A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

On Unsung Seafoods And Angry Chefs Threatening To Stab Servers

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by Talia Kleinplatz | Give me a break! No, seriously. Give me a break. Frivolous law-suits reach new heights with one college student’s demands for a lifetime supply of Kit Kats.

The New York Times on the death of star chef Benoit Violier:

Mr. Violier’s death has underscored a growing concern among some in the restaurant industry that not enough is being done to address mental health issues exacerbated by the seemingly endless pressure to deliver perfection in a physically and creatively demanding profession dominated by lightning-fast criticism and often unrealistic expectations of success.

Related: Tim McKirdy talks mental health in high stakes professional kitchens.

Related: a chef in Aspen recently discovered that it’s actually a felony to threaten to stab a server for delivering food to the wrong table.

So much begins with a heel of bread. The battle against food waste continues and beer brewers are finding some incredibly innovative ways to tackle the problem.

Eater shares this winter’s hottest restaurants from coast to coast while the winter edition of the Scout 25 lists current favourites closer to home.

Blue Water Cafe celebrates their 12th annual Unsung Heroes event. For the month of February, the acclaimed seafood restaurant will feature some uncommon aquatic dishes including jellyfish, sea cucumbers, and barnacles.

On your next trip over the border, you may want to consider picking up one of these bottles of whiskey on the way back (and if you wanted to grab me a bottle of Laphroaig while you’re at it, I wouldn’t hold it against you).

Speaking of whiskey, say hello to a new generation of everyone’s favourite brown spirit as distillers seek to narrow the gap for a generation of whiskey-loving beer drinkers and beer-loving whiskey drinkers alike.

The Hawksworth Young Chef Scholarship Foundation’s search for aspiring chefs turns into a mini series. The 10 episode show follows Chef David Hawksworth across the country as young chefs compete for a $10,000 prize and an internship at the restaurant of their choice.

As Vancouver continues to see rising food prices across the board, Esquire tells us why we can expect to pay more for salmon…stupid sea lice!

And while we’re on the subject of rising costs, the poor performance of the Canadian dollar means an increase in wine prices as well, so…cheers.

Alex Gill dives into nouveau Cantonese cuisine at Peninsula Restaurant. The price tag might be high, but the luxurious dishes fit the bill.

A most excellent guide to all of Vancouver’s delectable Valentine’s Day offerings. Espana seems to be taking the whole thing to (ox) heart.

And speaking of February 14th, Imbibe Magazine shares their Valentine’s Day gift guide. I’m not really one for the holiday, but I certainly wouldn’t turn down that Salt and Straw February Gift Pack.

Where do Vancouver chefs like to get their sweet fix? Looks like Pidgin’s Shin Suzuki and I are on the same page.

Sure, you can take it with cream and sugar, but if you’re looking to change your coffee habits up a bit, here’s how some of the best take their morning caffeine fix.

I can’t remember the last time I ate every meal at home for a week, let alone a month. Follow along as Epicurious editor David Tamarkin spends thirty days eating exclusively home-cooked meals.

Time to stock up on bran and veggies. New study shows that a diet rich in fiber may reduce a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

There are few hard days that can’t be fixed with an Old Fashioned and an order of Cheese Toast. Hy’s does Happy Hour right, striking a perfect balance of class and comfort.

Eating via Instagram honours this week go to local chef Angus An (Maenam, Freebird, Longtail, Fat Mao) capturing delicious moments with Bao Bei chef Joel Watanabe at this year’s Chef’s Week PDX.

Looking for work in the industry? Check out who’s hiring!

Field Trip: Tagging Along for a “Glorious” Tomato Appreciation Feast

Inspired by their love of tomatoes and everything that farmer Mark Cormier and his farm crew put into growing them, the team from Say Hey Sandwiches head out to Aldergrove on a mission to cook a feast for the Glorious Organics team...

Reverence, Respect, and Realization: What The Acorn Taught Me

At 21 years old, I'm still just a kid and relatively new to working in restaurants, but I grew up umbilically tied to the hospitality industry. My father was a food writer, and my mother is a photographer. Their careers meant that most of my early years were spent in kitchens and dining rooms instead of on playgrounds and soccer fields; consequently, I learned my table manners before I could count past one hundred.

Amanda MacMullin Talks Seeking New Challenges and Becoming a ‘Grizzled Old Bartender’

Rhys Amber recently sat down with The Diamond bartender to catch up, swap 'war stories' and discuss the minutiae of the crazy, hospitality life.

On Expensive Hobbies, Title-Chasing & Getting ‘Rinsed’ in the Kitchen, with Josh Stel

The veteran Vancouver pan jockey and recently appointed Chef de Cuisine at The Mackenzie Room possesses a slew of attributes harder and harder to come by these days, so Rhys saw it fitting to reach out and see what makes him tick.