Victoria to host Gold Medal food event with Olympic flavour
Celebrates Canadian excellence in wine, entertainment, athletics
For the next three years, B.C.’s capital will be dishing up gourmet cuisine with an Olympic flavour.
Victoria has won the right to host Gold Medal Plates through 2015, with this year’s event scheduled for Nov. 7 at the Victoria Conference Centre.
The annual celebration of Canadian excellence in food, wine, entertainment and athletics is held in 11 Canadian cities and since 2004 has raised more than $7.4 million to support the country’s Olympic athletes.
Vancouver previously hosted the B.C. event.
Eleven of the province’s top chefs, including two from Victoria, will compete in this year’s local event. A gold, silver and bronze culinary team will be crowned in each of the 11 cities and subsequently nationwide.
Participating chefs are:
• Darren Brown — Fairmont Pacific Rim (Vancouver)
• Marc-André Choquette — Tableau Bar Bistro (Vancouver)
• Quang Dang — West (Vancouver)
• Kunal Ghose — Red Fish Blue Fish (Victoria)
• Daniel Hudson — Hudson’s On First (Duncan)
• Makoto Ono — Pidgin (Vancouver)
• Terry Pichor — Sonora Resort (Sonora Island)
• Louise Pickles — Black Rock Resort (Ucluelet)
• Garrett Schack — Vista 18 (Victoria)
• Brian Skinner — The Acorn (Vancouver)
• Chris Whittaker — Forage (Vancouver)
Bruce Courtnall of Victoria is chairman of the national culinary and Olympics celebration. He will also continue as acting chairman of the Courtnall Celebrity Classic he heads with his brothers, retired NHL players Geoff and Russ Courtnall.
“Money raised will help our athletes achieve their dreams and goals,” Courtnall said. “After a record gold-medal tally in Vancouver in 2010, the world is expecting us on the podium again and we plan on delivering.”
Local Olympic gold and silver medallist Simon Whitfield has also joined the organizing committee and says the event will provide muchneeded national exposure to Victoria’s athletes and athletic programs.
“Gold Medal Plates is our time to shine and show the rest of the country what Victoria has to offer,” Whitfield said.
Barney Bentall and Blue Rodeo frontman Jim Cuddy are among a list of musicians slated to perform at the event.
Organizers anticipate a sellout crowd of more than 500 attendees from across B.C., including Olympic athletes, business leaders and politicians.
Tickets, priced at $300 for individuals with group packages available, are available online at goldmedalplates.com.