Partial proceeds raised from this event help fund scholarships for the B.C. Chefs’ Association and support several health organizations.

Hyatt Regency, Vancouver

Thursday, March 15th, 2012

Judging @ 6:30PM; Dinner: 7:30 PM

This is a fun and healthy competition that has been taking place for over a decade. It is organized by the BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA) in collaboration with the BC Chefs Association (BCAA).

This event takes place usually every March on the third Wednesday of the month except in a leap year.

Judging is based on:

Taste and texture components, Artistic appearance of the food presentation, correct cooking procedure in order to receive maximum nutritional benefit of ingredients, mandatory use of six fruit or vegetables promoting healthy cuisine and the overall table display that showcases the property.
Prizes and Trophies will be given out to the top five winners

Metro Vancouver is among the top destinations outside of China for outstanding Chinese cuisine. The BC Chinese Chef of the Year Competition aims to recognize culinary professionalism in local Chinese restaurants and to raise the profiles of Chinese chefs within the wider chef community. While other restaurant awards acknowledge winning restaurants’ cuisine excellence, the BC Chinese Chef of the Year will endorse the individuals behind the gourmet dishes.
The competing chefs are members of the Canadian Culinary Federation (CCFCC) and the BC Chefs Association. Nine teams have been selected to date, based on merit and experience.

• Gordon Ping Wah Chan of Always Seafood Restaurant
• Sam Ka Bo Leung of Dynasty Seafood Restaurant
• Wing Ho of Fortune Seafood Restaurant
• Anthony Shy Wing Leung of Grand Dynasty Seafood Restaurant
• Joseph Jiang of The Jade Seafood Restaurant
• Kent Wong of Red Sun Seafood Restaurant
• Chun Lum Ma of Shiang Garden Seafood Restaurant
• Keng Wai Ng of Vivacity Restaurant
• Todd Bright of Wild Rice Modern Chinese Restaurant

“The competition will surely be the highest-profiled professional Chinese chef event for the Chinese chef community in this province,” said Chef Donald Gyurkovits, CCFCC president and one of the event organizers. “I am so proud of my colleagues in the Chinese community for stepping up to this exciting challenge. I look forward to witnessing the making of Canadian culinary history!”

Over the two-day event, the chef teams will be engaged in multiple rounds of competitions with the quarter-final, semi-final and final rounds of competition carried out in the black box format.

“This competition offers chefs a brilliant opportunity for both professional and personal development,” said Chief Judge Alex Chen, Canada’s representative to the Bocuse d’Or and one of Canada’s top chefs. After getting his own competition start at the BC Foodservice Expo over 10 years ago, Chef Chen is delighted to come full circle and to be judging here for 2012.

With over 250 exhibit booths featuring new products, foods, ideas and services, the BC Foodservice Expo is British Columbia’s largest hospitality trade show. Industry professionals who register will join more than 5,000 attendees who travel from the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan to attend two days of focused trade show, seminars and chef competitions.

Register online at www.bcfoodexpo.ca to take advantage of the special advance discount – $20 off the on-site registration fee.

The BC Foodservice Expo is owned and operated by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, one of the country’s leading business associations with more than 30,000 members. CRFA also owns and operates the CRFA Show (www.crfashow.ca) and is the title sponsor of the ApEx show in Halifax (www.apextradeshow.ca) and the Alberta Foodservice Expo (www.albertafoodserviceexpo.ca). Proceeds from the shows fund CRFA’s advocacy, research and member services in support of a growing and prosperous Canadian restaurant industry.

Back by popular demand! At house wine it’s not just about the grape; sometimes we cheat on wine… In honour of Robbie Burns Day, we are excited to toast the great poet and share our passion for our favourite brown spirit. Explore the wonderful world of Scotch with healthy drams of various blends as well as Single Malts from Islay, the Highlands, the Lowlands and more. Don’t worry, we’ll forego the haggis and serve cheese instead!

Following are just some of the highlights:

• Bruichladdich, ‘Laddie Classic’, Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky $95
• Glenrothes, ‘Select Reserve’ Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky $80
• Glendronach, 12 yr old, Sherry Cask, Highland Single Malt Scotch $65
• Glenkinchie, 12 yr old, Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky $90
• Glenmorangie, 10 yr old, The Original, Highland Single Malt Scotch $70
• Highland Park, 12 yr old, Orkney Island Single Malt Scotch $67
• The Famous Grouse, Blended Scotch Whisky $30

Date: Wednesday January 25th, 2012
Time: 6pm-8pm
Venue: Sculpture Gallery West
The Listel Hotel
1300 Robson St., Vancouver, BC
Cost:$45 (includes HST)

Click here to buy tickets.

Sunday, Feb 26

Join us for a special evening with Winemaker Grant Stanley.  Share Grant’s passion and taste his award-winning wines with cuisine prepared by executive chef Alana Peckham.
Family owned and operated, Quails Gate Winery is known for producing premium wines that perfectly express the terroir of their origin, and have attracted considerable attention on the international stage.
Reservations

California Dreaming

Tuesday, April 17 | 6:30 p.m. | $195, all inclusive

It’s a stellar line-up from six of California’s most prestigious wineries as Vintage Corks and West join to present an intimate, epicurean adventure exclusively for this Arts Club fundraiser. Executive Chef Quang Dang will craft a compelling five-course menu from pristine local ingredients, paired with top vintages from Blackbird Vineyards, Dry Creek Vineyard, Duckhorn Wine Company, Dutcher Crossing Winery, Heitz Cellars, and Silver Oak Cellars. Senior representatives from each winery, including proprietors and winemakers, will introduce each wine.

Tickets | 604-687-5315 x248 | specialevents@artsclub.com

Le Vieux Pin has a French focus.  Their website declares: “Our goal is to make wines that capture the essence of French winemaking tradition, but with the fruit and character of theNew World. We are dedicated to making wines that are elegant and focused, with great intensity of fruit.” To create their special wines, they irrigate as little as possible, and harvest very low crop yields, which give the wines wonderful flavours.

LaStella was created to “capture [the Italian] vision of la dolce vita: fine food, wonderful wine, great music, and the good things in life.”  The wines are named after musical terms, e.g. Allegretto and Fortissimo. LaStella’s farming practices are the same as Le Vieux Pin’s – interfere as little as possible, and let the terroir do the talking.

Both wineries were among the first to farm sustainably – to let the natural vegetation grow between the vines and to severely limit irrigation – and to have sorting tables, so individual grapes can be rejected. This kind of dedication takes time and money, and we’re very lucky to able to try several examples of it!

Wines we will get to try:

Le Vieux Pin:

2010 Sauvignon Blanc

2010 Ava Viognier/Roussane/Marsanne

2008 Syrah

2008 Equinoxe Syrah

2009 Syrah

           LaStella:

2009 Fortissimo (Tuscan blend)

2008 Allegreto “Pie Franco Merlot”

2008 Maestoso Merlot

2010 Moscato d’Osoyoos

 This is a tasting that most members of the public will never get a chance to experience! Sign up soon – space is limited. Remember that our last two tastings sold out!

Date: Tuesday February 21, 2012
Time: 7:30 – 9:30 pm
Place: The Listel Hotel,1300 Robson St.,Vancouver
Price: only $40 members, $55 guests

Here is the link to sign up: http://www.bcwas.com/42.html
ATTENTION GUESTS! The BC Wine Appreciation Society is happy to offer you a special deal on membership. Join in the first quarter of 2012 and your membership, still only $40, will cover you until March 31, 2013 – up to three bonus months of our fun events! Sign up as a member now, and start 2012 with us.

Safe way home: Make sure you have a safe way home – take transit, call a cab, or ask a friend to be a designated driver. We will have transit tickets on hand for those who take BC Transit home.

No Refunds Policy: Please note that as a non-profit society, we are unable to provide refunds.

Grapes of Laugh is Vancouver TheatreSports League’s annual fundraising gala. Come down to The Improv Centre on Tuesday January 24th and partake in bottles of wine, buckets of laughs and fantastic silent auction packages – all in the name of supporting a local not-for-profit theatre.

January 24, 2012

Doors Open 6:45pm

Buy tickets online 

PURCHASE TICKETS  – 20 seats available – $65.25/ticket.

 Legacy Liquor Store welcomes you to the Harvest Table to sample the winter’s bounty. In the wine gallery, guests will be treated to some of the finest BC VQA wines, expertly chosen by our in-house Sommelier. Each wine will be perfectly paired with delightful canapés and appetizers, created using sustainably-grown meats and produce. Each wine and food pairing will celebrate the incredible vintners, growers, and agricultural offerings of British Columbia.

#dineout Dine Out Vancouver and t

January 24, 25, 26
11am – 3pm
Vancouver Art Gallery, North Plaza
Free Entry

The much anticipated Street Food City is here. For three days during the Dine Out Vancouver Festival on the north plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery, Street Food City is your opportunity to sample from a collection of Vancouver’s Street Food carts all in one convenient location! Gather and feast on delicious food prepared by these vendors. Special Dine Out Vancouver Festival creations and discounts are available.

The Juice Truck - Fresh outta Gastown with cold pressed juice.
Appears Jan 25, 26
$1 off all juices

Soho Road - Featuring Tandoori Chicken wraps on fresh baked naan
Offering Free Chai

Coma Food Truck - Korean, Mexican Fusion
2 tacos with Korean brown ginger tea and orange, rosemary truffles for $15

Mom’s Grilled Cheese - Surprise Special Sandwiches

It’s all about Grill - Grilled Meats and Vegetables
Offering free pita bread

Tacofino Cantina - Fish Tacos and Burritos
Surprise special

The Brasserie - Chicken Sandwiches and Butter Tarts
Surprise Special

Re-Up BBQ - Southern BBQ
Bacon Explosion Sandwiches ($8)
New Mexico Chili with smoked pork shoulder ($6)
Black Bean and corn chili – veg ($4.5)
Combo sandwich and a chili and a drink for $12.

Off the Wagon Tacos - Mexican Fare
Breakfast and Lunch tacos

Lûdzu, is my favorite cocktail making, evil genius.

The guy makes his own bitters. That takes a lot of time…and doesn’t make you any money. So if you do it, you do it because you have an obsession.

I was actually introduced to a bottle of his Pirate Rum before I ever met him.  It was clearly created by someone with a remarkable palate and attention to detail. I knew I had to work with him.

Don’t tell him I said this, but he eats a lot of weird shit.

We went camping once and stumbled upon this Bison farm. Lûdzu insisted we buy all the Bison tongue we could eat, and then fiendishly went to work preparing it back at camp. It was incredible.

So, I’m excited to announce that we’ve finally paired up to create something tasty for Dine Out Vancouver…. voila!

Cocktails & Oysters
Join us in a classy underground bar, hidden in a chinatown warehouse for Cocktails & Oysters.

Cocktails (4) 
Gin & Tonics are all well and good, but it’s easier than you think to impress dinner guests with first class cocktails. Let Lûdzu show you how!

• 2 Classic Cocktails. These are your Go-To’s for dinner parties
•  Lûdzu explains when to shake, when to stir, and how to make them with style, while effortlessly rambling off fun facts about their historic significance
• Local Ingredients Cocktail
• Made with local herbs and ingredients, hand picked by Lûdzu himself.
• Molecular Mixology
• Crazy cocktail creations using foams and mists

Oysters (4) 
Curious Oyster Catering will lead a tasting of 4 distinct varieties of local oysters.

• Experience the intricacies of varying flavor profiles, in the freshest local oysters from Desolation Sound, BC
• Black Pearl - White shell with black stripes, light and sweet with hints of melon
• Marina’s Top Drawer - Gold in color with a frilly shell. Sweet and smooth
• Beach Angel - Robust and briny flavor, with a long, clean, cucumber finish
• Outlandish Gems - Delicate meat with hints of green apple candy and a delicate, briny finish

• How to shuck without stabbing yourself
• What to look for when buying oysters
• How to detect red tide

Dates:
Sat Jan 21, 7:30-9pm
Sat Jan 28, 7:30-9pm
Sat Feb 4, 7:30-9pm

Ticket price reduced for special Dine Out Vancouver rate -  $89$69
Double Date Rate (Group of 4+) - $79 $59

Email now to book - theswallowdive@gmail.com
Chef Robin