WHY DON’T YOU …
Food purgatory — an affliction suffered by many each time they’re handed a menu. However, there is a way to bypass it, and that’s to let the professionals decide. Winemaker Dinners are multi-course culinary experiences that marry the talents of a chef and winemaker. In Whistler, the all-important addition of a spectacular location adds another level to these decadent evenings. On the tranquil shores of Nita Lake sits one of the most picturesque patios in Whistler. This is where Aura Restaurant at Nita Lake Lodge hosts its five-event Sip & Savour Winemaker Dinner Series. With a focus on seasonality and the light, fresh flavours of summer, Executive Chef James Olberg works alongside guest winemakers from around B.C. including La Stella Winery, Painted Rock Estate Winery, Meyer Family Vineyards, and Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, wrapping up in September with the 2017 European Winery of the Year, Fontatafredda from northeastern Italy. nitalakelodge.com Elevating the dinner experience by 1,850 metres (6,069 feet) is the Sunrock Vineyards by Jackson-Triggs Winemaker Dinner at the end of July at Steeps Grill and Wine Bar, inside the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain. Enjoy a stunning gondola ride up the mountain before you indulge in a six-course meal by Chefs Vinnie Hall and Steve Bjormark accompanied by Troy Osborne, director of viticulture, west, Arterra Wines Canada. whistlerblackcomb.com Executive Chefs James Walt and Quang Dang of Araxi Restaurant presents a longtable event in late August in the lush fields of North Arm Farm in Pemberton, 20 minutes north of Whistler. The imposing Mount Currie rises behind diners as they relinquish their taste buds for an al fresco, four-course, family-style feast, paired with wine. araxi.com