Michael Christiansen, commis at The Pear Tree, will represent Canada at the 2015 Concours International Jeunes Chefs Rôtisseurs competition in Budapest this fall, competing against entrants from up to 25 different countries in a black box event. The competition is open to young cooks under the age of 27. The winner receives a five-week advanced culinary course at le Cordon Bleu in Paris, as well as other prizes.
Perch, a new Ocean Wise-certified restaurant, will be opening this September in the Nest building at UBC. The kitchen will be led by AMS executive chef Ryan Bissell, while chef de cuisine will be Gus Steiffenhofer-Brandson, formerly of The Pear Tree, and FOH will be run by Terry Hayashi (Raincity Grill, Coast).
L’Abbatoir has announced that Ricardo Ferreira will be taking over GM duties at the popular Gastown restaurant. Ferreira formerly was restaurant director at Cin Cin, before leaving for the UK. He has also worked at Blue Water Café and The Wedgewood Hotel.
Paul Grunberg of L’Abbatoir has partnered with chef Mark Perrier and designer Craig Stanghetta to open Osteria Savio Volpe in the little triangle where Kingsway, Fraser and East 15th all converge. The restaurant is scheduled to open this fall, and will make a nice addition to neighbours Los Cuervos, Les Faux Bourgeois and Matchstick Coffee Roasters. Look for simple, country-style Italian food and reasonable prices.
Tannis Ling, owner of award-winning Bao Bei, will be opening another restaurant in Chinatown later this fall. Kissa Tanto will see re-invented Japanese and Italian flavours at the upstairs space at 263 East Pender.
Beach Bay Café is now open for brunch, serving apple-cinnamon beignets, poached eggs with tuna confit, duck confit, chicken burgers, and smoked salmon niçoise, among other dishes.
The Great Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival is back at Whistler Blackcomb on Aug. 15 from noon to 4pm. Enter the crazy costume contest, taste and purchase Canadian cheeses, attend cheese seminars, cheer on or participate in the cheese rolling contest, or just watch the kids try out cheese bowling.
On Thursday, Aug. 20, Bauhaus will be partnering with the Naramata’s Foxtrot Vineyards for a special, seven-course dinner showcasing wines from Foxtrot and its offshoot, Wapiti Cellars. Winemaker Gustav Allander will be in attendance, and the menu will feature Baltic-inspired dishes in tribute to Allander’s Swedish roots. Tickets $220 per person, plus taxes and gratuities.
Sept. 1 kicks off Quebec Month at EdibleCanada.com. Derek Dammann of Maison Publique will be in town hosting a special dinner that night, as well as launching his cookbook, True North. Tickets for the dinner are $99.
