Calling all hungry social media darlings
Foodies have a chance to vie for a five-day trip to Hong Kong with exclusive tastings, celebrity chef meetups (like with three-Michelin star chef Alvin Leung), food tours, business class travel and five-star accommodation adding up to about $8,000.
Only social media darlings need apply; the winner will have to share this gastronomic experience on social media. So how to join this tussle? Submit a video featuring a review of a Chinese Restaurant Award winner or an outstanding Chinese restaurant in Canada. Combatants must be active on social media with over 20,000 followers or over 10,000 followers on Facebook or Instagram.
The contest, organized by the Chinese Restaurant Awards and Hong Kong Tourism, is open to Feb. 24. Up to 12 contestants will be selected to compete and the winner will be determined by a public vote online. For information, visit chineserestaurantawards.com
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Pastry chef Elena Krasnova trained in Paris at Ferrandi Ecole and globe trotted, perfecting her skills. She recently landed in Burnaby and opened her own shop, Mon Paris Patisserie at 4396 Beresford St., where you’ll find beautiful pastry, chocolate confections, coffee and light lunches.
Krasnova grew up in Russia during Perestroika but loved to bake and learned to create something out of nothing. Check out her Corazon cake or gorgeous candy-striped lollipops. She’ll also be offering pastry and chocolate making classes. For more info, go to monparis.ca
YUMIBOX
A newly minted dietitian and a PhD student in nutrition had an “aha!” moment after seeing one of their moms struggle with diabetes.
They came to the rescue with products to help cut down on refined carbs in favour of healthier ones, including one absent from most pantries like amaranth, teff, spelt and kaniwa. Montreal company Yumibox mixes, portions and season a grain mix then prepackages servings for monthly subscribers. Use the high-fibre, low glycemic index, no-sugar vegan grain mixes in recipes provided, like Jamaican jerk chicken, piña colada oatmeal, or tacos. The founders have won several awards since starting up last year, like the Food and Agribusiness Convergent Innovation Prize and McGill Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation Award. For more information, visit yumibox.com.