The most extraordinary culinary weekend you will ever experience!

February 10 – 11, 2012  Kelowna, British Columbia

The Gold Medal Plates Grand Finale takes place February 10 and 11 in Kelowna. The Canadian Culinary Championships promises to be a very exciting weekend and one of the most intense culinary competitions you will ever witness. This year, nine incredible chefs, each representing their given city who will be crowned Gold Medal Plates winners across Canada will vie for the title of The Gold Medal Plates Canadian Culinary Champion for 2012 and get the bragging rights for the next year as Canada’s Greatest Chef! Each Chef will partake in three thrilling and grueling challenges in Canada’s own intense ‘Iron Chef’ competition!

The Canadian Culinary Championships

Thursday, February 9

7:00 pm – The VIP Welcome Reception
Quails’ Gate Winery, 3303 Boucherie Road, Kelowna, BC
Dress Code: Business                                                                                                                              

This is the official kick off to the competition! Chef, sous chefs, judges, sponsors and executive committee and media are invited.

A short question and answer session will be conducted with each chef, by way of an introduction. The details of the three competitions will be explained and the rules reiterated. Chefs will be assigned their apprentice assistants. During the reception, the chefs will be presented with an unlabelled bottle of the “mystery wine” and be given a sum of money to spend on ingredients that will be part of the Wine Pairing Competition on the following evening.

Friday, February 10

6:00 pm – The Welcome Reception and Mystery Wine Pairing (Competition I)
Hotel Eldorado, 500 Cook Road, Kelowna, BC                                                                                                                                                                                     Dress Code: Cocktail Chic                                                                                                                                    

Chefs will be presented with a mystery bottle of wine on Thursday night and are then required to prepare a dish that best complements the mysterious vintage. During the event guests will taste the mystery wine and play ‘judge’ as the chefs create a fabulous dish to pair with a challenging Mystery Wine. Food and wine included. Guests will vote for who they feel best paired their dish with the wine in the ‘People’s Choice Award’.

 Saturday, February 11 – The intensity mounts!

8:00 am – 10:35 am OR 10:15 am – 12:45 pm – The Black Box (Competition II) 
Okanagan College Culinary Arts Department, 1000 KLO Road, Kelowna, BC
Dress Code: Casual

Chefs will receive only 10 minutes notice, and a black box containing a small array of diverse foods before having to produce and plate two spectacular dishes for the national judges. All in one very short hour! You won’t get much closer to watching an Iron Chef type competition than this – you will be a spectator in the kitchen! You will be provided with tickets for either time slot.

Saturday, February 11 – The Grand Finale (Competition III)    

5:45 pm – VIP Reception
6:45 pm – Competition Opens
Delta Grand Okanagan Hotel, 1310 Water Street, Conference Centre
Dress Code: Cocktail

Your VIP tickets include access to the VIP reception featuring 2011 Canadian Culinary Champion Martin Juneau of Newtown Restaurant, Montreal; the Grand finale competition, show co-produced by Jim Cuddy featuring Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies and Canadian music icon Barney Bentall. During the competition guests will sample the actual competition dishes being judged by the national panel from all nine gold medal contenders. Each competing chef will have a paired wine from the winery he competed with regionally. The evening will conclude with the crowning of Canada’s Gold Medal Chef for 2012!

For more information regarding the event please visit goldmedalplates.com or contact Gold Medal Plates Manager, Lisa Pasin, at  780-448-5945 or goldmedalplates@comlinks.ca

Canadian Culinary Championships 2012

The competitors and the winery pairing for the grand finale:

WINNIPEG – Michael Dacquisto – Wow Hospitality

Paired with Gray Monk Estate Winery

MONTREAL – Jean-Philippe St-Denis – Kitchen Galerie Poisson

Paired with McAuslan Brewery

CALGARY – Michael Dekker – Rouge

Paired with Stratus Vineyards

VANCOUVER – Rob Feenie – Cactus Club Restaurants

Paired with Haywire Winery

EDMONTON – Jan Trittenbach – Packrat Louie

Paired with Peller Estates Winery

SASKATOON – Anthony McCarthy – Saskatoon Club, Saskatoon

Paired with Nichol Vineyard

OTTAWA – Marc Lepine – Atelier

Paired with Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery

TORONTO – Jonathan Gushue – Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa

Paired with The Organized Crime Winery

ST. JOHN’S – Mike Barsky – Bacalao

Paired with Pelee Island Winery

No prerequisite is required other than an interest in the cocktail culture and to have some fun with friends and neighbours.  Liquid Sundays begin on January 15^th with a look at the ‘field to glass’ philosophy of the bar at RauDZ and the use of locally sourced ingredients for the cocktails.  Throughout the eight-week term, classes will include The Classics, with a look at libations from over 200 years that stand the test of time, Craft Beers and Ales which is a night for beer-lovers with an inside look at the history and craftsmanship of your favourite styles of beer plus class is topped off with an exclusive keg-tapping.  For those who want to recreate cocktails at home, Tools and Techniques will get you behind the bar to shake, muddle and mix to entertain your guests.

Curriculum

January 15    Field to Glass Local Spirits – An evening dedicated to our local farmers, artisans, alesmiths and distillers.  Cocktails that exemplify the RauDZ bar team’s commitment to translating local wares into memorable cocktails.

January 22     The Classics - Libations from over 200 years ago still stand the test of time.  Come learn about the beauty of simplicity and balance to cocktailing and the legendary bartenders who started it all.

January 29    Prohibition – Come learn about the history of Speakeasies, bathtub gin, moonshining and rum-running during this dark chapter in bartending history.  Cocktails from this era will be the focus of the night.

February 5    Tiki:  Donn Beach vs. Trader Vic – Two amazing bartenders with a new exotic, avant-garde style of bartending.  Who created tiki?  Who truly created the Mai-Tai?  Come explore the intense rivalry between these two barmen, Polynesian cocktails and judge whose cocktails are truly superior.

February 12    Craft Beers and Ales - For the beer lovers, this night is for you.  Come join us for an inside look at the history and craftsmanship that goes into your favourite styles of beer.  An exclusive Keg tapping will also be on the bar for you to witness and enjoy!

February 19   Senses - We’ll study the psychology of the senses as they relate to the cocktail experience.  Aromas, mouth-feel, inter-activity, psychoactive properties and aphrodisiacs will be featured in the creation of tonight’s cocktails.

February 26    Tools & Techniques - An evening for you to et up, come behind the bar and learn how to shake, stir, muddle and mix.  Learn how to properly use egg whites, make your own syrups and sodas, infusion sugars, garnishes and how to equip your home bar for entertaining guests.

March 4 – Under the Influence - Every great cocktail has a great story behind it.  Join us for an evening of cocktails inspired by our bartenders favourite music, film, television and authors.  A peek behind the curtain of our creative process will be the focus of our last class.

Tuition

Liquid Sundays begins Sunday, January 15^th for 8 consecutive weeks from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. Tickets are $40 for each class or 3 classes for $100 and must be purchased in advance by calling 250–868-8805 or email info@raudz.com.  Unlike school, with Liquid Sundays you can join us for one or all eight classes but space is limited so contact the RauDZ registrar today.

RauDZ© Regional Table is owned and operated by the award winning team of Chef Rod Butters and Audrey Surrao. Located in the Okanagan Valley, an area described by Chef Butters as the “ultimate chefs playground” the menu focuses on fresh, regional cuisine with fun presentation.  RauDZ© Regional Table is located at 1560 Water Street, in downtown Kelowna, BC.

Open 7 days a week from 5:00 pm.

250-868-8805

www.raudz.com

Follow Chef Butters on Twitter @raudz

Follow Audrey Surrao on Twitter @raudzbar

Christmas Eve Dinner and New Year’s Eve Tasting Menu

Embrace the seasonal spirit this December with a special Christmas Eve Dinner and New Year’s Eve feature menu at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards destination restaurant, Miradoro. Located amongst the stunning views of the South Okanagan Valley wine country, Miradoro offers a welcoming reprieve this holiday season.

For those looking for a little holiday cheer, Miradoro Restaurant is serving a three-course Christmas Eve Dinner crafted by talented Executive Chef Jeff Van Geest. For $30 guests will enjoy a local and seasonally inspired set menu with your choice of Roast Beef or Turkey.

New Year’s Eve at Miradoro is sure to be a night to remember with Chef Jeff Van Geest and his talented team serving a spectacular last meal of the year. Combined with award-winning wines of Tinhorn Creek Vineyards, the New Year’s Eve feature menu highlights include fresh oysters on the half shell, porcini crusted venison loin, wild mushroom risotto and spiced pumpkin pannacotta. Guests have the option to order this feature set menu or order a la carte, and will enjoy a glass of sparkling wine and party favours at midnight. The New Years Eve menu is priced at $75 not including applicable taxes and gratuity.

Miradoro Restaurant New Year’s Eve Menu

 ($75)

Fresh oysters on the half shell, uni & peach mignonette

~

Foie gras terrine, quince compote, pannetone strata

or

Heirloom tomato bisque, chive Chantilly, vanilly oil

~

Smoked sablefish, potato & scallion omelette, mussel cioppino

or

Porcini crusted venison loin, syrah reduction, juniper chocolate gel, potato terrine

or

Wild mushroom risotto with winter squash frito, shaved truffle

~

Chocolate chestnut cake, dulce de leche, vanilla bean ice cream

or

Spiced pumpkin pannacotta, amaretti cookies, marsala infused maple syrup

Gather old and new friends this holiday season for tasty celebrations at British Columbia’s premiere winery restaurant, Miradoro. For reservations please call (250) 498-3742.

About Miradoro Restaurant

Miradoro Restaurant was named one of the “World’s Best Winery Restaurants” by Wine Access Magazine. Perched on the picturesque Tinhorn Creek Vineyards estate on the famed Golden Mile, the destination restaurant offers stunning views of the South Okanagan Valley wine country. Mediterranean-influenced cuisine by Executive Chef Jeff Van Geest showcases the region’s finest ingredients, while Sommelier Justin McAuliffe’s wine list highlights the award-winning wines of Tinhorn Creek Vineyards. Seamlessly integrating a modern look with the natural landscape and the more traditional design of Tinhorn Creek’s winery and barrel cellar, the 4,000-square-foot space features 65 seats indoors and 65 seats outdoors on a wraparound deck. Ample use of natural woods and cork creates a room that is simple, elegant — and lets the food, wine and view be the stars of the show.

www.miradoro.ca.

The Medal Winners Tasting, one of the M-Room Fondue’s and the Port & Cheese Social are already sold out. The Sun Peaks Progressive Tasting is already over 50% sold, with just under 300 tickets remaining for the signature event of the festival.

The 14^th annual festival includes close to 20 events over nine days, including culinary events, wine tastings, educational seminars and outdoor recreation. A total of 24 wineries are participating throughout the festival, such as Sumac Ridge Winery, St. Hubertus Winery, Rollingdale Winery and many more!

New events this winter include From Russia with Love…and Wine…and Vodka and All the Grapes You’ve Wanted to Try But Haven’t Yet, both après ski style seminars. The festival also brings back old favourites including The Sun Peaks Progressive Tasting, Worshipping Icewines, and two Winemasters’ Dinners.

Ticket prices range from $20 to $120, offering Christmas shoppers a great chance to snatch up tickets as stocking stuffers for loved ones on their gift-giving list!

For full event details and package information, visit http://www.sunpeaksresort.com/events-and-festivals/winter-festival-of-wine

About Sun Peaks: Sun Peaks Resort is a four season destination resort located in the interior of British Columbia near Kamloops. Recently declared the 2^nd Best Ski Resort in Canada and 13^th Best in North America by Condé Nast Traveller Magazine readers, Sun Peaks has three mountains which surround an intimate ski-in, ski-out village. In other seasons, Sun Peaks offers a diverse range of leisure activities including 18 holes of golf as well as numerous events and festivals. Sun Peaks Resort was the first ski resort in North America and is the only resort in Canada to receive the ISO 14001 designation recognizing the resorts environmental policies and practices.  Sun Peaks can be accessed by two airport gateways – Kamloops (45 minutes) and Kelowna (2 1/2 hours) and by car, only a 4 ¼ hour drive separates Sun Peaks and Vancouver, B.C.        

The first Eat.Drink.Tweet. was a sellout and a trending topic in Canada on Twitter. Don’t miss out! 

This year EDT features a pre-conference session on blogging, the return of live Twitter wine tasting with Naramata Bench Wineries, keynote speaker and LinkedIn “guru” Rob Duncan on the topic of collaboration, along with seminars, workshops and presentations. Attend the full conference or select specific events, the choice is yours.

We will once again be hosted by Okanagan College, Penticton, in their brand new Centre for Excellence building, and the Penticton Ramada has special rates for those visiting wine country for Eat.Drink.Tweet.

Details on the registration page – take advantage of the early bird rate till December 16 — onFacebook, the new Eat.Drink.Tweet. Google+ page, and under the Twitter hashtag #eatdrinktweet, curated by @allisonmmarkin.

Eat.Drink.Tweet is a recent winner of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association’s award for Social Media Initiative for 2011, and a recipient of the prestigious 2012 International LERN Award for Marketing Initiative.

Time: February 17, 2012 at 9am to February 19, 2012 at 12pm
Location: Okanagan College – Penticton Campus
Street: 583 Duncan Avenue
City/Town: Penticton
Website or Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q…
Event Type: conference
Organized By: Allison M Markin

Okanagan/Kelowna November 8

B.C.  Wine Museum

Wine tasting with appetizers

Tickets: Mosaic Books 250-763-4418 or the Museum

Info: http://bit.ly/OkanaganEvent

Vancouver November 21

Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel

Tasting of a number of wine and cheese pairings

Tickets: http://tktwb.tw/VanWine

Info: http://bit.ly/VanPacRim

Named the World’s Best Drink Writer at the World food Media Awards, the Canadian journalist and sommelier Natalie is just back from a whirlwind trip to uncover the world’s best bargain wines and share them with you.

She’ll also share stories about fascinating winemakers and gorgeous, remote vineyards with her quirky humour and insider smarts that made her first book, Red, White and Drunk All Over, the only wine book ever to get on the national bestseller list. The Globe & Mail also named it one of the best books of the year.

Space is limited for these exclusive BC events. Reserve your tickets now. Your ticket price includes a personally signed copy of Natalie’s new book, Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wine plus a wine tasting. Following the sessions, you can purchase additional copies of the book as holiday gifts and Natalie will sign them. Natalie’s tour will include 14 cities across Canada: http://bit.ly/Unquenchable

For more information about the book and an amusing video trailer about it, please visit www.nataliemaclean.com/book

Tickets Still Available for Gourmet & Grapes – Sunday, October 2

It’s not too late to get in on one of the Okanagan Wine Festival’s most loved events.  Cabana Grille’s Gourmet & Grapes features fantastic pairings of top Okanagan chefs and wineries along with a fun and fiece Iron Chef Throwdown.

There’s nowhere else to be in Kelowna next Sunday evening but at this delicious culinary affair.  Get up close and personal with your favourite local vintners and chefs for some memorable food and wine pairings.  Soak up the last of summer on Cabana’s gorgeous patio, tranformed for the evening into a fully tented, outdoor wine garden.

“We love this time of year,” says Jay Blackford, co-owner and operater at Cabana Grille.  “With an awesome summer winding down, thoughts turn to harvest and our exceptional wine region.  Supporting local chefs, wineries and farmers by throwing a great party for locals and visitors doesn’t get much better.”

Once again, Cabana provides the nailbiting excitement with their take on an Iron Chef Throwdown.  This year, Cabana Grille co-owner and consulting chef, Ned Bell switches roles to pass the torch to Executive Chef James DeLong as Cabana’s competitor.

Chef Delong has issued the challenge to Chef Jeremy Luypen, Executive Chef/Owner of Terrafina Restaurant at Hester Creek Winery.  Chef Bell takes on the role as one of the judges and mastermind behind selecting and sourcing the mystery blackbox ingredient.

This mixing, mingling and grazing event will boast food stations helmed by some of the Okanagan’s top chefs including Jeff Van Geest – Miradoro Restaurant at Tinhorn Creek Estate, Michael Lyons – Twisted Tomato, Jeremy Luypen – Terrafina at Hester Creek, Heath Cates – Harvest Golf Club Dining Room and Dennis Lowen – Chop Steakhouse & Bar.

And what’s a wine event without the main ingredient?  Participating wineries include some of the area’s best including Tinhorn Creek Estate Winery, CedarCreek Estate, Church and State, Sandhill Winery and Meyer Family Vineyards.

MC’d by local personalities Jessica Samuels and Jamie Maw, the fun evening is filmed, narrated and broadcast throughout the event. Guests won’t miss a beat of the exciting competition, no matter where they’re swirling and sipping.

Tickets are $80 and include entrance, wine, food and entertainment. To purchase, call Cabana Grille at 250.763.1955 or vist www.cabanagrille.comto order via Paypal.

Located across the street from Kelowna’s prized Lake Okanagan, Cabana Bar and Grille is an oasis for regional, rustic, upscale-casual cuisine. Owned and operated by three local restaurateurs - Jay Blackford, Michael Borg and chef Ned Bell -  Cabana’s focus is the perfect mix of a casual, relaxed atmosphere and top quality food and drink with a focus on local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients.

Restaurant Contacts:

Jay Blackford & Mike Borg
Cabana Bar and Grille
3799 Lakeshore Drive
Kelowna, BC
250.763.1955
info@cabanagrille.com

FALL FESTIVAL EVENTS AND THE OROFINO PRESS

ANNOUNCING THE CREATION OF THE OROFINO PRESS!!! ADD IT TO YOUR “FAVORITES” LIST AND CHECK IN FOR ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THE 2011 CRUSH AND BEYOND! http://orofinovineyards.blogspot.com/

The Orofino Press

Orofino in the Similkameen Valley has created a blog that will follow the 2011 grape harvest from the vineyards to the barrels. Its not the glossy stuff created by the dozens of PR people they have hired but the everyday dirt on decisions that have to be made, the progression of the harvest and insights on making wine in the beautiful Similkameen Valley. Owners John and Virginia Weber along with their cellarhand Aaron Godard will post regular updates and pictures. What they are drinking, music they are listening to and maybe even the odd rant about the Saskatchewan Roughriders are all fair game. Its all things Orofino…

OROFINO AND THE FALL WINE FESTIVAL

We would like to invite everybody to two very exciting dinners featuring Orofino during the upcoming fall wine festival! They are two of our very favorite places for all of the right reasons - outstanding food and great people!

OCTOBER 5TH – WATERFRONT  RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR

Join us for a multicourse dinner at Chef Mark Filatow’s amazing restaurant tucked into Kelowna’s Cultural District. Mark is a trained sommelier and an award-winning chef who pays meticulous attention to food and wine pairing. This will be the second time we have had the pleasure of doing a winemaker’s dinner with Waterfront and we are thrilled to share it with you.Very limited seating available. Please call the restaurant for details.

$100 (plus taxes and gratuities)

(250)979-1222 ex 2

info@waterfrontrestaurant.ca

OCTOBER 8TH – WATERMARK WINEBAR

The team at Watermark Winebar located at the luxurious Watermark Beach Resort in Osoyoos will host a special 7 course tasting meal featuring Orofino’s finest wines. Talented chef Natascha Schooten has worked to create a bevy of surprising and delicious small  plates that will be sure to please. We are capping the number of guests at 20 so book now! Watermark is also offering an outstanding deal on 2 bedroom suites for $149/night!! See the attached poster for details.

Call (250)495-5508 for details and reservations

2011 BRITISH COLUMBIA WINE AWARDS 

Over 400 British Columbia Wines to Be Judged 

The British Columbia Wine Awards – one of the most prestigious wine competitions in Canada – starts in earnest this coming Sunday September 25 at Kelowna’s spectacular Manteo Waterfront Resort. These awards are jointly sponsored by the ContainerWorld, Farm Credit Canada, Meyers Norris Penny and Richards Packaging.

Rhys Pender, Chair of the British Columbia Wine Awards states “This wine judging competition is an important tool for our industry and it is gratifying to see such a strong number of entries from throughout the Province. With over 170 wineries in BC, the judging is open to all wineries in BC that make wines from 100% BC grown fruit and we have over 500 wines entered this year from wineries throughout B.C.”

The judging will take place over three days at Manteo Waterfront Resort in Kelowna featuring nine of the best wine judges to be found in North America. Chosen for their experience and judging in prestigious wine competitions, the judges will start on Sunday afternoon September 25 and will finish on Wednesday afternoon September 28. Jim Martin of Waterfront Wines in Kelowna is the only Okanagan wine judge selected this year and looks forward to this wine competition. Jim noted “I will have a huge smile on my face as I taste each one of the entries. It makes me proud to judge the wines and remember that less than a quarter century ago, the wine industry was virtually unknown. And to be at the table with the roster of wine judges put together from across North America, it is a very nice honour. ”

After three days of intensive judging, the 9 judges will go to a medal round where only the best wines will qualify for either a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal and there will also be awards for Best Overall Red, Best Overall White, Best Overall Dessert and Best New Winery. The presentation of the medals and a public tasting of award winning wines will take place at the British Columbia Wine Awards reception and tasting on Thursday September 29 at 7pm at Kelowna’s Rotary Centre for the Arts. The reception and tasting will allow guests and media to mix and mingle with winery owners and winemakers and best of all be the first ones to taste the award winning wines.

The nine judges selected to preside over the British Columbia Wine Awards include: Jim Martin (Kelowna); Jurgen Gothe (Vancouver); Kurtis Kolt (Vancouver); Barbara Philip MW (Vancouver); Eric Degerman (Tri-Cities); DC Flynt MW (Louisiana); Bill Zacharkiw (Montreal); DJ Kearney (Vancouver); and Barbara Ritchie (Toronto).

With one of the premier wine festivals – the 31^st Fall Okanagan Wine Festival running from September 29 through October 9. The British Columbia Wine Awards are a great way to start your fall wine vacation.