The BC Produce Marketing Association’s (BCPMA) 12th Annual Healthy Chef Competition will be held on March 16 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. 10 local chefs and their teams will compete by creating courses of delectable healthy foods that will be judged by a panel of industry professionals and consumed by 800 attendees.
The event will be emceed by CTV’s Marke Driesschen. The BCMPA and the British Columbia Chef’s Association (BCCA) are collaborating to promote the use of fresh fruit and veggies in every meal. This focus will also be each Chef’s challenge.
The following local restaurants, hotels, and culinary schools will compete:
– Chinese Canadian Chef Association
– Delizia Fusion Cuisine
– Dynasty Seafood Restaurant
– Executive Hotels & Resorts
– Goldfish Pacific Kitchen
– River Rock Casino Resort
– The Hyatt Regency Vancouver
– The international Culinary School at the Art Institute of Vancouver
– The Well Restaurant
– Vancouver Community College
The judging will begin at 6:30 pm, headed by the team of Executive Chef Mike Pinter, CCC, Seton Villa Action Line Housing. Each participant will be judged on a range of elements including the use of fresh produce, taste, and plate display. Trophies are awarded for Best Entrée, Best Dessert, Best Table Showcase and Healthy Plate Award. Judging will focus on how the fresh produce is profiled and overall healthiness of the dish. The audience will choose the People’s Choice Award towards the end of the evening.
The dinner format: 10 people to a table, 10 competing chefs, with each person at the table receiving an appetizer, entrée, and dessert from random stations. Diners will get to watch the dishes being prepared. Wine is included with dinner.
This trade event is luckily also open to the public. Included in your admission is a generous box of fresh herbs, mushrooms, and other assorted fruit and vegetables along with many recipes and nutritional ideas to take home. Tickets are available online.
12th Annual Healthy Chef Competition
Date: Wednesday, March 16, 6:30 showcase; 7:30 dinner
Venue: The Hyatt Regency Vancouver, Regency Ballroom
Tickets: $85.00 (including tax)
Highlights of the evening will include:
– A $7,000 presentation by the BCMPA to the BC Chefs’ Junior Scholarship
– Presentations to three non-profit health organizations (Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation and “Fruits and Veggie Mix it Up” for Better Health Program)
– California Strawberry recipe contest winners for California Strawberry Best Appetizer and California Strawberry Best Dessert
– Awards for Best Entrée, Best Dessert, Best Healthy Plate, Best Table Presentation and People’s Choice
– Silent Auction, Live Auction Balloon Pop Prize, 50/50 Draw and Entertainment
Judging Panel
– Judging Coordinator Chef Michael Pinter CCC, Executive Chef, Seton Villa
– Corporate Chef Boban Kovachevich, Executive Hotels & Resorts
– Thomas Dietzel, Chef, International Hospitality Recruitment
– Donald Gyurkovits, President BC Chefs’ Association
– Edgar Rahal, Chairman, BC Chefs’ Association
– Melody Fury, Vancouver Food Tour, GourmetFury.com
The BCMPA includes retailers, wholesalers, food service distributors, brokers, growers, importers, transporters, packing, refrigeration and other suppliers. Since its inception in 1956, members enjoy strongly supported interactive activities and programs for all sectors of the fresh fruit and vegetable industry in British Columbia.
Images courtesy of Mark Busse on Flickr