The GOODS from Diva at the Met

Vancouver, BC | Diva at the Met sous chef, Jeff Kang, has been named “B.C. Chef of the Year” after winning the annual Roasted Competition at the BC Foodservice Expo. The event, held on January 30, was presented in partnership with both the BC Chefs Association and the Canadian Culinary Federation. The Roasted Competition is a knock-out black box event for up-and-coming chefs, with all competitors preparing appetizers, but only top contestants going on to prepare main courses and, ultimately, desserts. Chef Kang impressed judges with his skill, creativity and quick thinking, going on to win the final round over Chef Dan Craig from the Delta Burnaby (2nd) and Chef William Tse from The Sandbar (3rd). As the winner of this event, he will head to Halifax in June to compete in the national competition. As an added bonus, this year’s top two finalists will also travel to Toronto in March to take part in the “Discovered Chef Competition” at the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association’s national show.

For each round, the chefs received a black box with two ingredients that had to be used in that course. The first round saw Chef Kang use the supplied yellowtail and mussels to produce an olive oil poached yellowtail with mussels, served with a ginger scallion mayonnaise foam and a garden salad. The main course black box items were sirloin and crocodile, with which he prepared a dish of pan-seared beef, black garlic parsnip puree, heirloom carrots, garlic foam and crispy crocodile. With quinoa, walnuts and vanilla as his back box ingredients, the final round, dessert, saw him win the event with his blueberry sorbet and microwave bread, served with candied quinoa, walnut crumbles and white chocolate vanilla tuile.

“In this case, the quinoa and crocodile were definitely the ingredients that tested me the most,” said Chef Kang. “But with a black box competition like this, the biggest challenge is the mental one-having no idea of what ingredients you’ll be given to cook with, and then worrying about it for the full 30 minutes of each round! But this is why I am doing competitions like this, to try things I’ve never done before and to test myself.” Chef Kang was also the winner of the 2011 Fetzer Great Beginnings Appetizer Challenge at the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

The Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver and Diva at the Met restaurant have been known for a strong mentorship and culinary arts program, and actively encourage all members of the kitchen team to compete in events. “Taking part in competitions is important in keeping our team challenged and at the top of their game,” said Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver Executive Chef, Hamid Salimian. “Competing is a fantastic way to build confidence, exercise creativity and sharpen skills. Jeff is a very talented chef, and he did a lot of practice for this event. All of the members of the team get to see how that pays off.”

Details

645 Howe Street, Vancouver BC | V6C 2Y9
Telephone: 604-602-7788
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.divamet.com | Facebook

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The People

Restaurant Manager: Corey Bauldrey
Executive Chef: Hamid Salimian

About Diva At The Met

Diva at the Met, located in the Metropolitan Hotel Vancouver, is an award-winning restaurant attracting guests both locally and from around the world with its innovative Cascadian cuisine, firmly rooted in the bounty of the region. Executive Chef Hamid Salimian brings a true respect for ingredients and a reputation for highlighting them through both traditional and modern cooking techniques. He takes Diva’s Cascadian cuisine to the next level with his creative, contemporary approach.

Chef Salimian focuses on working with the region’s best farmers, fishers, and artisanal producers to develop relationships that, combined with Vancouver’s unique multicultural influences, result in Diva’s menus having a unique sense of place, traceability and creativity.

Diva’s refined, contemporary setting reflects the company’s approach to redefining the standard in luxury hotel restaurants – Diva at the Met is a culinary force in its own right. Fittingly, the culinary team takes centre stage at the open kitchen, which offers an additional six guest seats. Four distinct seating elevations in the restaurant offer a total of 120 seats and a range of dining experiences, beginning with a bar and lounge area at the street-front entry, and leading to the three separate dining levels.

Accolades

“It is entirely appropriate that the food at the well-named Diva at the Met makes your tastebuds sing.” – Vancouver Sun, 2010

Sous Chef Jeff Kang wins the B.C. Chef of the Year title at the Roasted Competition, presented by the BC Chefs’ Association and the Canadian Culinary Federation.

Sous Chef Jeff Kang wins both the Fetzer Great Beginnings Appetizer and Wine Challenge at the 2011 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.

Georgia Straight Newspaper’s Golden Plates Awards (2011) Readers’ Choice, Best Hotel Restaurant: Diva at the Met (Bronze)