The 4th Annual Ocean Wise Seafood Chowder Chowdown was a huge success at a great event hosted by the Vancouver Aquarium on November 23rd. This event saw a packed house sampling many or all of the twelve chowders from BC’s top twelve Ocean Wise restaurants from around the Vancouver, and the Okanagan, all of the chowders were paired with BC brews and the suggested beers were listed along each of the restaurants chowders.

Judges voted: 2011 Chowder Chowdown Champion Local lounge Chef Paul Cecconi for his “Smoked Outlandish Oyster Chowder”

Best Oceanwise Chowder and Beer Pairing was awarded to Chef Ned Bell of Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver & Driftwood Beer Farmhand Ale!

Since I have been to this event in 2009 and 2010, I noticed that the 2011 event had a much better layout than in previous years for easier mingling, however, the serving bowls were wider and better last year. I sampled my way through all the 12 chowders and these are MY favourite chowders.

My Vancouver Foodster Top Picks

My 1^st Place: Chef Paul Cecconi of Local lounge for his “Smoked Outlandish Oyster Chowder”

My 2^nd Place: Chef Chris Whittaker of O’Douls’s Restaurant for his “McLoughlin & Steele Whiskey Cured Bacon & Dungenous Crab Chowder”

My 3^rd Place: Chef Ned Bell of Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver “Smoked Black Cod and Gala Apple Chowder”

Participating restaurants: COAST Restaurant, Codfather’s Market, Edible Canada, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver,  Hapa Izakaya, Local Lounge, Noodle Box, O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA), Sunset Bay Yacht Group, Westward Ho! Public House, and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Ocean Wise is a program that was launched by the Vancouver Aquarium in 2005 to educate consumers on ocean-friendly seafood choices, this local initiative has become a national program, learn more at www.oceanwise.ca

By: Richard Wolak