Passion. What salt is to food, passion is the word that peppers Don Gyurkovits description of Vancouvers chefs. They have passion.
This week at the restaurant trade show known as Food Expo, 10 of British Columbias up-and-coming chefs will be vying for the title of B.C. Chef of the Year.
Win at the convention centre and theyll represent the province at the national competition in Halifax. Win in Halifax and theyll have the honour of representing Canada in the Continental competition, and maybe even the Worlds.
As president of the Canadian Culinary Federation, Gyurkovits (or Chef Don, as hes known), gets to travel the world eating good food. He also gets to oversee Roasted, the chefs competition which will crown the winner on Jan. 30.
The 10 chefs will start with a black box of two items, one protein, one flavour. It could be beef cheeks and balsamic vinegar, although one year he startled everyone with his choice of camel hump. (Who knew you could eat a camels hump let alone cook with one?)
Then they get their choice of ingredients on the communal table with which to make an appetizer. The six finalists move on to the main-course competition while the top four in that heat get to wow the judges with their impromptu dessert.
I think were adrenalin junkies, Chef Don says of how the chefs will deal with the pressure. We like the excitement when people want to talk about what we do and we can share our passion.
Competitors for B.C. Chef of the Year are as follows. There will also be a new competition for Chinese Chef of the Year.
Jeff Kang Diva at the Met, Vancouver
Rebecca Johnson Italian Cultural Centre, Vancouver
Gerard Martin Penticton Trade and Convention Centre
Romeo Oloresisimo Ora Restaurant, Kamloops
Tyler Leeson Kingfisher Restaurant at Halcyon Hot Springs Resort, Nakusp
William Tse The Sandbar, Vancouver
James Marinoff Bon Rouge Bistro and Lounge, Victoria
Ryan Reed Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort, Victoria
Colman Herrington
Nathan Wright Coast, Vancouver
James Hanna RauDZ Regional Table, Kelowna
Dan Craig Delta, Burnaby
