Terroir Symposium 2026
There’s no shortage of food festivals that promise a good night out. You know the drill: massive rooms, tiny bites on toothpicks, a glass of wine in one hand while you try to take an Instagram story with the other. They’re fun, but they rarely leave you with much to think about the next morning.
TERROIR is a completely different beast.
Returning from May 27 to June 1, 2026, TERROIR is marking its 20th anniversary with the theme Joy of Food. Spanning both Calgary and Edmonton, this week-long gathering brings together the country’s top chefs, farmers, producers, and hospitality leaders for a series of conversations, dinners, workshops, and collaborations exploring the future of food. If you take food seriously, it is easily one of the most compelling culinary events in Canada.
Digging Deeper Than the Plate
At its core, TERROIR is about the connection between food and culture. It is a place where conversations about sustainable seafood, regenerative farming, Indigenous foodways, and restaurant design happen right alongside exceptional dinners and hands-on workshops.
The intellectual heart of the week is the annual Symposium at the Calgary Central Library. This year’s speaker lineup includes chefs and hospitality leaders such as Amanda Cohen, Alex Chen, Ned Bell, Chet Sharma, JP McMahon, and Daniele Uditi.
Expect discussions on everything from ocean conservation and responsible seafood sourcing to restaurant culture and hospitality leadership. Seafood Watch’s Jennifer Dianto Kemmerly will explore the future of sustainable seafood, while hospitality entrepreneur Cam Dobranski will share insights from decades spent shaping chef culture and restaurant operations across Canada.
Food is not the only focus. Beverage professionals and cocktail enthusiasts will find plenty to dig into as well, including a fermentation masterclass led by Irish drinks expert Linda O’Flynn, the Streetcar Terroir experience in Edmonton, and a late-night cocktail competition at Fu’s Repair Shop.
The Dinners Worth Travelling For
If you’re just in it for the food, the Signature Dining Series is worth the trip alone. These one-night-only collaborations pair leading Canadian chefs and international culinary voices with Alberta’s top culinary talent, creating immersive dining experiences rooted in seasonality, storytelling, and a strong sense of place.
Calgary Highlights
River Café: A Distinct Taste of Place
A celebration of Canada’s land-to-table identity featuring Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey of Pluvio Restaurant & Rooms in Ucluelet, chef Shane Harper of Pearl Morissette, and River Café’s Kristen Livingston. Drawing on regenerative farming and close chef-farmer relationships, the dinner explores how Canada’s landscapes shape what arrives on the plate.
Rouge Restaurant
A Scotland-meets-Alberta collaboration between acclaimed chef Peter McKenna and the Rouge team led by Paul Rogalski, Dean Fast, and Dylan Bretecher, with a focus on foraging and seasonal ingredients.
The Quartet Table at The Wilde on 27
One of the week’s most anticipated dinners brings together Jason Bangerter of Langdon Hall, Leroy Borrega, Josh Dyer, and Rupert Garcia for a multi-course exploration of Canada’s coast, prairie, forest, and field. Expect dishes such as BC ling cod, Alberta beef, Acadian sturgeon caviar, and summer truffle perogies paired with wines from Henry of Pelham.
Oxbow
A seven-course Nouvelle Cuisine-inspired dinner featuring Vancouver chef Alex Chen of Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar alongside Calgary chefs Junell Mission, Duncan Ly, and Jeremy Ouellette.
Pizza Letty
Master Pizzaiolo Daniele Uditi joins Calgary’s Daniel Ramon for a communal Italian-inspired dinner celebrating craftsmanship and regional ingredients.
SAIT
A mentorship-focused lunch featuring chef and author Bettina Schormann of Bardō and SAIT culinary students, highlighting the next generation of Canadian culinary talent.
Edmonton Highlights
Streetcar Terroir
A moving culinary experience aboard Edmonton’s historic streetcar. Chefs Winnie Chen, Tracy Little, and Liana Robberecht join Irish fermentation expert Linda O’Flynn and cocktail director Glaziem Garcia to explore culinary connections between Alberta, Ireland, and Asia through food, cocktails, and storytelling.
RGE RD Signature Dinner
A rare collaboration featuring Michelin Green Star chef Jess Murphy of Ireland’s Kai Restaurant alongside chefs Blair Lebsack and Jared Dunn. The dinner is paired with music from BLVCK SVM in a multisensory experience that blends food, music, and culture.
PÊHONÂN: Four Homelands, One Table
Easily one of the week’s most meaningful events. Chef Shane Chartrand hosts Kiki Aranita, Ari Miller, Victor Hugo Raya, and Lindsay Porter for an exploration of Indigenous food cultures spanning Canada, Mexico, Hawaii, and Great Britain. The evening combines storytelling, local ingredients, and conversations with Alberta farmers and producers.
More Than a Gathering of Chefs
What makes TERROIR unique is that it brings together every corner of hospitality. Chefs share the stage with farmers, beverage experts, producers, restaurateurs, and educators.
The result is a program that looks beyond what is trending right now and asks where Canadian food culture is heading next.
BC Represents
It is easy to look at an Alberta-based event and move on, but British Columbia’s influence runs throughout this year’s program.
Vancouver chef Alex Chen is featured in one of the marquee Calgary dinners, while Vancouver Island’s Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey of Pluvio join River Café for a celebration of Canadian terroir. Ned Bell is part of the symposium lineup, and sustainability conversations throughout the week will resonate with many of the same issues being discussed in Vancouver’s restaurant community.
More importantly, TERROIR acts as an incubator for the hospitality industry. The ideas debated on stage here, whether it’s a new approach to low-waste kitchens or a breakthrough in sustainable sourcing, often end up on Vancouver menus and wine lists months later.
For anyone who views dining out as something more than simply fueling up, TERROIR offers a rare look at the people and ideas driving the future of Canadian hospitality.
Celebrate 20 years
TERROIR has spent two decades building a reputation around curiosity, collaboration, and meaningful hospitality.
Its 20th anniversary edition celebrates that legacy through thoughtful conversations, ambitious dining experiences, and some of the most respected voices in food today.
For anyone who sees dining as more than simply eating, TERROIR offers something increasingly rare: an opportunity to understand the people, ideas, and places behind every meal.
