The 18th Annual Healthy Chef Competition presented by BC Produce Marketing Association (BCPMA). The even is held to increase the awareness of the healthy aspects of eating fresh fruits and vegetables. I was invited this year as a media judge to attend this event.
Partnering with the BC Chef’s Association, they bring an evening of gourmet dining in which ten competing teams of chefs from the Lower Mainland’s restaurants, hotels and culinary centres offering up creative and savoury dishes.
The event is open to the public to purchase tickets and includes appetizers, dinner & dessert, the evening’s festivities and a swag box of goodies. This year, the room was packed with 500 people.
Everyone gets the some appetizer but depending on what entree and dessert card they get, it’s random. You can try trading cards with other people at the table.
Appetizer – Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait
Avocado-Snow Crab Louis parfait with smoked steelhead caviar, cured yolk and Old Bay Puffed Rice. It was a sizable portion to start the meal, but the mousse was slightly bitter.
Hyatt Regency Hotel
Smoked Duck Breast, Duck Confit Croquette, Duck & Fig Stuffed Blood Orange Tortellini.
EBO
Chicken Roulade with black truffle farce, ginger corn, corn puree, pickled cabbage, tokyo turnip, and spring onion foam.
Macerated Strawberries and Honey Pomelo with kiwi lime sorbet, almond biscuit, dill panna cotta, dehydrated meringue, and extra virgin olive oil.
Kids Bento Box. Butternut squash mac n cheese, homemade almond butter and jam, sesame teriyaki salmon, vegan chocolate and date mousse, and fruit terrine.
Vancouver Community College
Venison Loin Sous Vide with pickled mustard seed, lingon berry sauce, yukon potato pave, savoy cabbage, mushroom duxekke, king mushrooms, shallot jam, turnip celeriac puree, baby carrots, and french green beans.
Lemon custard sablee, ‘Golden’ milk chocolate mousse sphere, cocoa nib crumble, meringue and orange.
White Spot
Seafood Trio. Jumbo Atlantic Scallop on Sea Salted Sweet Potato Pie, Prawns Slow Cooked in Nori with Roasted Garlic Sun Choke puree. Jumbo Mussels in Saffron cream. Green pea and wasabi drizzle. Seasame honey baby carrots.
Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake with chocolate almond dacquoise, goat cheesecake, spicy basil honey, and blueberry coulis.
Gourmet Veggie Corndog with beet chips.
Executive Plaza Hotel Coquitlam – The Wild Fig
Blackened Duckling with rendered crispy skin, beet and potato pave, yam puree, white asparagus, slow braised shiitake mushrooms, asparagus sphere, date and cranberry port wine reduction, dehydrated grape tomato, savory flavoured caviar, and micro intense mix.
Duo Panacotta with rosewater coconut panacotta, earl grey pana cotta, candied sugar water crisp, fresh melon balls, mint macerated berries, pineapple and mango coulis, caviar and jelly noodle.
Mini Kiddie Plate with skinless duck stuffed white asparagus, cranberry sugar dust, vegetable bricks (carrots, beets, and pear), french bean bundles, yam puree and date/pear reduction.
Marriott Vancouver Airport – The American Grille
Awesome centrepiece for their table made out of vegetables.
Beet & Porcini crusted lamb rack with purple caulifower couscous, roasted carrot puree, spinach puree, medley of vegetables, umami jus and cumin tuile.
Rosemary infused Olive Oil Financier Cake with white chocolate mousse, apricot coulis, macerated berries, dark chocolate soil and beet meringue.
Kids Bento Box. Ratatouille with avocado mousse, root vegetable chips, and mango yogurt berry parfait.
Pretty Resort Estates – Sandpiper Resort
Gelderman Farms Pork Loin saltimbocca style, ratatouille, Harrison Mills Trio of Potato Pave, Rainbow carrot in spruce tip infused butter.
Dark Berry Muesli (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry apples, yogurt and oats) with Lemon Meringue, and Brule Granny Smith Apples.
Vancouver Island University
Poached Salmon, Fennel Cream Foam and House Made Sour Cabbage, Artichoke and oven dried tomato tart, pea puree scented with bay leaf, butternut squash, potato pave and roasted nut crumble, and roasted eggplant stuffed zucchini.
Vanilla coconut tapioca, tarragon lime, passion fruit foam, caramelized sweet potato, and candied radish.
Pan Roasted Whole Wheat Bannock, poached salmon, carrot, beet, cabbage, cucumber & apple, celery straws, hummus and raw fruit crumble.
Pint 405 Pub
(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)
Beach Grove Golf Club
(I am missing the descriptions and because there were so many dishes, I lost track. But, here are some pictures.)
Winners
Judges and the audience were able to vote for the best dishes for the evening. Here are the results.
- Best Entree – Vancouver Community College
- Best Dessert -Marriott Airport / The American Grille
- Best Childen’s Entree – EBO
- Best Table Showcase – Marriott Airport / The American Grille
- People’s Choice – White Spot
It was a fun evening and there was lots of food. There was even enough for seconds at some of the booths. At the end of the night, we all got a swag bag and a produce box to enjoy the wonders of fresh BC produce.
Website: http://bcpma.com/about-us/events/healthy-chef-competition
