A Moet et Chandon reception followed by a 12-course dinner paired with vintage wines? A group of 13 Vancouver and Whistler chefs know how to do things right! Theyre banding together for the Chefs for Life Fundraising Gala at the Fairmont Pacific Rim on May 2. The chefs are Darren Brown of Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vikram Vij of Vijs, Melissa Craig of Bearfoot Bistro, Chris Whittaker of Forage, Scott Jaeger of The Pear Tree, James Walt of Araxi, David Hawksworth of Hawksworth, Hidekazu Tojo of Tojos, Thomas Haas of Thomas Chocolates & Patisserie, Ned Bell of Yew, Ernst Dorfler of Five Sails Restaurant, Frank Pabst of Blue Water Café and Mary Mackay of Terra Breads. Tickets are $350 and available at [email protected]. The evening benefits Friends for Life, a charitable wellness centre that provides holistic services to more than 1,500 members living with serious and life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and HIV. Last year it provided nearly $1.5 million in holistic health services, free of charge.
Choice Floral Shop and Annex is hosting a cooking class called Asian Flair Exploring the Continent with chef Antonio Cerullo on April 29 from 7 to 9pm. Register online at ChoicesMarket.com or call 604-736-0009.
With an average of 96,000 people (30 per cent of whom are children) relying on BC food banks every month, the need for donations never ends. From April 19 to May 9, Real Canadian Superstores, No Frills and Extra Foods locations in Vancouver are hosting the Extra Helping Food Drive. You can put a donation in the stores special bins or make a cash donation at check-out. According to Food Banks Canada, most needed non-perishable food items include: pasta products, rice, canned meat and fish, dry and canned soups and stews, canned fruit and vegetables, flour, hot/cold cereals, whole grain cereals, peanut butter, aseptic packaged or canned/powdered milk, fruit juices, pasta sauce, beans and legumes, infant formula and baby food.
To celebrate Earth Day, the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Company is hosting an array of complimentary workshops from making your own spa products, to a kids workshop on gardening. On April 22, its also
hosting a pizza making and beer tasting event. People can enjoy a salad for starters and then create their own artisan pizza. Stanley Park Brewing (a sustainable brewery) will be providing tastings of their craft beers. Ten per cent of all sales will go to Earthbites, which teaches kids how to grow their own food.Tickets are $25.
Everyone was saddened when Umberto Menghi announced he was closing Il Giardino. Les Dames dEscoffier want him to know how much he has been valued in Vancouvers food community. They are hosing a culinary gala in his honor on May 31 at the Four Seasons Hotel. A champagne reception, hosted byVeuve Clicquot, begins the evening as 12 of BCs most distinguished chefs create a ten course Italian inspired long table meal. Taking part are Ned Bell,DameMargaret Chisholm, Rob Feenie, Bruno Feldieson, David Hawksworth, Dana Hauser, Michel Jacob, Quang Dang, Hidekazu Tojo, Benton Brothers, Dame Lee Murphy,Dame Mary Mackay, Dame Lesley Stowe, Dame Ann Kirsebom with Mission Hill Estate Winery, Select Winesand Spirits, Continental Importers,Poplar Grove Winery and Duckhorn Vineyards. All proceeds will go to the Les Dames dEscoffier BC Scholarship Fund, supporting the advancement of British Columbia women in hospitality and culinary fields and Outreach Programs. Tickets are $300 and available here.
Theres nothing like a day out in the wilderness of the Clayoquot reserve to build up a hunger. From June 6 to 9, radio host Terry David Mulligan, singer Jim Cuddy and the wine makers from Frances M. Chapoutier and the Okanagans Le Vieux Pin are helping launch the 2013 season of the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort near Tofino. The $4,750 - $6,050 price tag includes a return flight from YVR, welcome reception, wine and food pairings and performances from Cuddy and the resorts own house band. Partial proceeds will go towards cleaning up the debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan. For more information or to book theWilderness Wine, Music and Adventure Weekend, visit WildRetreat.com or call 1-888-333-5405.
