If the casts and crews of Alberta-based film and TV productions are wary of eating the province’s beef after the recent ‘mad cow disease’ scare, local caterers are ready to offer up plenty of alternatives.

Although bovine spongiform encephalopathy paranoia may yet become a factor in dissuading foreign productions from visiting the province, Keith Church of Calgary’s Cal-B-Ques insists there has been no fallout so far from the media reports and ultimately there is nothing to fear.

‘There’s been no proof of anything other than one [infected] cow so far,’ says Church. ‘I don’t think we have a tainted meat supply here in Alberta. We’re pretty confident in our farmers and our regulatory bodies that do inspections. That’s how they caught it in the first place.’

Having serviced recent productions including the cable movie The Clinic, the MOW The Legend of Butch & Sundance and the blockbuster feature X2, Cal-B-Ques offers red meat, white meat, fish and vegetarian entrees. ‘[Our clients] eat well, no doubt about it,’ says Church.

Filmworks Catering co-owner and chef Bruce Toy has serviced productions such as the westerns Open Range, Unforgiven, and Legends of the Fall. Despite boasting a specialty red meat dish of roast prime rib, Toy says caterers and chefs have various options available if worries about tainted Alberta beef prevail.

‘We usually use Alberta beef, but we can easily get beef from other places until things settle down a bit,’ says Toy, citing Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. as preferred exporters. ‘We have such a huge selection that most people find something on the menu that’s suitable for them and how they feel that day.’

For Dave Porter, owner and chef of Calgary’s Maverik Catering, which recently serviced the Ginger Snaps sequel and prequel, the plight of one ‘mad cow’ is not enough for him to drive his 44-foot trailer back to Toronto, where he started. But if the hype continues through to his next Alberta production, he says he will be ready.

‘We would look at what’s available as far as options are concerned and have to weigh them out at that time,’ he says.

-www.starcuisine.com (Filmworks Catering)