All Clad and the Canadian Chefs’ Congress will host a cook-off on Sunday, September 12th at 4:15pm to 5:00pm on the Main Stage at the BC Chefs’ Congress. This is will be a “Black Box” cook-off and we invite those of you attending the BC Congress to sign up. Competitors will be drawn prior to the Cook-off. You may enter anytime at the Canadian Chefs’ Congress table in the marketplace. A prize of All Clad cookware will be awarded to the participants.

The 2010 Canadian Chefs’ Congress is just a month away, and the BC and National Committees are finalizing the minutae of all the logistics involved in bringing over 500 chefs, sponsors, speakers, and volunteers to Providence Farm.

We have posted all the details we can share with you in the Event Info section above. Below is a summary of what’s new.

Delegate and site details now available

If you are registered as a delegate or are going to register soon, please bookmark or print out the Delegate and Site Details page, which provides you with site maps, directions, and instructions for parking, camping, and supplies.

On-site details for participating chefs now available

If you are a chef or sous-chef that is cooking for the Congress delegation next month, please visit the new Participating Chef Details page for a breakdown of what you’ll have on-site versus what you’ll need to request or bring. Print out and email the form on this page to supply the BC Committee with your materials set-up and your requests.

Our Logistics guy, Bill Jones, also wants you to take a look at the photo of the stainless steel dishware that each delegate will have when they approach your station – make sure your portions and presentation plans will work with this!

Workshop listings updated

Take a look at the Workshops page to see what we’ll be talking about during the Congress and which speakers that will be at your disposal for further discussion.

Weekend itinerary updated

Our Schedule page has been refreshed with the run-throughs of Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. We will continue to make amendments to this schedule as the month progresses.

Site Map now up

The Delegate and Site Details page contains this site map as well as a PDF version for you to download / print. The Delegate Package that you will receive during the Congress will contain a copy of this map.

Travel, carpooling and accommodations

We’ve received a lot of questions about where to stay off-site and how to get to Providence Farm from the airport / ferry. For your convenience, 2 Facebook threads have been started in the Canadian Chefs’ Congress Facebook group:

• Carpooling Facebook thread
• Accommodations Facebook thread

In addition, shuttles will be available at the Victoria airport and Schwartz Bay ferry terminal for Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. No shuttles are available from Nanaimo.

Sign-up is required to use this shuttle service – please email ccc2010@canadianchefscongress.com.

Register Today

Don’t forget to register as a delegate by August 31, 2010!

Once again, we will preside the eight professional culinary kitchens of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA). Embark on a food and wine laden tour, mingle with mystery chefs, and support a national meeting of culinary minds for the 2010 Canadian Chefs’ Congress. Don’t miss this opportunity to graze amongst the best chefs our province (and country) has to offer.

Date: Sunday, August 22, 2010, 6:30pm – 9pm
Location: Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts -map-
Tickets: $75 per person

Our past two Mystery Kitchen Tours have showcased the talents of:

• Angus An – Maenam
• Jeremie Bastien – Boneta
• Robert Belcham – Refuel, Campagnolo
• Ned Bell – Cabana Bar and Grille
• Julian Bond – Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
• Andrea Carlson – Bishop’s
• Sean Cousins – The Vancouver Club
• Quang Dang – Diva at the Met, Metropolitan Hotel
• Scott Jaeger – The Pear Tree
• Lisa Perkins – The Vancouver Club
• Neil Taylor – Cibo
• Marc Thuet – Thuet, Conviction Kitchen
• James Walt – Araxi
• Chris Whittaker  - O’Doul’s, Listel Hotel
• Josh Wolfe – Coast Restaurant
• Neil Wyles – Hamilton Street Grill

Will you be able to guess our next slate of participating culinary icons?

The Canadian Chefs’ Congress is a biennial gathering of chefs from across Canada that reinforces the passion and integrity of Canadian Food Culture. Themed in 2010 as Oceans for Tomorrow, happens September 11 & 12, 2010. Chefs, cooks, apprentices and culinary students from across Canada will converge on Providence Farm in the heart of the beautiful Cowichan Valley for two days of conversation and deliberation on the state of our water ways, our effect on marine life and what constructive steps can be taken to improve the health of our oceans. Attendees will have the opportunity to sample Canadian inspired dishes from leading provincial and territorial chefs from across the country. As host, BC chefs will present the very best that our province has to offer. The weekend will be a series of unique tastes and experiences as you camp with fellow chefs, dining on BC food and drink.

Come take a peek inside the kitchen of the exclusive Vancouver Club as we set to task on the next Mystery Kitchen Tour fundraiser for the 2010 Canadian Chefs’ Congress. The kitchen was humming with activity as 9 chefs and their aides flowed through the aisles to get course after course out to our guests.

Reception

Canapes by Quang Dang, Executive Chef, Diva at the Met, Metropolitan Hotel:

Spiced Yarrow Meadows duck meat balls, young garlic puree; rare seared albacore tuna, Granville Island sake emulsion; poached cherry tomatoes infused with basil

Salt Spring Island goat cheese bread stix

Dinner

Jeremie Bastien – Owner / Executive Chef, Boneta

Spring salmon gravlax, nugget potatoes, avocado, pickled cucumber, crispy shallots

Township 7 “7 Blanc” 08

Sean Cousins – Executive Chef, The Vancouver Club

Chili and salt cured “free spirit” Hecate Straight halibut; Pacific seaweed salad, Vancouver Club roof top coriander, spot prawn brioche, squid viniagrette

Neck of the Woods Rosé, BC VQA Fraser Valley, Estate Bottled

Andrea Carlson – Executive Chef, Bishop’s

Baby beet with ricotta zucchini blossom fritters and red currant vinaigrette

Chandra Estate Winery Pinot Noir Rosé 2007

Chris Whittaker – Executive Chef, O’Doul’s, Listel Hotel

Seared Qualicum Beach Scallop, Chilliwack corn and saffron puree, bacon powder, Poplar Grove Tiger Blue panna cotta

2008 Averill Creek Pinot Gris

Josh Wolfe – Executive Chef, Coast Restaurant

Dungeness crab salad with pickled oysters and a sweet corn fritter

Mission Hill “Martin’s Lane” Riesling 2008, Okanagan Valley

Marc Thuet – Executive Chef, Thuet, Conviction Kitchen

Fraser Valley rabbit fricaasse, foie gras ravioli, chanterelles

Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio 2009 Trentino-Valle dell’Adige, Italy

Quang Dang – Executive Chef, Diva at the Met, Metropolitan Hotel

Lightly Smoked Yarrow Meadows Duck, Okanagan lapin cherry financier, fava beans, thyme essence

Desert Hills 2009 Gamay

Robert Belcham – Owner / Executive Chef, ReFuel, Campagnolo

Slow cooked Fraser Valley lamb collar navarin, radish, polenta, mint

Montagu Cellars Three Barrel Merlot 2006

Lisa Perkins – Pastry Chef – The Vancouver Club

Crème friache and tarragon pannacotta, black cherry pearls, white cherry puree, black pepper “crisp”

Satura Vinsera 2007 “Port Style” wine

Save the Date: August 22, 2010

Whether you enjoyed you dinner at the Vancouver Club or wish you had been there, we would love to see you at our next and last Mystery Kitchen Tour fundraiser on August 22nd.

Mystery Kitchen Tour Encore
August 22, 2010, from 6:30pm – 9pm
Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
1505 West 2nd Avenue | Vancouver, BC

With the wild success of June’s Mystery Kitchen Tour, PICA Director Chef Julian Bond announced an encore event to be held in late August.

Who’s cooking? What’s on the menu? You’ll find out that night. If you’re determined to figure out the mystery before you arrive, we’ll be dropping hints at the Canadian Chefs’ Congress website, on our Facebook group page, and through Twitter.

Photo Gallery