Canadian Chefs' Congress

It’s Saturday morning, just hours away from the Opening Ceremonies that mark the official start of the 2010 Canadian Chefs’ Congress.

Many of our chefs and guests have already been with us for one night, having arrived a day early to set up camp and mingle with other delegates at Friday’s Firelight Pig Roast.

Chef Robert Belcham and his team had been prepping two Sloping Hills Farm heritage pigs for this occasion. One was destined for the spit (above) and the other slow cooked in Adam Protter’s industrial BBQ for a dozen hours or more.

Delegates set up camp throughout the woods above the main site. A tent village was also set up by our team of volunteers for participating chefs and other guests needing a home.

As night fell and the dinner bell approached, Chef Robert Clark took to the main stage to greet our Early Bird attendees and to introduce MP Fin Donnelly and biologist Alexandra Morton, who spoke briefly but passionately about the Save Our Wild Salmon campaign (private members’ bill C-518).

The rest of the evening focussed on food, beer, wine, music and dancing by the main stage, and conversations by the bonfire.

Photo Gallery

For all photos taken by us throughout the weekend, visit the 2010 Canadian Chefs’ Congress album page.

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

The 100 seats we had originally released for this event are already sold out. Thanks everyone for your support!

We’ve gotten the okay from the Vancouver Club to up our event’s capacity to 120 guests, so we have now released these 20 spots, with priority registration given to those who had signed up for our waitlist.

Make sure to snap up these spots before they sell out for good!

Take a look at the sustainable seafood menu for the inaugural James Barber Memorial Dinner that takes place less than a week from now. Proceeds from this dinner will go to Providence Farm to cover the venue cost of hosting the Canadian Chefs’ Congress in September.

Tickets are still available so please help us spread the word amongst your friends, family, and colleagues.

Saturday, April 18, 2010
$250 per person
For tickets, call C Restaurant at (604) 681-1164

Canapé  and cocktail reception

Amuse bouche
Sardine and Herring Escabeche

Robert Clark
Quince Glazed Bayne Sound Scallops
Vancouver Island seaweed, dashi broth

Edward Tucson
Smoked Albacore Tuna and Capicola Salad
A la “picnic”

Bill Jones
Rustic Spanish Bisque with Dungeness Crab
Porcini mushrooms, artisan bread and Oxeye Daisy yoghurt

Peter Zambri
Gnocchi Romana
Salsa cacciatore, smoked Natural Pastures cheese

Quang Dang
Oyama Speck Wrapped Sablefish
Pemberton beef chutney, spring radishes and peas, morel café au lait sauce

Maureen Seay
Lemon Tart
Wild blueberry compote, Avalon whipped cream