Chef Takashi Ito Heads to Canadian Culinary Championships
Congrats to Chef Takashi Ito – see you in Kelowna!
Culinary Winners:
Gold: Chef Takashi Ito, AURA waterfront restaurant + patio (Victoria)
Silver: Chef Paul Moran, 1909 Kitchen (Tofino)
Bronze: Chef Gabe Fayerman-Hansen, Little Jumbo (Victoria)
Chef Takashi Ito of AURA waterfront restaurant + patio proved his culinary prowess by taking home the gold medal at Canada’s Great Kitchen Party – Victoria. Chef Ito went head-to-head with 8 of British Columbia’s finest culinary masters at the prestigious culinary competition and will go on to compete at the Canadian Culinary Championships, the
national finale, in Kelowna on February 1st and 2nd, 2019.
Chef Ito wowed the judges with an Sake poached spot prawn, seared scallop, Dungeness crab terrine, soft boil quail egg shrimp okonomiyaki, octopus sheet, prawn head karaage togarashi aioli. He paired it with Fraser Valley Junmai Nigori Sake – Renaissance from Artisan Sake on Granville Island. And his words after the win: “We knew pairing with Sake was a bold move, but it paid off!”
Chef Paul Moran of 1909 Kitchen rose to the occasion as well, taking the silver medal. Chef Moran chose calves liver, smoked pork jowl + wild cornelian cherry pate, breakfast cereals, foraged pine mushrooms. He paired it with Culmina – 2017 Saignée, Oliver, BC.
Taking the bronze medal was Chef Gabe Fayerman-Hansen of Little Jumbo. His dish was a cured & roasted lamb short loin with wild plums, chanterelle mushrooms, terrine of kabocha squash, autumn black truffle jus. It was paired with the Emandare Vineyard – 2016 Pinot Noir, Duncan, BC.
The other chefs competing in Victoria were:
Chef Aleks Kornat Government House – Office of the Lieutenant Governor
Chef Felix Zhou Heritage Asian Eatery
Chef Paul Cecconi Brodo Kitchen
Chef Rob Cassels Saveur
Chef Ryan Zuvich La Stella Trattoria
Chef Tony Starratt Two Rivers Specialty Meats
Judging the 2018 competition were: James Chatto, Sid Cross, Andrew Morrison, Peter Zambri, and Chef Alex Chen (2017 Regional Gold Medalist and Canadian Culinary Champion). Each dish was judged out of 100 points, based on visual presentation, texture technical achievement, taste, wine compatibility and wow factor
Over 22 elite Canadian athletes were in attendance, including:
Michelle Stilwell – Para Track and Field Adam Kreek – Rowing
Ghislaine Landry – Women’s Rugby Dom Gauthier – Freestyle Skiing
Bianca Farella – Women’s Rugby Charity Williams – Women’s Rugby
Cam Baerg – Rowing Barney Williams – Rowing
Russ Courtnall – Hockey Kirk McLean – Hockey
Ryan Cochrane – Swimming Simon Whitfield – Triathlon
“It is always such an honour for me to attend these events,” says Simon Whitfield. “As an athlete, getting to see musicians and chefs do what they do best is an amazing experience. I love the idea of excellence in all industries.”
Bruce Courtnall, co-chair of the event was thrilled with the evening, especially the show put on by the Canadian musicians who were in attendance. “We are very lucky in Canada to have amazing musical talent in our country and tonight to have Jim Cuddy, Barney Bentall, Anne Lindsay, Devin Cuddy, Neil Osbourne and Sam Polley well with that line up and with Adam Kreek as emcee – what an amazing show we all got to enjoy!”
Courtnall emphasized how pleased he was to see the national impact and the local impact. “It is great to be able to see that some of the support tonight helps our athletes on the international stage and through MusiCounts at Central Middle school and the Island Chefs Collaborative and the Growing Chefs program, located in Victoria. The youth in our region deserve to have music in their lives and have secure healthy food access”. http://www.iccbc.ca/
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party: is a social enterprise that is dedicated to building community regionally and nationally to celebrate Canadian Excellence in food, sport and music. Annually, 10-12 events are staged each fall and Canadian talent in each of these pillars of Canadian culture are celebrated. For the food pillar: each event incorporates a prestigious culinary competition for 6-10 of the city’s best chefs in what is the regional qualifier for the Canadian Culinary Championships (CCC). The Canadian Culinary Championships is a two-day annual intense competition held in February in Kelowna every year, with three demanding culinary elements: Mystery Wine, Black Box and the Finale. The celebration of Canadian wine, beer and spirits is also an integral part of the success of Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. The wine, beer and spirits that are presented to the more than 5000 guests is very comprehensive. Canada’s Great Kitchen Party is now the largest program in Canada to feature and highlight excellent Canadian wines. For the sport pillar, over 200 athletes are invited to the fall events. The athletes have represented Canada on the international stage either in amateur, para or pro sports. At the events, their athletic accomplishments are celebrated and their stories are heard. Guests have the opportunity to mix and mingle with the athletes and show their appreciation for what they do for
Canadian pride! And for the final pillar: music, each event incorporates an incredible line up of Canadian musicians who share the stage with the athletes and the chefs and put on an incredible show. Musicians in 2018 include Jim Cuddy, Ed Robertson, Barney Bentall, Alan Doyle, Tom Cochrane, Anne Lindsay, Johnny Reid, Danny Michel, Bill Henderson, Neil Osborne, Devin Cuddy and Sam Polley. Canadian talent in food, music and sport – all under one umbrella – and why it is called Canada’s Great Kitchen Party: all with a purpose of providing young Canadian the opportunity to be extraordinary through sport music and food. Thntire Canadian Chefs’ community. Well done
