GOODS: Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts’ Chef Julian Bond Receives Mentorship Award

The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA) is located at 1505 West Second Ave | 604.734.4488 | www.picachef.com

The GOODS from PICA

(VANCOUVER, BC) | This year’s 23rd Annual Vancouver Magazine ‘Restaurant Awards’, held on Monday, April 23rd, added a new category of special distinction in recognition of an individual who has gone above and beyond when it comes to teaching and mentoring the next generation of cooks and chefs. Proudly Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts’ Executive Chef Julian Bond became the inaugural recipient of the ‘Mentorship Award’. The award joins industry-lauded ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, ‘Green Award’ and, Front-of-House Service Award’ under the auspicious ‘Special Awards Category’.

In front of a room full of peers, friends as well as, former students Julian Bond had this to say about receiving this new and prestigious award, “We all meet here once a year and when I walk around the room I see former students now sous chefs, executive chefs all in a world of their own making and that makes me extremely proud”. Julian further went on to say, “We are all cooks but to truly become a chef we must pass on our craft and pass it on correctly”. Read more

GOODS: L’Abattoir Scores “Best Casual” At The Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards

L'Abattoir is located at 217 Carrall St in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood | 604-568-1701 | www.labattoir.ca

The GOODS from L’Abattoir

Vancouver, BC | Gastown’s L’Abattoir has been awarded “Best Casual Restaurant” at the Vancouver Magazine 2012 Restaurant Awards. The award is a ringing endorsement of L’Abattoir’s commitment to serving quality cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere.

L’Abattoir’s Chef, Lee Cooper, was also recently recognized by his peers receiving a third place nod on the Best Chef list in Georgia Straight’s Golden Plate Awards behind two of Vancouver’s most awarded chefs. The accolade was noted after a team of Straight staffers polled over 100 local restaurateurs, chefs, and managers asking them to name Vancouver’s best in a variety of categories.

General Manager, Paul Grunberg, noted “Lee and I are proud to be participating in such a vibrant restaurant scene. Vancouver has so much great cuisine to offer. It is humbling to receive such praise at this time…in this city. We really want to thank our staff, family and friends for all of their support.” 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: Miradoro At Tinhorn Creek Wins Top Vineyard Dining Nod At Restaurant Awards

Miradoro is located at 32830 Tinhorn Creek Road in Oliver, BC | 250.498.3742 | www.miradoro.ca

The GOODS from Miradoro

Oliver, BC | Miradoro Restaurant, British Columbia’s premiere winery restaurant, was honoured with a gold medal for Best Winery/Vineyard Dining at the 23rd Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. In front of an audience of leading restaurateurs, chefs and service professionals, relative newcomer Miradoro Restaurant took top honours among winery restaurants. Past winners in this category have included Old Vines Restaurant at Quails’ Gate and The Terrace at Mission Hill.

The Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards brought together a panel of 18 food and wine experts who deliberated on the winners. One judge stated that in the kitchen, Executive Chef Jeff Van Geest “brings a keen awareness of sourcing the local and seasonal that puts this restaurant at the top of its class.” Miradoro’s Restaurateur Manuel Ferreira (also of Le Gavroche) was also lauded for upping the ante in South Okanagan winery dining in his partnership with Tinhorn Creek.

Manuel Ferreira was thrilled, saying, “We are very honoured and proud to be named ‘Best Winery/Vineyard Dining’. This award recognizes excellence, and reflects the talent and the tireless dedication of our team to continually raise the bar in all aspects of our restaurant with the ultimate goal of creating the best experience for our guests.” Learn more about Miradoro after the jump… Read more

GOODS: Chef Hawksworth & Team Receive Unprecedented Success At Dining Awards

Hawksworth is located in Rosewood Hotel Georgia at 801 West Georgia St. | www.hawksworthrestaurant.co

The GOODS from Hawksworth

Vancouver, BC | With less than a year of operation under its belt, Hawksworth Restaurant received an unparalleled set of awards yesterday, at the 23rd annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Chef David Hawksworth and his team took home a total of seven accolades, including the coveted hat trick – Best New Restaurant, Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year – as well as well-deserved individual awards for key team members.

Chef David Hawksworth humbly credited the success of his 11-month old restaurant to his team of over 140 staff, including General Manager Chad Clark, Chef de Cuisine Kristian Eligh and Sommelier of the Year Terry Threlfall. “This one is for Kristian,” Hawksworth claimed upon receiving Chef of the Year for a second time (he first scooped the title in 2005, while with West). “This was wholly unexpected; we hoped for Best New, and were thrilled to land Best Upscale but to secure Restaurant of the Year, so soon after opening was above and beyond what we dared wish for.” Read more

DINER: Congrats To All The Winners At The 23rd Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards

by Andrew Morrison | My hearty congratulations to all of those who received gold, silver, and bronze accolades at yesterday’s 23rd annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Though I didn’t attend this year (still nursing the Canucks loss and shaving), I appreciated the many attendees who texted updates my way (I’m particularly grateful for the more comedic ones – I lost my soup a few times!). My general takeaway of the results? It was nice to see Hawksworth clean up so convincingly (winning Best New, Best Upscale, Best Design, and Chef of the Year), and I was glad that L’Abattoir won Best Casual (well deserved), but beyond that and a couple of awards that were long overdue (congrats Brooke Delves on scoring a Premier Crew nod), there were few surprises that weren’t happy ones. Thanks to my fellow judges, and to all those in the trade for making it a very tasty year. See all the results here and let us know your opinion on them in the comments…

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

All Scenes & Results From The Van Mag Restaurant Awards…

The 21st Annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards went down yesterday at the Wall Center. There were lots of predictable winners and quite a few surprises as well. And as with every year there were as many disappointed people as there were happy ones. The better highlights I’ll save for the deathbed (except for the part when a high profile executive chef accidentally nailed an old lady in the head with a Nimby burger frisbee – that was just too awesome to keep to myself), plenty second-guessing of us judges, and an intoxicating array of after-parties that left half our finest rooms staffed with fabulous drunks, ecstatic winners and not a few honourable mentions wondering how it all went wrong. Results after the photos… Read more