By a vote of six to five, Cox’s Lemongrass Ginger Chicken soup defeats Chef Graham Barnes’s Split Pea and Bacon soup

It was a spectacular community turnout for the final showdown of the Kootenay Granite Stone Soup Challenge.

More than 180 people gathered in the Grand Ballroom at the Prestige Rocky Mountain Resort and Convention Centre to sample the soups of Chef Rusty Cox of the Heid Out Restaurant and Brewhouse and Chef Graham Barnes of Max’s Place.

The crowd buzzed with energy and conversation as they enjoyed the two soup creations; tables seemed to be equally divided between Cox’s Lemongrass Ginger Chicken with Vegetables and Chef Graham Barnes’s Split Pea and Bacon.

The 11 chef judges and celebrity guest judges were also torn. By a vote of six to five, the judges leaned ever so slightly to Cox’s soup.

“We are absolutely thrilled with how the community once again embraced this event,” says Riley Wilcox, Executive Director of the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation. “It truly was a collaborative community effort that concluded with a joyful celebration of food, friends, fun, and funds raised. We offer our most heartfelt thanks to our chefs, judges, sponsors, silent auction contributors and those who came and joined us today for lunch.”

About $10,500 was raised this year at the second Annual Kootenay Granite Stone Soup Challenge, bringing the total funds raised during the lifespan of the event to $22,500.

The Kootenay Granite Stone Soup Challenge is in support of the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation general endowment fund, which provides annual grants to local non-profits, as well as Salvation Army homeless shelter project.

Lead image: The competitors with the grand finale judges.

Cranbrook and District Community Foundation

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