When you arrive at the Hyatt on the evening of Wednesday, March 17^th, 2010 for the annual Healthy Chef Competition you will find two envelopes at your place setting. You will then find that your entrée will be different from the person sitting on either side of you. Add in jazz music, sport celebrities, chef and media judges, auctions and a room full of produce industry professionals and foodies and you are in for an evening of fun. www.bcpma.wordpress.com

Over the past month, lower mainland based culinary schools, hotels and restaurants have been pondering how to incorporate an insane amount of produce into their entrées while impressing the judges with their use of colour, taste, texture, temperature and creativity.  New this year is the Healthy Plate Award where one of the competing establishments will receive a generous monetary prize based on how they use fresh produce.
The California Strawberry Commission will also be announcing the winners for the first ever recipe contest that was held prior to the event.
Monetary prizes will be awarded for the Best Appetizer and Best Dessert incorporating California Strawberries.

This year up to ten food establishments will be competing at Healthy Chef Competition in downtown Vancouver, BC.
The judging will commence at 6:30 PM as guests mingle and check out the table presentations anticipating the dish they are going to enjoy shortly.

Each participating property will be judged on a range of elements including the use of fresh produce, taste and plate display. 
The judging teams are headed up by Executive Chef Mike Pinter, CCC, Seaton Villa Action Line Housing.

As executive chefs, apprentice chefs and sous chefs and their teams put the finishing touches on their meals upwards to 450 produce industry professionals and foodies will be mingling around ready to enjoy the evening’s bounty.
The British Columbia Chefs’ Association (BCCA) and the British Columbia Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA) have collaborated on this competition for over a decade (plus one year) promoting the use of fruits and vegetables as part of every meal.

Highlights of the evening will include:

A cheque presentation by the BCPMA to the BC Chefs’ Junior Scholarship program as well as presentations to three non-profit health organizations.

Announcing the winners of the California Strawberry Appetizer and Dessert recipe contest

Watching the team of judges make their rounds as they score each station

Award presentations for the Best Entrée, Dessert, Healthy Plate Award, People’s Choice and Table Showcase

Master of Ceremonies, Marke Driesschen, overseeing the evening’s events

A silent auction, live auction and musical entertainment.

Participants, as of March 8, in the 2010 British Columbia Chefs’ Association and BCPMA Healthy Chef Competition:

1. A Kettle of Fish : Executive Chef Romeo Oloresisimo
2. Carver’s  Steakhouse : Corporate Chef Lukas
3. Edgewater Casino Downtown Vancouver : Executive Chef Andrew Court      
4. Executive Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre Coquitlam : Executive Chef Jameet
5. Four Willows Farm Ltd. Complete Catering & Event Management : Chef Dean McClernon
6. Hyatt Regency Vancouver : Executive Chef  Norbert Roesch  
7. International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Vancouver : Chef Donald Gyurkovits
8. Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts : Chef Julian Bond
9. Sheraton Wall Centre Edgewater : Executive Chef Javier Alarco
10. Vancouver Community College : Chef David Ryan

Greg Holmes, President, BCPMA, “I want to thank in advance all of our sponsors for their support, our executive for their commitment, our BCPMA advisors for their guidance, and our volunteers for their hard work. “

The evening is a direct result of the generosity of the many sponsors including GFS Gordon Food Service, California Strawberry Commission, CTV and many more who have given the 2010 Healthy Chef Competition its highest profile ever.

The live auction features prizes donated by Air Canada Vacations, Real Resorts, and Carlson Wagonlit. 
The fundraising results benefit the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the “Fruits & Veggies Mix it Up” for Better Health program.

Tickets are available for $80.00 each including taxes and gratuity.  This event is open to the trade and the general public.
Tickets include passed canapés from 6:30 to 7:30; plated appetizer to start, entrée, and dessert prepared from the competing properties.
Drinks are extra. Vegetarian options are available.

Plus, every guest takes home a generous box of fruits and vegetables and plenty of recipe and nutritional ideas.
Musical entertainment is provided by the Ross Barrett jazz quartet. 
And watch out for members of the B.C. Lions.

Winning 2009 Teams:  The Best Entrée went to Chef David Ryan’s team from the Vancouver Community College; Best Dessert went to the Hyatt Regency’s Executive Chef Norbert Roesch and his team and The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Vancouver took home the Best Table Showcase. The People’s Choice was a tie between the Ramada Plaza and the Hyatt Regency.  The competitors were concerned about the presentation and the sensory elements of each dish including how to best profile fruits and vegetables along with the protein segment.

Who is the BCPMA: The BCPMA membership includes retailers, wholesalers, foodservice distributors, brokers, growers, importers, transporters, packaging, refrigeration and other suppliers. Since its beginning in 1956, members enjoy strongly supported interactive activities and programs for all sectors of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry in British Columbia.

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For tickets to the event contact: Margie Schurko  604-785-0765  info@bcpma.com

For further details or photos of last year’s event please contact:
Chris Yli-Luoma 778-288-5494 chris@yliluoma.com

Additional details can be found at www.bcpma.wordpress.com