
For this edition of #ThrowbackThursday we go back to a much simpler time when we could crowd into parking lots with chopsticks in hand and feast upon chefs’ efforts to win the Golden Dumpling…
On a hot day five years ago this week I stuffed my face to capacity while judging the Dumpling Festival, which I (and presumably many others) miss dearly. Here are Michelle Sproule’s words and photos from that especially filling day…
The highly anticipated and always super fun Dumpling Festival went down yesterday, piggybacking gracefully next to Food Truck Fest just off the False Creek seawall west of Olympic Village. Though the festival focuses on the creative dumplings made by many of Vancouver’s best restaurants, it’s also for a good cause, with ticket sales going to support The Chinese Elders Community Kitchen, which seeks a weekly gathering of Chinese Elders getting together to cook and share a meal in a safe space at the Downtown Eastside Women’s Centre.
Ticket holders are given a vote that determines the people’s choice winner, with their scores being added to the weight of the judges, who ultimately determine the winner of the Golden Dumpling, a beautiful trophy previously won by the likes of Pidgin (2013) and Maenam (2014). This year, it went to Le Mezcaleria, a great Mexican restaurant on Commercial Drive. Their little Pork Cochinita Pibil jobs were fantastic. Bonus: the dumpling derby saw a record broken — the winner in the male category was something of a mad man, having crammed over 30 dumplings into his face in record time.
It goes without saying that we can’t wait until events like this return. Sigh…
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Ken Tsui fondles the coveted Golden Dumpling
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Wildebeest | Duck Confit Billettes, Smoked Duck Liver Parfait
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Golden Dumpling winners - Chef Armando of La Mezcaleria holding the Golden Dumpling
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Golden Dumpling offering from La Mezcaleria
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Gyoza Bar | Golden Dumpling 2015
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Golden Dumpling 2015
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Acorn / Squash Blossom Dumpling | Golden Dumpling 2015
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Golden Dumpling Crowd
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Au Comptoir does a crepe
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Golden dumpling
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Crowd watching The Dumpling Derby
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Crowd watching The Dumpling Derby
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Dumpling Derby Winner - obviously still jacked
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Women's Dumpling Derby Contestants cheer winner
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Dumpling Simplicity
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Derby Line-Up
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Women's Dumpling Derby winner
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Dumpling Derby Just-in-case buckets
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Dumpling Derby
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Golden Balloon
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Braised Pork Cheek Egg Dumpling from Maenam
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Sai Woo / Seafood Dumpling in curry sauce
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Chef Rob Clark Preparing Squash Blossom 'Dumplings'
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Cinara
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Golden Dumpling Crowd
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Golden Dumpling Crowd
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Golden Dumpling Crowd
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Dumpling prep
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Golden Dumpling Crowd
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Nico ponders her next move
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Alexandra at Dumpling Fest
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Ready to stamp passports
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Dumpling Derby Contestants
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Tasty
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Derby winner (47 dumplings?)
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Dumpling fest
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Crowd watches as Derby contestants stuff their faces
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Dixon gives the crowd the scoop on Derby rules
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Derby crowd
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Ken and Dixon ready for the Derby to begin.
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Womens Derby Contestants
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Dumpling Crowd
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Cotton candy to finish
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Nico and his helpers...
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Acorn staff
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Scott (Acorn) stands out in corn costume
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Plates of dumplings ready for contest
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Chicha Dumpling - so tasty
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Dumpling Fest Crowd
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Chad, always looking impossibly dapper.
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Dumpling Festival Crowd
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Pat, Lizzy & Andrew
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Chicha prep
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Prepping dumplings at Acorn
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The Champ
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Andrea (Harvest)
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Squash Blossoms
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Dumpling Festival Enthusiasm
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Tiny judge
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Judges Table (Joël Watanabe)
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Acorn
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Catching the Derby action
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"What did I get myself in to?"
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Did not look quite as composed 2 minutes 30+ Dumplings later
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Get in there...
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Working on getting the dumplings down
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months of training lead to this moment...
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Dumpling Fest Crowd
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Fred Lee checking in with Dumpling Derby Winner
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Derby official counting dumplings.
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Past champ returns to try her luck...
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Dumpling Fest
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Dumpling Derby
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Dumpling Derby
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Dumpling Fest
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Dumpling Fest
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Shelome Bouvette: Owner/ Executive Chef Chicha
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Tannis and Alexandra
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Brandon (Pidgin)
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Au Comptoir
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Steaming
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Pidgin
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La Mezcaleria
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