Golden Ladle 2025 was a Success!

Golden Ladle 2025 was a Success!

Golden Ladle 2025: A Delicious Success in Support of the Lamont County Food Bank

On November 22, 2025, the Bruderheim Agricultural Society hosted its inaugural Golden Ladle competition at the Bruderheim Memorial Community Centre. The event brought warmth, flavour, artistry, and community spirit to a chilly November evening in Bruderheim, Alberta—all in support of the County of Lamont Food Bank’s annual Christmas Hamper Project.

From 5:30 to 7:00 p.m., Lamont County residents gathered to sample the region’s finest soups, each lovingly prepared by local restaurants and caterers. For $25, attendees received event entry, unlimited soup tastings, and a beautiful, locally hand-thrown ceramic bowl to take home. These bowls—105 in total—were generously thrown and donated by a talented local potter, ensuring every ticket holder left with a meaningful, functional piece of art.
Children were welcomed into the event free of charge and encouraged to sample all the soups right alongside the adults.

A Feast for the Senses

The Golden Ladle wasn’t just about soup—it was a full showcase of creativity and community togetherness.
Chefs decorated their stations to entice guests with themed displays, gift cards, fresh breads, and fun interactions designed to capture votes. The energy in the room was warm, lively, and unmistakably local.

For those passionate about pottery, VIP tickets were available for $75, providing early entry at 5:00 p.m. and first choice from the handcrafted bowls.

Local Artists Add Heart, Talent & Atmosphere

Three exceptional local artists lent their creativity to the Golden Ladle, helping transform the evening into something truly special:

🎨 The Painting Fireman

A crowd favourite, The Painting Fireman performed a live painting, creating an original artwork that was later raffled off to one lucky ticket holder.
He also set up a “Pay What You Want” art wall, offering guests the chance to purchase his pieces at any price. Thanks to his generosity—and the generosity of attendees—over $500 was raised for the Lamont County Food Bank through his artwork alone.

🏺Wildfire Pottery – Over 100 Handcrafted Bowls

I donated 105 handmade ceramic bowls, each one wheel-thrown specifically for the Golden Ladle. These bowls were wrapped and placed in reusable bags for guests to take home as a keepsake. VIP ticket holders were given first pick of the collection. Contributing these bowls was a meaningful way for me to support the event, and I was honoured to add a touch of local craftsmanship to the evening.

🎶 Musician Kaleb Imgrund-Harvey

Adding warmth and atmosphere to the evening, local musician Kaleb Imgrund-Harvey performed live music throughout the event. His talent helped create a welcoming, relaxed environment as guests mingled, sampled soups, and cast their votes. His contribution brought heart, rhythm, and a true sense of celebration to the Golden Ladle.

Meet the Competitors

Six exceptional restaurants and caterers participated, each presenting their best soup:

Baba’s Bistro

A friendly family showdown featuring:

  • Shepherd’s Pie Soup — by “Mother”

  • Mushroom & Sausage Soup — by “Son”

Lily’s Steak & Pizza

  • Clam Chowder

Elk Island Catering

  • Potato Soup

Victoria Hotel

  • Italian Wedding Soup

Ironwood Catering

  • Hungarian Beef Goulash

And the Winners Are…

At 7:00 p.m., the voting closed and winners were announced:

🥇 Lamont County’s Best Soup 2025 – Ironwood Catering

Their hearty Beef Goulash earned the top title and the handcrafted Golden Ladle trophy. Ironwood’s win reflects their outstanding flavour and commitment to quality.

🧒 Kids’ Choice Winner – Elk Island Catering

Their creamy, comforting Potato Soup won the hearts of the event’s youngest guests—a clear sign of crowd-pleasing versatility.

Recognizing Our Volunteers

No event succeeds without the dedication of volunteers, and the Golden Ladle was no exception.
A team of enthusiastic, hardworking volunteers helped set up the hall, manage ticketing, wrap and organize the bowls, guide guests, support chefs, oversee voting, and keep the evening running smoothly from start to finish. Their kindness, efficiency, and community pride were felt in every corner of the event. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to each volunteer who donated their time and energy—your contributions made the Golden Ladle a truly seamless and welcoming experience.

Community Support That Made It All Possible

The Golden Ladle came to life thanks to an incredible showing of local support:

  • Town of Bruderheim — Donated the community centre rental

  • Gondola’s Steak & Pizza, Yachi’s Restaurant, Allison’s Oasis — Made generous monetary donations

  • Home Hardware (Lamont) — Provided reusable bags for all ticket holders

  • Cross Floral — Donated gorgeous floral centrepieces

  • Cale - Local artisan entrepreneur — Designed and created the Golden Ladle trophy

  • Wildfire Pottery — Donated over 100 handcrafted bowls

  • The Painting Fireman — Donated a live painting and raised over $500 through art sales

  • Kaleb Imgrund-Harvey — Performed live music throughout the evening

Every contribution helped raise funds for the County of Lamont Food Bank’s Christmas Hamper Project, which supports families in need during the holiday season.

A Heartfelt Thank You

The inaugural Golden Ladle was more than a soup competition—it was a celebration of generosity, local talent, flavour, and community pride.
To the chefs, artists, businesses, donors, volunteers, families, and guests: thank you for making this evening an unforgettable success.

We look forward to sharing even more warmth at next year’s Golden Ladle.