GOODS: Araxi Wine Director Samantha Rahn Named 2013 Sommelier Of The Year

The multiple award-winning Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | araxi.com

The GOODS from Araxi

Whistler, BC | A passionate sommelier and world traveler, Araxi Wine Director Samantha Rahn has won the Vancouver International Wine Festival’s 2013 Sommelier of the Year Award. Nominated from the top sommeliers in British Columbia and Alberta, and voted on by a wide cross-section of industry professionals, the award represents the highest level of achievement in Western Canada.

Samantha exemplifies the modern sommelier in her approach to tasting, sourcing, and educating our staff and guests. With formal training from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, and over 15 years of hospitality experience, Samantha is well known for procuring exciting, value-driven wines to complement Araxi’s extensive cellars.

“We are absolutely delighted that Samantha has been recognized,” said Toptable Group proprietor Jack Evrensel. “Samantha is enormously talented, and passionate in ensuring the enjoyment of every guest whom she serves. This award, coming on the heels of the VIWF Gold Wine List Award for Araxi, is truly representative of a very dedicated professional.” Read more

GOODS: Araxi, CinCin, Blue Water Cafe, And West Prepare For Special Fall Wine Dinners

Details on a special series of extraordinary wine suppers at Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin and West during the Fall season

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | This autumn we are pleased to present five extraordinary wine dinners at Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin and West. Our award-winning chefs will craft multi-course tasting menus to complement each evening’s progression of wines. Senior representatives from select wineries will speak to the history and terroir of their estates and winemaking methods. Get all the details on these unmissable evenings after the jump… Read more

GOODS: Whistler’s Araxi Breaking Out All The Big Guns For Cornucopia Wine Supper

Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | Araxi.com

The GOODS from Araxi

Whistler, BC | As a greatly anticipated annual event, this year’s Big Guns: Icons of the Wine World dinner will feature a spectacular collection of highly rated, rare and collectible wines. On Friday November 9th, seven stellar wineries from the world’s top wine regions will come together at Araxi for an exclusive one-off dinner event. Each critically acclaimed wine has been thoughtfully hand-selected by Wine Director Samantha Rahn, in order to deliver a truly unforgettable tasting experience.

“This year the wines I have selected represent complexity and finesse,” says Rahn. “We want to open our guests’ eyes and palates to some truly unique expressions of grape varieties and diverse regions in a mix of old world and new, tradition and innovation, rule breakers and trend-setters.”

Araxi Executive Chef James Walt will create a bespoke seven-course menu that showcases the excellence of Canadian produce, with standout dishes including Wild Mushroom and Local Beef Cheek Ravioli topped with generous shavings of White Alba Truffles. Guest will be treated to a parade of striking flavours such as Northern Divine Caviar, White Grace Cheese from Salt Spring Island and a tasting of Pemberton’s six varieties of Famous potatoes from Across the Creek Organics. Each course will be carefully paired to these exceptional wines… Read more

GOODS: Araxi’s Outdoor Dinner Series Continuing This Summer At Rainbow Park

Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in beautiful Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | www.araxi.com

The GOODS from Araxi

Whistler, BC | Summer is nearly upon us – and at Araxi, it represents the start of an exciting season featuring our annual Longtable Dining Series. This year, the series will be set in Whistler’s picturesque Rainbow Park, which boasts stunning views of Whistler, Blackcomb, and Alta Lake – serving as the ultimate al fresco backdrop for this highly anticipated dining series.

Araxi’s acclaimed Executive Chef, James Walt, prides himself and his menus on local provenance, and has built strong relationships with Pemberton Valley’s farming and ranching community. As part of this year’s Longtable Series, an exclusive Farmers’ Market will be on site, allowing guests to taste Chef James’ favourite ingredients in their raw form. Participating producers will include, amongst others, Root Down Organics and Pemberton Meadows Natural Beef. The evening will begin with a cocktail reception, featuring wine tastings and a dedicated vodka station by Pemberton Distillery.

Chef James and his expert team from Araxi will craft an exclusive four-course tasting menu, aiming to deliver a truly memorable and unique farm-to-table experience. Chef James says, “We are extremely excited about this summer’s Longtable Series at Rainbow Park, and especially to introduce our valued producers. I believe the Farmers’ Market will give guests a unique opportunity to engage with some of our very best suppliers in an intimate and relaxed setting.” Details after the jump… Read more

GOODS: Top Table Rooms Win Accolades At The 23rd Annual Van Mag Restaurant Awards

Every one of Top Table's restaurants were recognised for their contributions to the Vancouver restaurant scene this year

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | If cherry blossoms herald spring across the province, in British Columbia’s culinary industry, the change of seasons is marked by the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Now in their 23rd year, and unique in Canada, the awards were convened on a fitting spring day – Monday, April 23rd – at the Sheraton Wall Centre. A panel of 18 judges acknowledged industry excellence as Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin, West and Thierry were honoured before an audience of leading restaurateurs, chefs, and service professionals. Details after the jump… Read more

GOODS: Top Table’s Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin And West Shine At The Wine Festival

To learn more about Top Table

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Top Table Group’s restaurant wine lists were once again saluted at the 9th Annual Wine List Awards Luncheon convened earlier this afternoon during the 34th annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. In attendance at the Luncheon were Top Table wine directors Samantha Rahn (Araxi), as well as Andrea Vescovi (Blue Water Cafe) and Owen Knowlton (West), each of whom has previously been awarded ‘Sommelier of the Year’, in 2009 and 2011 respectively. Blue Water Cafe and West were two of only six restaurants awarded with the highest Platinum Wine List Award, while Araxi and CinCin Araxi and CinCin were among a distinguished group to win the Gold designation. Read more

GOODS: Private Blends Launched By “Top Table” Wine Directors And “Laughing Stock”

Top Table's partnership with Laughing Stock Vineyards produces two uniquely blended wines

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Top Table’s four wine directors—Araxi’s Samantha Rahn, Blue Water Cafe’s Andrea Vescovi, CinCin’s Sarah McCauley, and West’s Owen Knowlton—are excited to debut their inaugural wine label, Director’s Blend, a duo of personally blended wines produced by Laughing Stock Vineyards in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

Augmenting the extensive international wine cellars at each restaurant, the 2009 Director’s Blend Red and 2010 Director’s Blend White are now available exclusively at Top Table restaurants and represent the first vintages of an ongoing project. Learn more after the jump… Read more

Field Trip #587: An Araxi Feast In The Great Outdoors At Pemberton’s North Arm Farm…

We recently got away up to Pemberton to take in one of chef James Walt’s outdoor Araxi dinners at Jordan Sturdy’s stunning North Arm Farm. The weather was uncharacteristically cool and the sky more  dramatic than previous visits, but the food and drink (all wines from Mission Hill) stole the show.

RECEPTION

Garden Back to Eden Tomato Gazpacho
Yarrow Meadows Duck Liver Parfait with Rosemary
Tofino Dungeness Crab Roll with Cucumber Pearls
Mission Hill Martin’s Lane Riesling, 2010
Schramm Vodka Cocktails (Pemberton Valley)

MENU

North Arm Zucchini Flowers
stuffed with Okanagan goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes
Root Down organic greens with red pepper vinaigrette
Mission Hill Perpetua, 2008

Cherry Wood Hot Smoked Barkley Sound Sockeye Salmon
roasted North Arm beets, english pea and green tomato salsa
arugula flowers with beet caviar
Mission Hill Quatrain, 2007 (magnum format)

Pemberton Meadows Natural Beef
crispy slow cooked beef cheek fritter, pepper and rosemary roasted sirloin
North Arm rainbow chard and baby carrots
Mission Hill Oculus, 2004 (magnum format)

North Arm Strawberry Ice Cream Bar
strawberry ice cream dipped in dark chocolate with chocolate crust
Agassiz hazelnut financier with Okanagan apricots
Mission Hill Late Harvest Riesling, 2005

Altogether it was a stunner of an evening, and as per usual, we’re telling the story by way of photographs with captions as memory serves (short form: it was amazing). Should you want to enjoy one of these outstanding al fresco suppers, there are two more on the horizon taking place in the very same spot. August 27th will see Araxi pair up with Naramata’s Foxtrot Vineyards and Napa’s Trefethen Family Vineyards, and then September 11th will witness chef Walt plate alongside pours from sister wineries Le Vieux Pin of Oliver and LaStella of Osoyoos. Find out how to attend here.

ARAXI SUPPER ON NORTH ARM FARM

MORE FIELD TRIPS

GOODS: Menu And Wines Confirmed For Outdoor “Araxi” Supper At North Arm Farm

Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | Araxi.com

The GOODS from Araxi

Whistler, BC | The menu and wines have just been confirmed for the araxi longtable @ north arm farm event on July 30th, the first in a trifecta of outdoor dining experiences taking place this summer at Pemberton’s picturesque North Arm Farm.

Araxi’s wine director, Samantha Rahn is thrilled to be showcasing a range of outstanding wines from Mission Hill Family Estate, which represent the very best of their current portfolio. Ingo Grady, Mission Hill’s Director of Wine Education and one of the province’s foremost wine authorities, will lead guests through the wine pairings that he has personally chosen to accompany Chef James Walt’s menu. Take a look after the jump… Read more

GOODS: Top Table Rooms Shine At The 22nd Annual VanMag Restaurant Awards

Veteran Top Table restaurant staff have been recognised for their contributions to the Vancouver restaurant scene...

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | In British Columbia’s culinary industry, nothing salutes the advent of spring quite like the annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Unique in Canada, and now in its 22nd year, the awards were convened on Tuesday, April 12th at the Sheraton Wall Centre. A panel of 19 judges acknowledged industry excellence as Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin and West were honoured before a standing-room-only audience of leading restaurateurs, chefs and service professionals. Read more

GOODS: The Spring Line Up Of Events From CinCin, West, Araxi And Blue Water Cafe

Veteran Top Table restaurant staff have been recognised for their contributions to the Vancouver restaurant scene...

The GOODS from CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Top Table restaurants and our chefs will be leading a number of exciting upcoming events that speak to our involvement with local farmers, ranchers, purveyors, wineries and breweries. And through other events, such as Dining Out For Life and the Red Cross Red Carpet Soiree, we’re also deeply engaged in our community. We invite you to join with us as we celebrate where we live. Browse the exciting line-up of Spring events after the jump… Read more

Big Upcoming Events For CinCin, Araxi, West and Blue Water Cafe

Veteran Top Table restaurant staff have been recognised for their contributions to the Vancouver restaurant scene...

News from Scout supporters CinCin, Araxi, West, & Blue Water Café

Vancouver & Whistler, BC | Check out all the details on CinCin’s Truffle Festival, the Mayor’s Arts Award for Blue Water Cafe executive chef Frank Pabst, Neil Henderson’s return to Whistler’s Araxi, the Chefs’ Table luncheon at West and the full calendar of holiday events at each Top Table restaurant (including Araxi’s annual involvement in Cornucopia) after the jump… Read more

Araxi’s “Big Guns” Dinner Set To Return During 2010 Cornucopia

Araxi Restaurant is located at 4222 Village Square in Whistler, BC | 604-932-4540 | Araxi.com

News from Scout supporter Araxi

Whistler, BC | On Friday, November 12th, Whistler’s premier restaurant, Araxi, will celebrate a compelling collection of wines in an exclusive winemakers’ dinner during Cornucopia: Whistler’s Celebration of Wine and Food.

These five extraordinary wineries—four from the Napa Valley and one from Walla Walla—are all small, family-owned properties engaged in sustainable farming practices. Each of the wineries has achieved critical acclaim and international followings, and through the course of the evening, introductions to each wine will be led by winery principals, including discussion on technique and terroir. This insider’s tour of excellence in winemaking promises to be Cornucopia’s tour de force.

Executive Chef James Walt has created a distinctive five-course menu that highlights the excellence of the Pemberton Valley’s autumn harvest—alongside globally-sourced ingredients—with each plate married to these prized wines… Read more

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