Winning over the palate of a panel of judges by creating the most inventive and delicious sustainable seafood chowder, chef Paul Cecconi of Local Lounge-Grille claimed the prestigious title of Vancouver Aquarium’s fourth annual Ocean Wise Seafood Chowder Chowdown Champion on November 23, 2011.
“It was a difficult decision for the judges this year but they unanimously agreed the delectable combination of smoked Ocean Wise Out Landish oysters with parsnips, squash and brown butter bread crumbs in chef Paul Cecconi’s chowder was the well deserved winner of this year’s Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown,” said Mike McDermid, Ocean Wise partner relationship manager. “Year after year, chefs make a culinary prouesse by creating unique and creative recipes highlighting the very best of Ocean Wise’s sustainable seafood options.”
For this fierce but friendly competition, 12 of Vancouver’s top chefs served up hearty samples of their delicious creations to hungry judges and to a sold-out crowd of over 550 guests in hopes of being recognized for their sustainable chowder-making prowess. Each mouth-watering Ocean Wise chowder was paired with a thirst-quenching local craft beer to highlight its flavor profile.
While the judges were in charge of picking an overall winner, 550 guests were responsible with the enviable, but challenging, role of sampling each of the Ocean Wise chowders and selecting a crowd favourite. Ultimately, the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown People’s Choice Award was given to chef Natasha Harris of Sunset Bay Yacht Group for her chowder featuring Ocean Wise scallops, clams and mussels, as well as sherry, organic celery and Yukon gold baby potatoes. The third award of the night for best chowder and beer pairing went to YEW restaurant + bar executive chef Ned Bell.
This year’s panel of distinguished judges included Ocean Wise founding partners chef Robert Clark and Albion Fisheries’ Guy Dean, along with Canada’s first certified cicerone (aka beer sommelier) Chester Carey, food editor Jamie Maw and Sid Cross from The Chef’s Table Society of B.C. Presiding over the night was CTV’s Michael Kuss as emcee, while the crowd enjoyed live music by Ocean Wise music ambassadors Mindil Beach Markets.
Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program—a nationwide sustainable seafood initiative—works closely with restaurants, markets and suppliers to help them sell seafood that has been harvested in a sustainable manner. The continued success of Ocean Wise month and the Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown help raise awareness for sustainable seafood and conservation initiatives across the nation. A full list of competitors for last night’s event and more information is available at www.oceanwise.ca.
The 12 chowder-creating restaurants that competed:
Eric Pless, Coast Restaurant
Tyler Groenestyn, Codfathers Seafood Market
Jennifer Dodd, Edible Canada
Daiji Tanaka, Hapa Izakaya Kitsilano
Paul Cecconi, Local Lounge and Grille
Nicholas Crooks, The Noodle Box
Chris Whittaker, O’Douls Restaurant and Bar
Chester Velas, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
Natasha Harris, Sunset Bay Yacht Group
Ron Gibb, Westward Ho! Public House, Grill Room at the University Golf Club
Myke Shaw and Kelsey Timler, Vancouver Aquarium
Ned Bell, YEW restaurant, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver barAbout Ocean Wise™
The Ocean Wise logo on a restaurant menu, seafood counter or seafood product is the trusted symbol of ocean-friendly seafood choices. With more than 360 partners and over 3,100 locations across Canada, Ocean Wise makes it easy for consumers to make sustainable seafood choices that ensure the health of our oceans for years to come. Learn more at www.oceanwise.ca.
About Vancouver Aquarium
The Vancouver Aquarium is a recognized leader in connecting people to our natural world, and a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research, and direct action. Learn more at www.vanaqua.org.
