Food Talks Volume 12

Posted on May 11, 2015 by foodtalks

Food Talks Vol 12 Speakers (from left to right) Takayuki Omi, Peter Van Stolk, Loren Taves, Dominique Duby and Cindy Duby.

On April 27 we presented the twelfth event in this Food Talks series which featured 5 inspiring speakers from our community who spoke about themselves and our Theme: Perfectionism in our Food Community

The evening began as guests mingled over coffee and tea from the host location Momento Coffee House on the Great Northern Way Campus.

Richard Wolak (Host and Founder of Food Talks and Vancouver Foodster) welcome all and introduced our speakers.

Dominique and Cindy Duby

Chefs and Co-Owners Wild Sweets

Takayuki Omi

Chef at The Raw Bar

Peter Van Stolk

CEO – Spud

Loren Taves

Owner, Taves Family Farms and Applebarn Pumpkin Farm

There was a Q & A following the speakers which Richard Wolak moderated and guests had a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers.

Thank you to our Videographer Geoff Peters,our volunteer Stephanie and our photographer Michelle Hondl, as well as Momento Coffee House.

By: Richard Wolak

Food Talks Vol 12 on April 27

Posted on April 1, 2015 by foodtalks

This is the twelfth event in this Food Talks series! Come join us to meet and mingle with other foodies, and to hear some enlightening speakers from the food community.

Hosted by Richard Wolak – Founder of Vancouver Foodster and Food Talks

Theme: Perfectionism in our Food Community

1) Getting it right, always

2) How have they achieved their goals

3) Is failing a concern to being innovative

Our Speakers Line-up:

Peter Van Stolk

CEO – Spud

Peter is the CEO of SPUD (Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery), an online grocery store delivering local & organic products to customers in 6 cities within North America.

Peter previously founded the Jones Soda Company in 1987, and served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors through 2007. Peter also oversaw the launch of new product lines including non-carbonated juice, tea, ad energy drinks. He successfully competed against the global multi-billion dollar soda giants, and earned brand loyalty among consumers, all on a shoestring budget. By 2007Jones Soda had reached over $40 million in revenue, transforming Jones Soda, from a small premium Soda to a international brand with global aspirations.

Spud delivers local and organic groceries to homes and offices with six locations in Victoria, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In each location, they hire locally, buy locally, and deliver locally.

You can follow Peter Van Stolk on twitter @SPUDVancouver

Dominique & Cindy Duby

Dominique and Cindy Duby

Chefs and Co-Owners Wild Sweets

Wild Sweets® By Dominique & Cindy Duby is Canada’s only science-based artisan cocoa bean-to-bar chocolate-maker. It evolved from a three-year research and development project in collaboration with the University of British Columbia, which resulted in the opening of a brand new virtual chocolate boutique in November 2013. Wild Sweets® By Dominique & Cindy Duby Cocoa Bean-To-Bar Chocolate Online Boutique is an haute couture concept of chocolate that is part of an exclusive group of only a few premium sweet boutiques in the world that are combined “Chocolatier | Cacaotier | Pâtissier.” The online boutique focuses exclusively on chocolate, and all the chocolate products are made from our own cocoa bean-to-bar chocolate. The boutique promises consumers a luxurious range of chocolate products that are unique in the chocolate world, thanks to the nature of and our total control over the entire chocolate-making process! .

Dominique & Cindy Duby are the chefs and owners of Wild Sweets® By Dominique & Cindy Duby (www.dcduby.com), a critically acclaimed Designer Chocolatier Atelier, Vintage Chocolate-Maker Laboratory and Virtual Boutique, which has emerged as one of North America’s finest artisan chocolatiers. The Dubys also own DC DUBY Hospitality Services Inc., an international firm offering culinary training and consulting services to hotels and catering companies worldwide, as well as product development, food styling and photography. In addition to these full-time business endeavors, Dominique and Cindy are also award-winning authors. Their first book, Wild Sweets: Exotic Dessert and Wine Pairings, won Best Book for Food and Wine Matching (2003) at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Spain. Their second book, Wild Sweets Chocolate, won for Best Chocolate Book (2007) at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Britain. In 2008, they launched a new series of books titled Definitive Kitchen Classics. To date, three books in the series have been released: Crème Brûlée, Chocolate and Panini. The Dubys are currently working on more titles.

You can follow Dominique & Cindy Duby on twitter @WildSweets

raw bar 1

Takayuki Omi

Chef at The Raw Bar

Takayuki (Taka) Omi has spent the past 17 years honing his skills as a sushi chef, and leads the Raw Bar team at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, he is passionate about the art of sushi-making and educating diners on the ongoing sustainable seafood practices

Under his direction, The Raw Bar has been named the city’s first 100 per cent Ocean Wise sushi destination by the Vancouver Aquarium. Since The RawBar made its debut in 2013, it has been become renowned for its innovative presentation and quality of ingredients – a must-dine for the sushi-savvy.

He sharpened his skills in Japan and Toronto before opening The Lobby Lounge where he’s been creating masterpieces so unique you almost don’t want to eat them – almost. When Taka isn’t rolling and slicing in The Raw Bar, he shares his skills; teaching sushi classes many of which are held at the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre.

You can follow Takayuki Omi on Twitter @takayukiomi

Barbara-Jo McIntosh

Barbara-jo McIntosh

Author and Owner of Books to Cooks

Barbara-jo McIntosh is an award-winning food professional with over 25 years experience in the food and hospitality industry. Formerly the owner of the popular Vancouver restaurant Barbara-Jo’s Elegant Home Cooking, she is now a passionate bookseller and supporter of the culinary arts. Barbara-jo opened Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks in Vancouver’s Yaletown district in 1997 and in 2005 relocated to the Armoury District on 2nd Avenue. Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks is an epicureans’ delight, where food lovers and cooks of all abilities find inspiration.

Author of the bestselling Tin Fish Gourmet, Barbara-jo served on the prestigious James Beard Awards cookbook selection committee for six years. In 2003, Vancouver Magazine honoured her with a lifetime achievement award for her many contributions to the local culinary scene. In 2004 Barbara-jo published Great Chefs Cook at Barbara-Jo’s. This charming book captures the ambience of forty culinary events featuring celebrated chefs and authors with over 50 recipes contributed from their own cookbooks. In 2010 Barbara-jo launched french apple press, an independent press whose aim is to publish unique and treasured books for likeminded culinary and book enthusiasts. French apple press released their first book in June 2010, Cooking for Me and Sometimes You; A Parisienne Romance with Recipes by Barbara-jo McIntosh. In her culinary memoir with recipes, Barbara-jo takes readers along with her as she realizes a life-long dream of spending a month living, loving, and cooking in Paris as a true Parisian.

You can follow Barbara-Jo on twitter @bookstocooks

Loren Taves

Owner, Taves Family Farms and Applebarn Pumpkin Farm

Located in Abbotsford, BC, Taves Family Farms was established in 1969 by Loren Taves’ parents. After Loren graduated, he and his brother decided to pursue farming and focused on niche markets, starting with gooseberries and then apples that were unique to coastal climates. Shortly afterwards, Loren started growing red and black currants followed by artisan peppers and tomatoes.Today, Taves Family Farms consists of 4.5 acres of greenhouses that grow artisan vegetables.

The Taves are active in farmers’ markets, extending from Abbotsford to Vancouver, where they sell their 100% Natural Apple Cider (picked, pressed and bottled on site), plums, pears, gooseberries, currants, several varieties of apples and tomatoes, miniature peppers and cucumbers, and eggplant.

“Since 1998, I have been involved in selling our produce at farmers’ markets and directly to customers at the farm gate. This lead me to believe that by participating in the direct sale of the food we grow, it’s an important part of the farm as it informs not only the consumers about where the food is grown, and who grows it, but it also teaches the farmer about what consumers want and like. This important process continues on at the various farmers’ markets we attend and at the Applebarn every fall. It’s why we state with pride “Come to the Farm for a Taste of the Country.” (Loren Taves)

The entire operation is founded on environmentally responsible and ethical farming practices, innovation, community, and quality. In 1990, Loren and his wife, Corinne Taves, created the Applebarn—a destination designed for ‘fall family’ fun. Loren’s philosophy is to “continue perfecting the complex relationship between the land and resources and the business of growing food.” He is passionate about farming, and will continue to develop the important and direct connection between the harvest of great food and the families that enjoy it.

You can follow Loren on twitter @TavesFarms

If you haven’t been to our previous Food Talks events, Novus TV featured our Vol 3 on City Lights (view here).

Location:

Momento Coffee House
577 Great Northern Way, Vancouver

The Evening:

Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and some light eats followed by a wonderful line-up of speakers who will talk about our theme: Perfectionism and their passion related to the food community. There will be a Q & A where you will have a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers along with a chance to mingle and network with the speakers and guests afterwards (*Wine and other beverages along with other food will be available for purchase).

Tickets:

Tickets: $20 per person

Note: Eventbrite fee and GST is extra on all tickets purchased online.

Note: ALL Tickets must be purchased in advance online. All ticket sales are final. No exchanges or refunds; however you are welcome to transfer the ticket to another person for the same event if you notify us in advance with name (s) of who will be attending in your place. Event produced by CMI Chat Media Inc.

Location & Beverages/Food Sponsor

momento

Video Sponsor

Food Talks Volume 11

Posted on September 19, 2014 by foodtalks

Food Talks Vol 11 Speakers (from left to right) Lauren Elbe, Ken Beattie, Paul Davidescu, Steve Hodge and Yashar Nijati.

On September 16 we presented the eleventh event in this Food Talks series which featured 5 inspiring speakers from our community who spoke about themselves and our Theme: Innovation in our Food Community.

The evening began as guests mingled over coffee and tea from the host location Lost & Found Cafe.

Yashar Nijati

Founder – Yummus Organics

Lauren Elbe

Founder – Nuez Milk

Paul Davidescu

Co-Founder – Tangoo

Steve Hodge

Pastry Chef and Owner of Temper Pastry

Ken Beattie

Beer Educator – Eureka Beer Guide

There was a Q & A following the speakers which Richard Wolak moderated and guests had a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers.

Thank you to our Videographer Geoff Peters, and our volunteer Stephanie. Photo credit for group shot The Food Gays.

By: Richard Wolak

Food Talks Vol 11 on Sept 16

Posted on August 12, 2014 by foodtalks

This is the eleventh event in this Food Talks series! Come join us to meet and mingle with other foodies, and to hear some enlightening speakers from the food community.

Hosted by Richard Wolak – Founder of Vancouver Foodster and Food Talks

Theme: Innovation in our Food Community

1) Innovating when they started their business

2) How have they achieved their goals

3) Is failing a concern to being innovative

Our Speakers Line-up:

Ken Beattie

Ken Beattie

Beer Educator – Eureka Beer Guide

Ken’s passion for the beer industry began in British Columbia in 1987 when he was hired as a summer student with Molson Breweries. Ken spent 10 years with Molson beginning his sales career in Northern BC and finishing his tenure in Downtown Vancouver. In 1997, an entrepreneurial opportunity in the beverage industry was offered and Ken entered into a three year role as the general manager of a 30 room boutique hotel with a 150 seat liquor primary license in New Westminster.

In 2000, Ken was offered the first district sales manager role for Sleeman Breweries in Western Canada. The opportunity to represent and sell a brand portfolio that included international, national and regional brands that made up the Sleeman portfolio was the next logical step in Ken’s experience. As the provincial manager from 2009 to 2012 Ken oversaw all aspects of the sales process for both the retail and on – premise channels for British Columbia.

Ken is now combining his passion, experience and evolution in the beer industry to pursue his entrepreneurial desire by owning his own company, Eureka Beer Guide, which represents Prud’homme Beer Certification®, Canada’s leading beer training program. This multi-level beer education course has something to offer to everyone from the beer aficionado to the hospitality professional. This opportunity empowers Ken to combine his love of beer, his industry experience and his leadership skills to both industry and non- industry beer enthusiasts.

As of July 2013, Ken is the Executive Director of the British Columbia Craft Brewers Guild, which represents half of the 70, owned and operated craft breweries and brewpubs in BC. These artisans produce and promote premium hand crafted beers that are truly BC and showcase their talents to the world.

Follow Ken on Twitter @EurekaBeerGuide

Steve Hodge

Steve Hodge

Pastry Chef and Owner of Temper Pastry

Steven Hodge grew up in Dundarave. After graduating from West Vancouver secondary high school, Steven spread his wings and moved to California to attend Whittier college, graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration in 2000. Realizing his undeniable passion for cooking, he went on to complete the le cordon blue program at the California school of culinary arts in Pasadena in 2002. Specializing in none other, than pastry and chocolate.

After spending eight years in California, completing his apprenticeship at Dominic’s Restaurant in West Hollywood, Spago Catering, and Porto’s Bakery. Steven moved back home to Vancouver in 2004, where he assumed the executive pastry chef position at coast restaurant, part of the global group.  Constantly striving to better his craft, Steven then decided to apprentice with the sugar art team of Patrice Cordier and Dominique Jerry in 2005. Soon after, with a taste for adventure, Steven and his wife Lara moved to London England where he spent three years working in some of the world’s most renowned restaurants; Le Caprice Restaurant, Gordon Ramsay’s 3 Michelin star restaurant, Royal Hospital Road, and the famous, Wolseley Restaurant.

In 2008, Steven and Lara returned home to Vancouver, where Steven was given the opportunity to work alongside renowned pastry chef Thomas Haas. He spent four and half years fine tuning and perfecting his skills under the guidance of Thomas.

In 2014, Steven opened Temper Pastry in Dundarave. Using only the highest quality of ingredients, temper offers the richest, handcrafted chocolates, flakiest pastries and melt-in-your-mouth desserts, as well as a selection of gourmet sandwiches, quiches, and roasted Stumptown coffee.

Follow Steve on Twitter @Temperpastry

Paul Davidescu

Paul Davidescu

Founder – Tangoo

Paul is the CEO and Co-Founder of Tangoo, the pocket concierge app that recommends a personalized list of restaurants and venues tailored to your mood and occasion. After an inspiring study exchange semester in Barcelona, he started working on Tangoo – a brand about empowering people to better connect with one another through real world social experiences.

What started as a school project on his exchange, evolved into a social dining events company that ran over 30 events in 18 months, engaging over 1500 people and inspiring 25 media appearances on the likes of CTV, Global TV, CBC Radio, The Globe and Mail, Vancity Buzz and other local and national media publications.

The Tangoo concept evolved once more after an overnight epitome caused Paul and his team to rethink the concept and adapt it to the rapidly growing tech industry. It was before a 300-person Pitch Day at Launch Academy where Tangoo competed against 20 other startups. To their delight, pitching the new back of napkin concept won the judges over and awarded Tangoo first place.

Since Tangoo’s Pitch Day win, they roared ahead with a new team and product. The new idea was recently pitched at the CBC’s Dragons’ Den auditions in the late winter and was called up to pitch on the show in April.

There has been a great reception to the concept by dining establishments with many participating on the new platform. These include the likes of independents such as Vij’s, Chill Winston, Pidgin, Revel Room, and top restaurant groups such as Heather Hospitality Group, The Glowbal Group, and Thai House Group. Foodies and proprietors can get in on the action and Download Tangoo’s Free iOS App

Follow Paul on Twitter @pauldavidescu CEO at @TangooNights

Lauren Elbe

Lauren Elbe

Founder – Nuez Milk

Lauren Elbe is a personal trainer and the creator of the Nuez Beverage Co. a Vancouver based brand that makes organic, fresh made, preservative free almond and hazelnut milks. After her first bite of a European tomato, Lauren began to question why conventional grocery store food was so lacklustre. Lauren has studied holistic nutrition and has become passionate about local food and what “good” food means for flavour, our health, our communities and the environment. “I dream of a world where food can just be food. Where I don’t need to analyze the ingredients list of a product to try to decipher if there are ingredients that aren’t going to serve me, a world where food is made in kitchens and not laboratories.”

Follow Lauren on Twitter @NuezMilk

Yashar Nijati

Yashar Nijati

Founder – Yummus Organics

Yashar had a whirlwind 2013 when he founded Yummus Organics and became a Director @thisopenspace (formerly Chinatown Experiment) in a short span of two months. He used thisopenspace as a marketing tool for Yummus, opening ShwayShway Café, a pop-up inspired by the Middle Eastern eatery where he tried hummus for the very first time only four years ago. He comes from a diverse background, holding a BSc in Biochemistry and a BBA in Marketing from Simon Fraser University. Yashar left his career in corporate telecomm sales less than a year ago to pursue his entrepreneurial spirit. He is inspired by the absolutely transparency of companies such as the Unreasonable Institute’s Failures and Mixed Made’s Startup Journey. His goal in impacting local food culture is to embrace the same micro transparency at Yummus Organics and inspire local food entrepreneurs to do the same.

Follow Yash on Twitter @_itsYash Founder @YummusOrganics

If you haven’t been to our previous Food Talks events, Novus TV featured our Vol 3 on City Lights (view here).

The Evening: Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea by Lost + Found Cafe followed by a wonderful line-up of speakers who will talk about themselves and their passion related to the food community. There will be a Q & A where you will have a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers along with a chance to mingle and network with the speakers and guests afterwards (*Wine and other beverages along with food will be available for purchase).

Buy Tickets via Eventbrite:

Tickets:

Regular Tickets: $25 per person. $40 for a 2 pack of tickets or $72 for a 4 pack of tickets (get a group of your friends/family together and save by purchasing a 4 pack or a 6 pack).

Note: Eventbrite fee and GST is extra on all tickets purchased online.

Location & Beverages Sponsor

Video Sponsor

Food Talks Volume 10

Posted on December 9, 2013 by foodtalks

Food Talks Vol 10 Speakers (from left to right) Tim Pawsey, Michaela Morris, Michele Boufard, John Clerides, Sid Cross and David Schoelfield.

On December 3rd we presented the tenth event in this Food Talks series which featured 5 inspiring speakers from our community who spoke about themselves and a different wine related topic.

The evening began as guests mingled over wine from the host location Vancouver Urban Winery.

Representatives from three wine related organizations then spoke about their organization giving everyone an over view as to their role in the wine community.

Mark Hicken

Modernize Wine Association of British Columbia

Masa Shiroki

Artisan SakeMaker

David Stansfield

Fresh Tap and Vancouver Urban Winery

Our Speakers Line-up:

SID CROSS

Topic: “The 6 best wine types already proven most successful for BC” (or why I love BC chenin blanc, riesling, white blends, pinot noir, cab franc, and syrah)!

DAVID SCHOLEFIELD

Topic: ‘Place not Grape: Defining Okanagan terroir’.

MICHELLE BOUFFARD and MICHAELA MORRIS

Topic: “You don’t have to be rich to start a wine cellar’’

TIM PAWSEY

Topic: Drinking Outside the Box … Why Vancouver is forever in the Okanagan’s debt

JOHN CLERIDES

Topic: Nuturing & Developing a Wine Culture in BC

There was a Q & A following the speakers which Richard Wolak moderated and guests had a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers.

View all of the speakers presentations and the Q & A here which were filmed by Geoff Peters.

Thank you to Dianne Chow for taking the photos (see more photos), as well as our Videographer Geoff Peters, and our volunteer Caro.

By: Richard Wolak

Food Talks Vol 10, December 3

Posted on November 5, 2013 by foodtalks

This is the tenth event in this Food Talks series! Come join us to meet and mingle with other foodies, and to hear some enlightening speakers from the wine community.

Food Talks goes WINE Talks for this edition! Our speakers will touch on all aspects of the wine industry including British Columbia and beyond. Each of the speakers will speak on their own wine topic (see below). You will also have a chance to learn from some industry supporting organizations.

Our Speakers Line-up:

SID cROSS

Sid Cross is the Honorary President globally for The International Wine & Food Society and does a weekly posting on their site (blog.iwfs.org). Sid is an enthusiastic speaker who judges many wine and food competitions including The Lieutenant Governor’s Awards For Excellence in British Columbia Wines & The Canadian Culinary Championships. He is the only Canadian inducted as a Membre d’Honneur of the Academie du Vin de Bordeaux and to be awarded The Gourmet of the Year by The Society of Bacchus America “for outstanding knowledge of food and wines and for imparting this knowledge to others”. Sid is an Officier de l’Ordre du Merite Agricole awarded by the French Government. Follow him @winefoodguru.

Topic: “The 6 best wine types already proven most successful for BC” (or why I love BC chenin blanc, riesling, white blends, pinot noir, cab franc, and syrah)!

david s

DAVID SCHOLEFIELD

Few in the wine industry need an introduction to David Scholefield. His personality, experience, and profound global insight to the wine industry, in addition to his sharp wit and expert palate, make him a valued member of the Okanagan Crush Pad team. David was the inspiration for the Okanagan Crush Pad business model, which he first envisioned over ten years ago.

David’s devotion to wine sustained him throughout his long career as senior wine buyer for the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB), where he earned a global reputation for his ability to shepherd allocations of the world’s finest wines onto the shelves of BC liquor stores. It was during his many buying trips to wine regions around the world that he was first introduced to the concept of a cooperative wine production facility. The light bulb turned on while on a visit to New Zealand in the early 1990s when he discovered several of the top producers were making their wine from the same facility. David is an ambassador for Okanagan Crush Pad, and the “S” in the winery’s Bartier Scholefield label.

When he does not have his nose in a glass of wine, David can be found stomping through fields tracking birds or lurking around music shops and book stores in Vancouver. You can follow here @TrialtoBC

Topic: ‘Place not Grape: Defining Okanagan terroir’.

Michelle-Bouffard-Headshot

MICHELLE BOUFFARD

Michelle grew up in Québec where she studied classical trumpet and performed, taught and conducted music. She moved to Vancouver in 1996 to finish her bachelor’s degree in classical music and learn English. While serving in fine dining restaurants, she took an introductory wine course, which proved to be a revelation. In 2003, she completed her International Sommelier Diploma with top marks and worked as the resident sommelier at Marquis Wine Cellars. She went on to complete the internationally recognized Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s (WSET) Diploma Programme in 2007 with her first year funded by a scholarship awarded by the Vancouver Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier. Today Michelle is an instructor for the International Sommelier Guild and is a regular guest on French CBC radio. She speaks fluent French and English. Her defining wine moment was having her soother dipped in Champagne at Baptism but she also fully admits that she often cheats on wine with a delicious beer.

Michelle plays an active role in the wine community, sitting on expert panels for Cornucopia, the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival and the Vancouver Magazine wine awards. Her wine travels have led her to the regions of Burgundy, the South of France, Abruzzo, Piedmont, Tuscany, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Napa, Sonoma, Washington, Oregon and the Okanagan. Co-Founder of House Wine, you can follow here @housewine_girls

Topic: “You don’t have to be rich to start a wine cellar’’

MICHAELA MORRIS

Michaela spent most of her youth determined to become an actress but a modeling stint in Japan fuelled her desire to travel. She spent several years cycle touring and working her way around Europe before earning a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and French from the University of British Columbia. A one year exchange program led her back to France where she discovered the region of Burgundy and decided to pursue a career in the wine industry. After a five-year tenure at Marquis Wine Cellars, Michaela went on to become the Marketing/Logistics Manager for Liquid Art Fine Wines, a premium-only wine importing company. Michaela was awarded a scholarship by the Vancouver Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier for the internationally recognized Wine & Spirit Education Trust’s (WSET) Diploma Programme. She successfully completed her diploma in 2005 and today she is a guest lecturer for the programme. She is fluent in both English and French and continues learning Spanish and Italian. Michaela’s guilty pleasure is lobbing off Champagne corks with a sabre and she has a weakness for anything that sparkles.

A familiar face in the wine scene, Michaela has participated in tasting panels for Les Chevaliers des Vins de France, Cornucopia and the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. She has traveled extensively throughout the wine regions of Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, Abruzzo, Piedmont, Sardegna, Sicily, Tuscany, Val d’Aosta, Napa, Central Coast, Argentina, New Zealand and the Okanagan. Co-Founder of House Wine, you can follow here @housewine_girls

Topic: “You don’t have to be rich to start a wine cellar’’

Tim Pawsey

TIM PAWSEY

Tim has been covering the food and wine revolution for about 20 kilos. Count 15 kg alone thanks to the blossoming cuisine and wine culture of British Columbia, Canada.

Tim’s hallmark is seeking out and recommending value wines from BC and around the world that offer quality at every level. He also scopes out noteworthy restaurants that live up to their promises—and often over deliver. Readers depend on the Hired Belly for his “Belly’s Best” and “Belly’s Budget Best” picks to help them find the right wine for the occasion.

He writes, tweets and shoots his own images for columns in the Vancouver Courier and North Shore News. He also contributes to WHERE Vancouver magazine, as well as to several other publications. They include Taste magazine, Tidings Magazine, and Montecristo. His columns are frequently picked up by major newspapers across Canada.

Tim is a frequent judge for wine competitions, such as Vancouver Magazine International Wine Awards. He is a founding judge of The BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Wine. He is frequently invited to judge at The BC Wine Awards, and others.

Tim has traveled to taste in many of the world’s leading wine regions, most recently in Burgundy, Argentina and Chile. You can follow him @hiredBelly

Topic: Drinking Outside the Box … Why Vancouver is forever in the Okanagan’s debt

john c

JOHN CLERIDES

John was raised listening to stories about his father’s childhood in a Cypriot mountainside village. He heard about how his grandfather looked after his family of nine by raising an assortment of animals, and by growing their own fruits and vegetables. His grandfather also tended their vines and made wine, along with their local moonshine which was nothing less than racing fuel. The seeds were planted for his curiosity about food and wine.

In 1977 his career began like any other good Greek Canadian, in the family restaurant. Ten years in the restaurant business gave John a strong foundation for working with people and listening to his customers. Painfully aware of the frustrations locals had by the limited selection of wines and indifferent service, John jumped at the opportunity to open Marquis Wine Cellars in 1986. Inspired by speaking with many of his seasoned wine friends and his readings John’s quest for knowledge began.

John has travelled extensively though Australia, Washington, Oregon, California, Italy, Spain, France and Austria, sourcing unique, flavourful, undiscovered wines. Even after 25 years his quest for discovery remains unabated. You will most likely find John in either one of three places, at Marquis Wine Cellars assisting his clients, in a vineyard or cellar somewhere in the wine world, or his most preferred location: at the local ice rink playing hockey. You can follow here @MarquisWineCell

Topic: Nuturing & Developing a Wine Culture in BC

Watch videos of past food talks here.

If you haven’t been to our previous Food Talks events, Novus TV featured our Vol 3 on City Lights (view here).

You will also have a chance to learn about some organizations that lead the way in the wine industry.

modernize

Modernize Wine Association of British Columbia is a registered non-profit society that advocates for a modern food and wine culture in B.C.

FreshTAP is a premium packaging company that provides wineries and licensees a cost-effective, hassle free and reliable way to join the rapidly expanding Wine-On-Tap market in stainless steel kegs.

Established in 2007 on Granville Island, Artisan SakeMaker is known as a unique commercial winery that produces award winning, hand-made, small batch and fresh sake. Our brand name “OSAKE” is widely recognized as “Canada’s first locally produced fresh premium sake” and its popularity has reached across the country and beyond.

Location: Vancouver Urban Winery

The Evening: Each guest will receive a tasting glass of Vancouver Urban Winery’s wine. Enjoy a wonderful line-up of speakers who will talk about themselves and their passion related to the wine community. There will be a Q & A where you will have a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers along with a draw for prizes (A selection of wines from their Wine on Tap line-up will be available for purchase).

Buy Tickets via Eventbrite:

https://foodtalksvolume10.eventbrite.ca/

Advance Tickets: $20 per person before November 30

Regular Tickets: $25 per person after November 30 and at the door

Note: Eventbrite fee and gst is extra on all tickets purchased online.

Note: Limited tickets available. Note: ALL Tickets must be purchased in advance online. All ticket sales are final. No exchanges or refunds; however you are welcome to transfer the ticket to another person for the same event if you notify us in advance with name (s) of who will be attending in your place. Event produced by CMI Chat Media Inc.

Location & Wine Sponsor

van urban winery

Video Sponsor

Food Talks Volume 9

Posted on October 8, 2013 by foodtalks

Food Talks Vol 9 Speakers (from left to right) Felix Schellenberg, Peter Ladner, Susan Davidson, Andrea Carlson and Jenice Yu.

On September 24 we presented the ninth event in this Food Talks series which 5 inspiring speakers from our community who spoke about themselves and Sustainability in our Food System.

The evening began as guests mingled over delicious appetizers, and desserts from the host location Lost + Found Cafe.

Our 5 Speakers:

Chef Andrea Carlson

Chef and Owner Burdock & Co Restaurant and Harvest Community Foods.

Food Talks Vol 9 Speakers (from left to right)

Felix Schellenberg

Owner of Chilcotin Harvest and Pasture to Plate

Peter Ladner

Former City Councillor, Author of The Urban Food Revolution

Jenice Yu

Owner of Fresh Ideas Start Here Market Ltd. [F.I.S.H. Market]

Susan Davidson

Glorious Organics Co-op

There was a Q & A following the speakers which Richard Wolak moderated and guests had a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers

Thank you to Dianne Chow for taking the photos (see more photos), as well as our Videographer Geoff Peters, and our volunteer Cherie.

By: Richard Wolak

Food Talks Volume 9, September 24

Posted on September 5, 2013 by foodtalks

This is the nineth event in this Food Talks series! Come join us to meet and mingle with other foodies, and to hear some enlightening speakers from the food community.

Theme: Sustainability in our Food System.
— What does local mean?
— How much do you want to tell your customer about sustainability issues?
— Protecting the farmland
— Quality, taste & local
— Politics at play

Our Speakers Line-up:

Chef Andrea Carlson

Chef and Owner Burdock & Co Restaurant and Harvest Community Foods.

Andrea is a graduate of the Dubrulle Culinary School, where she honed her culinary skills under Executive Chef Rob Clark at C Restaurant, first as a pastry chef and later as Sous Chef. From C, she moved to Victoria to work at the Sooke Harbour House with its famed edible landscape. Andrea Carlson has garnered the Prestigious Green Award from Vancouver Magazine. When she was at Raincity Grill, she was the first chef in town to feature a 100-mile menu; she has worked as the Executive Chef at Bishops Restaurant, as well she helped launch the city’s compost program by composting with the mayor.

felix

Felix Schellenberg

Owner of Chilcotin Harvest and Pasture to Plate

The abattoir and butchery component of Pasture to Plate, B.C.’s first vertically-integrated organic grass-fed meat operation. The pond and patio are frontage for Kinikinik, the general store and restaurant sells and serves meat from Rafter 25 Ranch, which has been owned and operated by Felix and Jasmin Schellenberg since 1979.

peter

Peter Ladner

Former City Councillor, Author of The Urban Food Revolution

Peter Ladner is author of The Urban Food Revolution: Changing the Way We Feed Cities. He is a former Vancouver city councilor, Metro Vancouver vice-chair and business owner. He is currently a weekly columnist at Business in Vancouver newspaper, which he co-founded in 1989. He also writes for Seattle-based crosscut.com. He blogs at Urbanfoodrevolution.com.

From 2009-2011 he was a fellow at the SFU Centre for Dialogue researching, teaching and organizing public events around the theme Planning Cities as if Food Matters. He has grown food in his own gardens for 35 years, most recently on what used to be his front lawn. As a city councilor, he worked with the Vancouver Food Policy Council in initiating the city’s program to add 2010 food-producing community garden plots by 2010.

Peter has more than 40 years of journalistic experience in print, radio and television and is a frequent speaker on food, business and community issues. He has a BA from UBC and completed a year of graduate studies at the UBC School of Regional and Community Planning.

jenice

Jenice Yu

Owner of Fresh Ideas Start Here Market Ltd. [F.I.S.H. Market]

At FISH we are all about great seafood, sustainably sourced. We love selling seafood and we do it well. You can find our seafood at our store, at any one of the many fine restaurants we supply and in several of the large retail chain stores across Canada. We have challenged ourselves to be the best in the business and we continually strive towards this.

susan

Susan Davidson

Glorious Organics Co-op

Susan Davidson, of Glorious Organics Co-op ( http://www.gloriousorganics.com) in Aldergrove, is an organic farmer and passionate eater of all things local. She has been active with the Vancouver Farmers Markets for fourteen years as a vendor and on the Board and Vendors Advisory Committee. She is devoted to helping grow a thriving Farmers Market in Langley.

If you haven’t been to our previous Food Talks events, Novus TV featured our Vol 3 on City Lights (view here).

The Evening: Enjoy tasty appetizers and desserts by Lost + Found Cafe followed by a wonderful line-up of speakers who will talk about themselves and their passion related to the food community. There will be a Q & A where you will have a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers along with a draw for prizes (*Wine, beer, and other beverages will be available for purchase).

Buy Tickets via Eventbrite:

https://foodtalksvolume9.eventbrite.com/

Advance Tickets: $15 per person before September 21

Regular Tickets: $21 per person after September 21

Note: Eventbrite fee and gst is extra on all tickets purchased online.

.– A donation of $3 from each ticket purchased will go to support Growing Chefs.

Growing Chefs is our designated charity, support their wonderful organization that educates children on the food community in the public schools.

Note: Limited tickets available. All ticket sales are final. No exchanges or refunds; however they are transferrable with printed proof of ticket. ALL Tickets must be purchased in advance online. Event produced by CMI Chat Media Inc

Charity Partner

Growing Chefs

Location & Appetizers Sponsor

Video Sponsor

Food Talks Volume 8

Posted on July 29, 2013 by foodtalks

Food Talks Vol 8 Speakers (from left to right) Karen Barnaby, Angie Quaale, Merri Schwartz, Susan Mendelson and Meeru Dhalwala

On June 11th we presented the Eighth event in this Food Talks series which celebrated its first year of hosting inspiring speakers from our community. Our wonderful line-up of all women speakers spoke about themselves and their role as a Woman Chef in the Food Community. See each of their video presentations here!

The evening began as guests mingled over delicious appetizers from the chefs team at The Westin Grand.

Our 5 Speakers:

Chef Karen Barnaby

Chef Meeru Dhalwala

Chef Susan Mendelson

Chef Angie Quaale

Chef Merri Schwartz

The owners of Binh’s Lollipops (from Left to Right is Binh and Cindy) were talked about the treats they created to celebrate the Food Talks first Anniversary which they custom created for the event.

There was a Q & A following the speakers which Richard Wolak moderated and guests had a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers.

View all of the speakers presentations and the Q & A here which were filmed by Geoff Peters.

Thank you to Dianne Chow for taking the photos (see more photos), as well as our Videographer Geoff Peters, and our volunteer Taylor.

By: Richard Wolak

Food Talks Volume 8, June 11

Posted on May 3, 2013 by foodtalks

This is the eigth event in this Food Talks series which will celebrate its first year of hosting inspiring speakers from our community. Come join us to meet and mingle with other foodies, and to hear some enlightening women chefs as our speakers.

Our Speakers Line-up:

Karen Barnaby

karen

Karen Barnaby started cooking at the age of eight and has not been able to stop. Her professional career started twelve years later on a pink, four-burner electric stove in the basement of The Bohemian Café in Ottawa where she baked carrot cakes, cheesecakes, quiches and other culinary marvels of the late 1970’s.

Karen has lived and worked in Toronto at The Rivoli and the David Wood Food Shop, and in Mexico as a private chef. Vancouver has been her home since 1991 where she has held the position of Executive Chef at the Raintree Restaurant and the Fish House in Stanley Park. Her current role is as Chef of Product and Business Development for Albion Fisheries, Intercity Packers, and Fresh Start Foods under the Gordon Food Service umbrella.

With her no-nonsense and approachable style, Karen is a well-respected cooking teacher, speaker and inspirational role model. She is the only female chef to be honored with the British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association Back of the House Award for Excellence and has received a Minerva Award for Community Leadership.

Karen has written and edited award-winning cookbooks, contributed recipes to numerous publications and writes a popular column for the Vancouver Sun.

As a volunteer, she has edited the Helping Hands Cookbook, written to support Vancouver’s Community Kitchens Project, sat on the board of The Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and was the Scholarship Director and past president of Les Dames d’Escoffier Vancouver Chapter. Karen looks after her neighborhood first and lends her skills to various services in the DTES.

Meeru Dhalwala

meeru

Meeru Dhalwala was born in India and moved to Washington, DC, at a very young age with her parents. In DC, she worked with various international non-profit organizations on human rights and economic development projects. She received her Master’s degree in Development Studies from Bath University in England. In 1995 Meeru moved to Vancouver and joined her husband, Vikram, to work at his newly opened restaurant, Vij’s. She quickly took over the menu responsibilities and has been creating new recipes since the summer of 1995.

In 2002, Meeru and Vikram opened up a second restaurant and market called Rangoli. Meeru continues to work closely with her all-female kitchen staff – all of whom hail from villages in the Punjab – to experiment with various cooking techniques and spice combinations. In addition to her responsibility for the recipes at Vij’s and Rangoli, she is also responsible for their packaged gourmet curries, which are sold at Rangoli and many gourmet markets across Canada.

Meeru’s particular interest and focus at Vij’s and Rangoli is to forge business relationships with other local businesses and farmers. She is committed to improving her business environmental footprint. In 2009, Meeru signed up Vij’s to join local CSA (community supported agriculture) farms and has started long-term business relationships with various BC farmers. Meeru’s special community project is an annual international food fair called “Joy of Feeding” that is held every summer in Vancouver. Joy of Feeding features 15 – 16 home cooks of various ethnic backgrounds and professions showcasing their family favorite comfort foods. This event is held at UBC Farm and is also a fundraiser for the farm.

Meeru and Vikram have penned two cookbooks: Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine, which won Cuisine Canada’s 2007 Gold Award for Best Cookbook, and Vij’s at Home: Relax, Honey. Meeru also wrote a regular monthly column called Food for Thought for the Vancouver Sun for over a year and was a regular Point Person for CBC radio’s 2009 national show The Point. In November 2012, Meeru opened a new restaurant called Shanik, in Seattle, Washington in partnership with Oguz Istif, who is also involved in heading finance and operations for the Vij’s companies in Vancouver.

Susan Mendelson

susan

Susan Mendelson co-founded the Lazy Gourmet in 1979 and her catering company has been going strong ever since, she loved working with people and loved cooking. Her first cookbook started with the concept of simplifying classical recipes for people who wanted gourmet food but who were to “lazy” to follow all of the complicated steps, it’s title, “Mama Never Cooked Like This” in 1980. Susan has also written, “Let me in the Kitchen” in 1982, “Nuts about Chocolate” in 1983, “Fresh Tarts” in 1985, “Expo ‘86 Souvenir Cookbook” in 1986, “Still Nuts about Chocolate” in 1992, “Food to Grow on” in 1994, “The Lazy Gourmet Cookbook” in 2000. Over 30 years later Susan Mendelson released her newest and magnificently orchestrated group of recipes in “Mama Now Cooks Like This” in 2006.

Over the years she has shared her recipes on radio, television and in the ten cookbooks. It’s been over 30 years and Susan still feels passionate about delicious and beautiful food and believes that only the finest ingredients should go into any food that is created. Susan has supported many organizations over the years with donating a percentage of royalties of her books including Big Sisters of BC along with the Vancouver Jewish Family Service Agency Food programs.

Angie Quaale

angie

Angie Quaale founded Well Seasoned in 2004 after working for several years in hotels & fine dining and a career in commercial food sales specializing in menu development and retail food distribution.

Angie is also the Head Cook/Pitmaster of her competition BBQ Team which has traveled all over North America competing in BBQ contests. Angie has been the President of the BC chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, a Board Member of the Pacific Northwest BBQ Association and the 1st Vice President of the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce, the Co-Chair & a founding board member of the Langley Community Farmers Market & has also been recognized by Women’s Enterprise Centre as one of BC’s 100 New Pioneer Women Entrepreneurs 2008. In 2006 Angie was recognized by the Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce as the Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2007 as the Small Business of the Year. Angie LOVES the work she has the opportunity to do everyday and the fantastic people she gets to do it with.

Merri Schwartz

merri schwartz

(photo credit: Heather Goldsworthy)

Merri Schwartz credits her childhood with awakening her interest in baking. Raised by back-to-the-land hippies, she didn’t buy her first bag of granulated sugar until the age of 18. She learned in a kitchen filled with carob, honey, and whole wheat flour that everything could and should be homemade. A whirlwind pastry career later, Schwartz has been lucky enough to serve as pastry chef at some of BC’s best restaurants since 2002, including King Pacific Lodge, C Restaurant, Quattro on Fourth, Raincity Grill, The Granville Island Hotel, and Cocoa West Organic Chocolatier, as well as training at the Valrhona Chocolate Institute, outside of Lyon, France.

The same passion for food and agriculture led Schwartz to found Growing Chefs! Chefs for Children’s Urban Agriculture in 2005. This Vancouver-based, non-profit organization pairs chef volunteers with elementary school classrooms, where the chefs help the students plant, grow and cook their own vegetables. Schwartz founded Growing Chefs! with the hope that sustainable practices will become integral to living and cooking in Vancouver, and in cities like it all over the world. After acting as the executive director of Growing Chefs! for four and a half years, Schwartz joined the board of directors as the chair in 2010.

The Evening: Enjoy tasty appetizers by the chefs at The Westin Grand followed by a wonderful line-up of speakers who will talk about themselves and their role as a Woman Chef in the Food Community. Following the speakers, Richard Wolak -Founder of Food Talks, will moderate a Q & A where you will have a chance to ask questions and engage with the speakers. There will be a draw for prizes.* Wine, beer, cocktails and other beverages will be available for purchase. You will also receive a treat from Binh’s Lollicakes to celebrate our 1st year Anniversary of Food Talks.

Growing Chefs is our designated charity, support their wonderful organization that educates children on the food community in the public schools.

Buy Tickets via Eventbrite:

http://foodtalksvolume8.eventbrite.com/

Advance Tickets: $30 per person

Regular Tickets: $40 per person after June 8^th

Note: Eventbrite fee extra. A donation of $3 from each ticket purchased will go to support Growing Chefs.

Note: Limited tickets available. All ticket sales are final. No exchanges or refunds; however they are transferrable in advance with printed proof of ticket. ALL Tickets must be purchased in advance online. Event produced by CMI Chat Media Inc

Charity Partner

Growing Chefs

Location & Appetizers Sponsor

westin grand

Video Sponsor

Treats Sponsor

Food Talks

Featuring experts from the food community.

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