Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards - Okanagan Chapter

The Okanagan's new GoGo magazine also covered the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.

Click here for the full article.

The Socialist: Vancouver Parties & People

by: Sheryl Kristie Yen

BC Business Magazine has posted their shots from the Official Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards Afterparty at the Joey Bentall One Wine Room.

Here are a few, but you can check out the rest here.

Van mag honours best of best

24hrs Vancouver picked up the results of Tuesday's Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.

Vancouver Magazine Announces Winners of 21st Annual Restaurant Awards

More than 700 of the city’s chefs, sommeliers and food critics gathered yesterday at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel for the 21st Annual Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards. The gala brought them together to celebrate excellence in B.C.’s culinary industry.

“Between the Olympics and the recession, it’s been a whirlwind year in the food and beverage industry,” said Vancouver magazine editor-in-chief, Gary Stephen Ross. “Yesterday’s event offered everybody a well-deserved break and an opportunity to socialize, have fun, and reflect on their successes.”

Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar took top honours, being named Restaurant of the Year and winning Gold in the Best Seafood category. It was also a finalist in Best Service, Best Regional and Best Formal Japanese (Raw Bar at Blue Water). And Blue Water’s chef, Frank Pabst, was recognized as Chef of the Year, having played an integral role on Vancouver’s culinary scene since 1993. Originally from Germany, Pabst worked at Lumière and Pastis before joining Blue Water in 2003.

Sinclair Philip was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award, while his Sooke Harbour House won Best Vancouver Island. Since opening their restaurant and inn 31 years ago, he and his wife Fréderique have been internationally lauded for their pioneering use of fresh, local ingredients, many from their own garden.

In a year that saw a variety of exciting new openings, Campagnolo won the title of Best New Restaurant. Thai hotspot Maenam took Silver, while Jean-Georges’s Market won Bronze as well as nabbing Design of the Year.

Perennial favourites Vij’s, Le Crocodile and Tojo’s won as Best Indian, Best Formal French and Best Formal Japanese. CinCin and Araxi reclaimed their titles of Best Last Course and Best Whistler. Uva Wine Bar took Gold as Best Bar/Lounge.

For a list of the full results, please click here.

Calling All PR Students: Elettra is looking for event volunteers

UPDATE: We have now filled our volunteer roster for this event. Thank you to everyone who offered to volunteer!

Elettra Communications, producer of Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards, is looking for student volunteers to assist with Vancouver’s premier restaurant industry event. This opportunity will appeal to students who have an interest in public relations, publishing, marketing, or event management.

Now in its 21^st year, Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards is the biggest event of its kind in North America. Twenty of the city’s top food critics form the judging panel and vote on the best dining experience in more than 30 categories. The event itself includes a reception and awards show. The annual extravaganza welcomes more that 700 restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, suppliers, and food and wine critics.

Dates:

• Tuesday, May 18^th 10:30am – 6pm (required)
• Monday, May 17^th 1pm – 4pm (if available)

Volunteers will assist with a range of activities including:

• Event set up
• Gift bag assembly and distribution
• Guest check-in
• Awards presenting/backstage coordination
• Coat check

Benefit to you:

• Event coordination experience.
• Exposure to the behind-the-scenes workings of a large event.
• Opportunity to build contacts in the PR, marketing, and publishing industries.
• Lunch will be provided.

Dress code:

All black. No jeans; no running shoes/sneakers.

How to apply:

If you would like to volunteer for this opportunity, please contact simone@elettra.ca. In your email please provide a brief introduction to yourself, and include a description of your current course of study and your contact information.

Inside Local Public Eatery

Executive chef Chris Mills takes Vancouver magazine on a tour of the newly opened Local Public Eatery on Kits beach and demos a signature recipe.

Vancouver Magazine Announces Winners of 20th Annual Restaurant Awards

Vancouver, BC; April 15, 2009 – Stars of the B.C. restaurant industry gathered yesterday at the Sheraton Wall Centre for the 20th Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. The audience of more than 800 included the city’s top chefs, sommeliers and food critics. The event was capped by Cioppino’s/Enoteca winning the event’s top honor, Restaurant of the Year.

“There were some surprises this year,” said Vancouver magazine editor-in-chief Gary Stephen Ross, “which shows that the culinary scene is vital and ever-changing. Even in tough economic times, rooms that get it right quickly become popular with the dining public—and draw the attention of our 19 judges.”

To mark the 20th anniversary of this event, special recognition was given to those who have made a lasting impression on the industry. For his role in making Vancouver a leading culinary destination, the Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Hidekazu Tojo - owner of the legendary Tojo’s. In addition to being given this honour, Tojo’s also won Best Formal Japanese for the 18th consecutive year. Other honourees included Fuel’s Robert Belcham who was awarded Chef of the Year and Robert Clark of C who was given the Green Award.

Other highlights included La Quercia winning Best New Restaurant and Best Casual Italian after its first year in business. Industry legends, Vikram Vij of Vij’s and Michel Jacob of Le Crocodile also won in their respective categories. Vij’s has won Best Indian since the category was created 13 years ago and Le Crocodile has also been a consistent winner having won Best Formal French eight times.

Several categories saw some surprises. For best dining in Whistler, Bearfoot Bistro won the top honour beating nine time winner Araxi. Cru was given the Gold Award in the Best Small Plates category, while five time winner Bin 941/942 took Silver.

For a full list of winners, go to www.vanmag.com/restaurants/Awards