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…

Champagne Billecart-Salmon ‘Brut Réserve’, France NV
The epitome of harmony, balance and finesse; a family-run Champagne house striving for excellence for nearly two centuries

Casa Marin ‘Cipreses’ Sauvignon Blanc, San Antonio, Chile 2011
From maverick winemaker + entrepreneur Mariluz Marín, this savoury, complex, mineral-driven wine was awarded ‘Best Sauvignon Blanc in the World’ in its previous vintage at Decanter Magazine World Wine Awards

Gaja ‘Gaia + Rey’ Chardonnay, Piedmont, Italy 2009
Rich and full styled white from Piedmontese master Angelo Gaja, this is a unique opportunity to showcase such a rare treasure

Louis Jadot, Domaine des Héritiers, Corton-Pougets Grand Cru, Burgundy 1999
Robert Parker 92 pts
Pretty, mature Grand Cru red Burgundy from the classic house of Jadot highlighting subtle complexities and delicate nuances of flavour 

Kosta Browne Russian River Pinot Noir, California 2010
Highly sought after, this Pinot was awarded Wine Spectator’s ‘Wine of the Year’ in the previous vintage; it is considered as one of the finest new world Pinot Noirs in every vintage

Antinori, Pian Delle Vigne, Brunello Di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy 2006
93 points, Wine Spectator
Chef James and Wine Director Samantha are both passionate about Tuscan wines and delighted to feature this glorious Brunello; richly textured and showing the character of this great vintage

Fonseca, Vintage Port, Portugal 1985
Intense, full, rich, and only now beginning to show the potential of an excellent port vintage, this promises to be a memorable finish to this very special menu 

Tickets are $250 per person, all-inclusive.

Details

4222 Village Square | Whistler, BC | VON 1B4 | MAP
Voice: 604 932 4540
Web: Araxi.com
Email: [email protected]

Gallery

Hours

Restaurant 5pm – 11pm
Raw Bar 5pm – midnight
Bar 3pm – midnight
Sunday Brunch 10am – 2pm

Our Team

James Walt, Executive Chef
Aaron Heath, Pastry Chef
Neil Henderson, Restaurant Director
Samantha Rahn, Wine Director
Tova Johnson, Assistant Restaurant Director
Pat Allan, Restaurant Manager + Assistant Wine Director

About Araxi Restaurant

Best of the Pacific Northwest

The culinary cornerstone in the heart of Whistler Village, Araxi enjoys a long-held international reputation for excellence in food, wine and hospitality.

Executive Chef James Walt celebrates carefully sourced local ingredients from nearby Pemberton Valley farms, where he collaborates frequently with local growers. His seasonally rotating menus also feature the freshest seafood catches direct from the Pacific Ocean. Walt’s innovative and skillfully executed dishes deliver intelligent compositions and delightful flavours, carefully married to our award-winning wine list. Chef’s tasting menus, and a la carte selections, are popular with Whistler residents and visitors alike.

The dining room resonates with lively ambiance enhanced with fresh flowers and original works of art. The adjoining Bar is the mountain’s popular gathering place for locals and visitors, and in the summer season the patio is the nexus of Whistler’s village life, wrapped by stunning mountain vistas.

The Cookbook

Araxi, Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant

by James Walt $45.00

Gorgeous photography and accessible recipes frame the seasons and chef James Walt’s celebration of our region’s bounty in Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant. A graduate of Stratford, Walt’s sterling career includes the executive chef position at the Canadian Embassy in Rome. The highly anticipated cookbook was just released to high praise by both patrons and Walt’s peers, including chefs Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal. Walt’s distinct Canadian style – that celebrates both local farms and coastal fisheries – has won praise and ovations at New York City’s James Beard House where he has showcased his talents three times. Now long established as Whistler’s finest dining experience, Araxi also features exceptional dessert recipes from pastry chef Aaron Heath and wine pairings from Samantha Rahn.

Best Chef Book in Canada, Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, 2009.

Nominee, Cooking from a Professional Point of View, James Beard Foundation Awards, 2010

Best Illustrated Cookbook, Cordon d’ Or – Gold Ribbon, International Culinary Academy Awards, 2010

For more details and to order a copy, click here.

Accolades

“This splendid restaurant is one of the best things about Whistler.” “The commitment to local products and suppliers shines through the inventive dishes from chef James Walt’s kitchen.”
Vancouver magazine, 2011

“Standout restaurant…”
Wall Street Journal, 2011

“Araxi is a restaurant hitting on all cylinders and clearly at the top of its game. Ambiance and service are impeccable – a real model for other restaurants to emulate.”
Food Network Canada, 2010

“Locally minded, universally delicious dishes.”
Food & Wine magazine, 2010

“Everything at Araxi is of the finest quality and is always executed with brilliant precision and
thoughtful sophistication.”
Huffington Post, 2010

Best Whistler, Gold
Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, 2011

Best Whistler Restaurant
Georgia Straight Golden Plate Awards, 2011

Best Whistler Restaurant
WHERE Magazine ‘To DIne’ Awards, 2011

Wine List Award, Silver
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, 2011

‘Best of’ Award of Excellence
Wine Spectator, 2010

Nominee, Cooking from a Professional Point of View – Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant
James Beard Foundation Awards, 2010

Best Illustrated Cookbook – Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant
Cordon d’ Or – Gold Ribbon, International Culinary Academy Awards, 2010

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