super stoked to be out here. It’s providing soul food for people that speaks to me.”
Food industry participants in the event included: Apollo Restaurant, Overtime Sports Bar and Grill, Colonial Sports Bar, Hilton Garden Inn, Elgin St. Mission, Blue Door Soup Kitchen, M.I.C. Canadian Eatery, Hardrock 42, Gus’ Restaurant, Chris Mask, Kuppajo Espresso Bar, Ukrainian Seniors’ Centre and Wander Food & Wine.
Celebrity judges included: Mayor Paul Lefebvre, Greater Sudbury Police Chief Sara Cunningham, Ward 7 Coun. and Sudbury Food Bank executive director Natalie Labbee, ReMax Crown Realty representative Giorgio Lagana, Sudbury Pure Country host Bryan Cooper and Blue Door Soup Kitchen representative Marc Leduc.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor.
