Last night, the Vancouver Aquarium was transformed into a culinary battleground as 12 of Vancouver’s top chefs competed to create the best sustainable chowder before a crowd of hungry seafood lovers. After the last bowls of chowder were sampled, a panel of esteemed judges crowned Chef Chris Whittaker of Forage Restaurant the 2012 Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown Champion. In a surprising sweep, Chef Whittaker’s chowder was also chosen as the winner of the People’s Choice Award.
Chef Whittaker won over the celebrity judges and the crowd with his irresistible recipe for Creamy Spot Prawn Chowder with Poached Egg and Smokey Chicharon, featuring white wine, leeks and bacon.
Chef Dana Hauser of Herons West Coast Kitchen at the Fairmont Waterfront won the award for best chowder and beer pairing. Her Roast Powell River Sturgeon Chowder was paired with Granville Island Brewery English Bay Pale Ale, resulting in a delicious combination.
“It’s very challenging for the judges to pick one winner, but Chef Whittaker managed to win their favour with his unique blend of succulent ocean-friendly seafood and savoury herbs,” says Mike McDermid, Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise partner relations manager. “His creation also appealed to the crowd’s palate. Congratulations to Chef Whittaker for his delicious recipe and chowder finesse!”
This year’s fifth annual Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown in Vancouver was once again a sold-out event. Twelve top chefs joined the battle for sustainable seafood by creating an original, ocean-friendly seafood chowder, paired with beers that highlighted their chowder’s flavour profile. Diverse chowder ingredients ran the spectrum of lingcod bacon to chanterelle mushrooms to kaffir lime leaves.
“Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown is a fun and friendly competition, but it’s also the battleground for one of the most pressing issues today,” says McDermid. “With overfishing threatening our oceans, chefs play a vital role in the fight to turn back the clock. At Chowder Chowdown, passionate chefs showed guests how delicious and easy it is to cook with sustainable seafood. We are grateful to have each of them as an Ocean Wise ambassador.”
This year’s panel of distinguished judges included:
- Rob Clark – Ocean Wise founding chef partner
- Chester Carey – Serious Beer program instructor and certified cicerone
- Guy Dean – vice president and chief sustainability officer, Albion Fisheries Ltd.
- Sid Cross – food and wine aficionado
- Andrew Morrison – Founder of Scout Magazine
- Tim Pawsey – Food and wine journalist
During Ocean Wise month in November, consumers are invited to join the fight for sustainable seafood by pledging to eat ocean-friendly seafood. Look for the Ocean Wise symbol next to a seafood item for the Vancouver Aquarium’s assurance of an ocean-friendly seafood choice.
This year’s Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown is made possible with the support of our presenting sponsors Rickard’s, Granville Island Brewery, and seafood provider Albion Fisheries Ltd.
Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise™ Program
The Ocean Wise symbol next to a seafood item is the Vancouver Aquarium’s assurance of an ocean-friendly seafood choice. With over 3,100 Ocean Wise partner locations across Canada, Ocean Wise makes it easy for consumers to make sustainable seafood choices that ensure the health of our oceans for generations to come. www.oceanwise.ca
