The GOODS from Edible Canada

Vancouver, BC | When Edible Canada first opened as ‘Edible Vancouver’ in the Granville Island public market 10 years ago, founder Eric Pateman was always dreaming big. On November 29th, when the inaugural Flight Across the Top of Canada was named as the recipient of the 2017 TIAC Culinary Tourism Award, it was proof that with hard work and uncompromising determination, dreams can come true.

The culinary traditions of Canada’s north have inspired Pateman ever since he started working with the Yukon Culinary festival in 2012. The Flight Across the Top of Canada was the culmination of that, a cross-country exploration of the culinary traditions of Canada’s north. The trip was on a chartered Air North 737 jet, which carried 60 guests across northern Canada from June 16th- June 23rd, 2017. It was a unique culinary adventure like nothing done before it. Six stunning northern locations. Four iconic northern dinners prepared and hosted by ten iconic Canadian culinary superstars. Countless Canadian partners & suppliers offered the best wine, beer, spirits, foraged & farmed products and maple syrup which Canada has to offer. Local community leaders and artists welcomed the group at each stop. This was the adventure of a lifetime, and culinary tourism at its finest.

When asked about what the award means to him, Pateman said that it has made him even more excited for what comes next. “This award is an amazing accolade, and recognition we never expected for the Flight Across the Top of Canada project. Most of all I find it inspiring. The culinary tourism award is like a green light for me and for my team at Edible Canada to continue chasing down big, bold ideas and making them a reality. It’s so worth it to see how something like this can have a real impact.”

Edible Canada’s foundation has always been rooted in culinary tourism. From chef-guided foodie tours and long table dinners in Granville Island’s public market, to gourmet kayaking and the ongoing ‘Yukon Whisky Weekend’, Edible Canada has been taking guests on culinary adventures since day one. The evolution of the market tours exists today in the form of the Vancouver Foodie Tours, recently listed in by Forbes Magazine as one of the ‘Best 9 Food Tours in the World’. The Flight Across the Top of Canada was Edible Canada’s most ambitious tour yet, and it is the start of something great.

What is Next for Edible Canada?

This award marks a significant milestone for Edible Canada, but it is just the beginning. This year, Edible Canada officially became a designated tour operator, in order to expand their culinary tour offerings. Their most loyal fans have been asking for more offerings in food tourism, both in Canada and around the world. Eric Pateman believes that food tourism is at the heart of the future of adventure travel.

“Food is associated with so many of the most memorable moments in our lives. I travel so much, and whenever I do, it is always the meals which give me the truest sense of place. I remember Morocco for the spices, Spain for the seafood, and Canada’s North for Arctic Char, wild haksap and foraged spruce tips. When we build a trip around food experiences and regional flavours, we allow the traveller to connect with a destination in a very authentic way”.

So where is Eric Pateman taking Edible Canada’s guests in 2018? He will be heading south of the border to a destination rich in both culinary tradition and talented Blues musicians. The ‘Bourbon, Blues, and BBQ’ trip will take guests from Louisville to New Orleans, with Nashville and Birmingham along the way. Celebrated chefs from each city will prepare private meals in stunning and historic destinations for guests who will be travelling by luxury coach. Guests will experience 7 signature dinners, as well as a few lunches, tours, and private tastings along the way. The culture and cuisine of these four fascinating cities have never been presented in such a unique way, and the exclusively 4 & 5-star accommodation will make it a trip of a lifetime. The BBBBQ trip will take place from April 11-18th, 2018, and tickets are on sale now.

In addition, the Flight Across the Top of Canada will be taking off for a second time in the summer of 2019. Though it was originally conceived as a one-time project during the Canada 150 year, the trip exceeded even Pateman’s expectations, and will be further improved by a year of experience. A little bit longer, and with more cultural experiences added, the 2019 Flight Across the Top of Canada is an opportunity to experience & taste the north in a way you will never forget.

There are a few more initiatives up Pateman’s sleeve that have not been release yet. Keep your eyes peeled!

Details

Edible British Columbia | Edible Canada
1596 Johnston Street | Vancouver, BC. V6H 3R9
Office: 604.558.0040 | Retail Store: 604.682.6675 | Bistro: 604.682.6681
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.ediblecanada.com
Twitter | Facebook
Hours: 1030am-6pm Mon-Fri | 9am-6pm Sat | 9am-5pm Sun

Gallery

The People

Eric Pateman — President and Founder
Harriet Whitecross — Restaurant Manager
Rhianon Dearing – Events
Natalie Graham – Retail
Alannah Johnston – Sales & Marketing

About Edible Canada

Edible Canada — Sightseeing for your taste buds.

Edible Canada (formerly Edible British Columbia) is a six year-old business headquartered at Granville Island Public Market, in Vancouver, British Columbia. We are Canada’s largest culinary tourism and locavore retail company, dedicated to sourcing the highest quality culinary products from coast to coast for our customers.

Services include our retail & online artisan food store, chef guided Granville Island Market Tours, demonstration guest chef Market Dinners, Gourmet Kayaking Weekends, and whatever else we dream up. In the summer of 2011 we opened Edible Canada at the Market — a vibrant bistro in the heart of Granville Island and at the forefront of Canadian cuisine.

About Eric Pateman, President & Founder

Edible British Columbia was created by Eric Pateman in the spring of 2005. Eric is a Vancouver native with a lifelong passion for food and wine. He has worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years both as a chef and hotel consultant and has rated restaurants for the Mobil Travel Guide. Eric’s own culinary travels have taken him throughout North America, to the UK and to Africa where he has sought out unique food experiences. Edible British Columbia is the product of Eric’s fervor for great food and wine, his extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry and an enthusiasm for exceeding expectations when it comes to customer service. Eric is a past board member of the BC Culinary Tourism Society and the Vancouver Coast & Mountains Tourism Region. Eric is also a member of the Chef’s Table Society, Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver and supports many local charities including the Vancouver Food Bank and Les Dames D’Escoffier. Eric was named as one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 Under 40 Business People in 2007, and to Western Living Magazine’s list of the Top 40 Foodies Under 40 in Western Canada in 2008.

Customer Feedback

“The tour and lunch were hugely successful. Feedback from the group – some of whom have been attending this conference for over 10 years – was that it was one of the best events ever. Thank you very much for your assistance in making the Saturday morning activity such a hit. I would not hesitate to recommend these tours and in fact will soon organize one with local friends – we also should be able to enjoy these special parts of Vancouver. Thanks again for your attention to detail.”
Private Granville Island Market Tour

“We were fortunate to have Edible British Columbia plan our honeymoon. Our 8-day trip was the best vacation of our lives. Eric worked with us to customize a honeymoon that offered relaxation, luxury, and culinary greatness. Every last detail was taken care of — hotel, car and ferry reservations (including the honeymoon suite at a Sooke B&B and a beautiful room at the Pan Pacific), dinner reservations at prime times and prime tables, picnics and hiking suggestions, and guided tours. Highlights included an extraordinary meal at West’s chef’s table, a romantic meal at sunset at the Pointe, and a dim sum tour of Richmond with Stephanie Yuen. It was terrific to have someone take such careful note of our desires and dislikes (our menus regularly featured favourite foods such as oysters and crab, and addressed food allergies), stay within our budget, and yet balance that with freedom and down time. Most importantly, after planning our entire wedding, we were able to sit back, eat, drink and most of all ENJOY, the beauty and of British Columbia. We’d return tomorrow if we could!”
Culinary Tourist

“The meal at West was awesome, the scallops and steak were just perfect and the wine was nice paired with each course. My wife was impressed that I had a consultant help with the planning of our anniversary meal.”
Culinary Tourist

“My wife and I are life-long products of the Eat Van melting pot, so we are no strangers to Asian food, but Tony succeeded in broadening our culinary horizons. Had we waded into the market’s food stalls without him, we would have stuck to the safe choices and not had the fun learning experience we had.”
Market Tour

“The event overall was an absolutely fantastic experience! Chef’s willingness to share knowledge and enthusiasm for food makes this event. To be totally honest, I would be willing to pay more for this experience – I think it is worth at least double when you consider the price of other cooking classes or comparable experiences. Best of luck to you all and I will definitely be in touch for future events!”
Behind the Scenes – Private Cooking Class

“Chef was amazing, personable, laid-back and knowledgeable! We had a fantastic time, great food and wine, wonderful people. We will definitely recommend this to our friends and family. Thank you, Vancouver needs more culinary experiences like this!!”
Behind the Scenes – Private Cooking Class

“An excellent evening with every single thing meeting or exceeding expectations.”
Private Market Dinner

“What a superb evening — I only wish I lived closer as I would attend several each year. Thanks to Eric and his fantastic and entertaining staff – it was a very enjoyable evening!”
BC’s Best Market Dinner

“The guides performed magic with the preparation and presentation of each meal. If I were not there watching that they were actually preparing and cooking the food from scratch on the “Coleman stove”, I would have thought that they had used packed prepared food. The quality of the food and it marvelous taste had all of us longing for more… yummers. Both guides were very approachable, friendly, knowledgeable and very professional – they made the trip very, very enjoyable… an awesome experience indeed.”
Gourmet Kayaking Weekend

“I loved this tour! The stops we made at the different venues were informative and very yummy. I only wished I could bring the whole market home with me. After the tour my daughter and I went back to places we had stopped at, picked up items for our lunch which we ate out on the deck. Then I bought what I could bring back with me on an airplane. I would even take this tour again! I would hope that every visitor and person living in the area would take this tour! Thanks!”
Granville Island Market Tour