Around the world in a dozen plates

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Travel & Vacation Show took a decided culinary flair in the first weekend of April as no fewer than five guest chefs appeared on stage to showcase everything from Nova Scotia lobster to Mexican tostadas — and a traditional fried-rice Indonesian breakfast.

"Over the years we've deliberately and thoughtfully placed more emphasis on culinary travel," says organizer Halina Player of Player Expositions.

"This year I wanted to attract not only Canadian chefs, but chefs from other countries. And I got a very good response — I was actually offered two chefs from Ecuador and Argentina, but I couldn't accommodate them because I simply ran out of time slots on the demonstration schedule."

Scroll down for recipes. But first, here is a list of the chefs on stage:

Michael Howell, cookbook author and proprietor of the critically acclaimed Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville, N.S., who has twice cooked at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City. He made lobster rolls and then his award-winning grilled cheese panine Toscano;

Affable chef Steve Watson from Newfoundland and Labrador returned for a second year with pan-seared steelhead trout, as well as his ice-carving techniques using a chain saw;

Representing Mexico, chef José Hadad from Frida Restaurant in Toronto demonstrated authentic Mexican cuisine;

French-trained chef Eric Masson, owner of The Brentwood Bistro & Wine Bar in Little River, S.C., prepared South Carolina coastal cuisine with a French twist;

Indonesian embassy chef Ifmal Darmin demonstrated traditional breakfast with fried rice with myriad accompaniments.