Welcome to the Vancouver Foodster Chefs Signature Dishes Festival. I have invited chefs and their respective restaurants from all over the city to participate. Chefs create a new must try signature dish to enter in this Chefs Signature Dishes Festival. The Chefs creation could be simple to fancy, using unique and innovative ingredients., be as nutritious or indulgent as he/she wants, and to be imaginative.

How Does this all Work? Well, this is a festival that showcases each chefs signature dish and a challenge, you are invited to go out and order any or all of the Signature Dishes creations at the participating restaurants, then you decide who you think has the best Signature Dish creation.

Share your experiences: Tweet (and don’t forget to tweet, facebook or instagram your photos) throughout the challenge, our twitter address is @Vanfoodster and the hashtag is #ChefsDishesYVR please include this hashtag in all your tweets during the festival.

Voting criteria –  some things to help you judge your favourite Signature Dish – keep these things in mind: originality, creativity, uniqueness, traditional, non-traditional, price, value and most importantly taste.

Notes – if you have picked up one of the festival postcards from the participating restaurants, flip it over to the backside and make notes of your favourite dishes.

Reservations – are suggested at many of these participating restaurants — the restaurants phone numbers are listed below.

Here are the 15 chefs and their Signature Dishes creations, listed in no particular order other than when they were received by us.

Chef Mike Gonzales

American Grille

Bio:

Born in the Philippines, Mike Gonzales has always been inspired by his mother’s traditional cooking. After working for a number of restaurants, it became clear to him that he had a passion for the culinary arts. Mike attended VCC’s Culinary Program in Vancouver before completing a three year apprenticeship at the Vancouver Airport Marriott. After 9 years in the food industry, Mike still views coming to work in the kitchens of the American Grille as a chance to experiment with flavor, color and texture on a regular basis. Though trained in classical French cuisine, Mike’s food frequently yields influence from his roots in the Philippines and the nostalgia of his mothers cooking.

Signature Dish: Wild Steelhead Salmon

Calamansi glazed Steelhead salmon with roasted thyme potatoes, garlic cauliflower purée, and sweet pickled red onion

Served: Dinner

Price: $24

American Grille

Vancouver Airport Marriott

7571 Westminster Hwy, Richmond

Phone: (604) 232-2804

Web: http://americangrille.blogspot.ca/

Twitter: @GrilleYVR

 

Chef Brian Luptak

Cafe Pacifica

Bio:

A native of Sudbury Ontario and raised in the small town of Meaford. Ontario, Brian began his culinary career at the age of 15 working part-time at a small restaurant for the former Executive Chef, Ondrej Stutska, of the 360 Restaurant at the iconic CN Tower in Toronto.   Unbeknownst to him at the time, Chef André left a spark that was to smoulder as Brian completed high school.  Upon graduating, he enrolled in the Fanshaw Culinary Program graduating in 2005. Brian honed his skills under the mentorship of Certified Chef  De Cuisine Chefs Nick Gucanin-Gazibaric and Luke Taylor at the Lamplighter hotel in London, Ontario and in 2009, the call of the wild started his journey toward the Pacific Northwest. Beginning his journey working at the prestigious Fairview dining room at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise followed up by Joining the team at the Fairmont Banff Springs as Chef de Partie in Banquets, he quickly moved up to the position of Sous Chef where he supervised gala dinners and high profile banquets. Brian’s desire to take advantage of all the beauty and benefits of the West Coast brought him to Vancouver, joining the Pan Pacific Vancouver’s culinary team as Restaurant Sous Chef in 2012, working with their talented group of culinary artists. When Brian is not in the kitchen, he is on a mountaintop snowboarding, deep in the streams fly fishing or creating and indulging in some of the finest cuisine in Vancouver.

Signature Dish: Pan Seared Alaskan Black Cod 

Appetizer Sized Portion

on Smoked Great Northern Bean Casoulet with Charred Tomato Foam, Tomato Confit and Sweet Onion Puree.

Price:  $15

Café Pacifica

Pan Pacific Vancouver

999 Canada Place Way #300

Tel: (604) 662-8111

Web: http://www2.panpacific.com/en/Vancouver/Dining/CafePacifica.html

Twitter: @panpacificvan

 

Chef Karen McAthy

Graze Restaurant

Bio:

Karen McAthy was born with agriculture in her blood. With both parents from farming backgrounds, Karen grew up learning about growing food in her family and school gardens and living on a small west coast island, the practices of preserving food. Working in kitchens and the food industry since 2000, and through university, Karen left academia behind to focus on cooking nd her interests in local food systems and food security.

After an adventurous stint at W2 focusing in socially and culturally relevant/specific food, Karen with friend Zoe Olver launched Good Girl Bad Girl Preserves, teaching workshops, catering and creating culinary preserves. Karen, joined Graze Restaurant in March, uniting her long lived practice of eating plant based with a passion for supporting local agriculture and making plant based foods.more exciting, fun and appealing to all people.

Signature Dish: Toasted Almond and Herb Mignon with sea asparagus and oyster mushroom sautee and roasted carrot and corn puree.

A toasted.organic almond and herb mignon is pan fried, then and placed atop a roasted.carrot and corn puree. Topped with garlic oil sauteed wild.sea asparagus, red peppers and oyster mushrooms and finished wirh a juniper, tulsi, and plum reduction.

Featuring produce from Inner City Farms, solefood street farms and The Food Peddlars as well as some from our own garden.

Price: $18.00

Offered: Dinner nightly

Graze Restaurant

3980 Fraser Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-620-8822;

Web: www.grazerestaurant.ca

Twitter: @GrazeVegetarian

 

Chef Siriwan (Grace) Rerksuttisiridach

Simply Thai Restaurant

Bio:

Born and raised in Bankok, Thailand, Grace studied the art of Thai cooking under PenPen Sittitrai, teacher and trainer of chefs for the Royal Thai family. Grace had a creative talent for blending Thai cuisine and was determined to showcase this unique fusion in Canada. Grace left Thailand to chase her dream, working many jobs and long hours in various parts of the world. Emigrating to Canada in 1992 she continued to work long hours and multiple jobs to save money. Finally she was ready to start Simply Thai Restaurant in 2000 and put her recipes to the test.  Her success in this adventure has brought people from all parts of the world to her little restaurant. From Tom Cruise and his family to Russell Crowe, from Wesley Snipes to Jason Statham, the celebrities also find their way to Simply Thai Restaurant through word of mouth. These are the people that dine at the best restaurants world wide. The fact that Simply Thai has this kind of following is a testament that Grace’s passion has succeeded in making her dream come true beyond expectations. Now 13yrs later Simply Thai Restaurant still has the only female executive chef/owner in Yaletown, and Grace is still the 50kg package of passion and energy that James Barber wrote of, those years ago.

Signature Dish: Thai Steak

Prime sirloin steak strips on a bed of steamed broccoli topped with Simply Thai’s red curry sauce. Jasmine rice topped with bell peppers, fresh basil and lime leaves complete this plate.

Price: $25

Offered: Dinner nightly

Simply Thai Restaurant

1211 Hamilton St, Vancouver

Tel:(604) 642-0123

Web: http://www.simplythairestaurant.com/

Twitter: @SimplyThai4

 

Chef Adrian Beatty

Seasonal 56

Bio:

Becoming a chef is not the expected outcome for a fellow who went to university to study business and philosophy before planning to go to law school.  Adrian decided to take a year off to try out cooking. He dropped out of university and moved to Kelowna where he got a job in the kitchen of Earl’s Restaurant.  His first major opportunity after that came from a little restaurant in Abbotsford with a great reputation, Joseph’s, where Adrian was given free rein to create. Among his other opportunities were the Gatsby Mansion in Victoria, where he developed his passion for local food, and Piccolo Mondo, where he had the opportunity to study under two star Michelin chef, Stephen Meyer. After about ten years in restaurants, Adrian decided he wanted to be home more with his two boys, so he took a daytime position with a catering company.  He truly loved creating in a kitchen, so he and Shannon decided to take the leap and open their own restaurant, The Seasonal Experience, in downtown Langley.

In 2009, they moved to their current location just on 56th Avenue in Langley, just off the trans Canada Highway. They kept the Seasonal Experience name for the catering business – which has become a runaway success – and decided to name to restaurant Seasonal 56.  Chef Adrian has continued to collaborate with the local growers and producers, always inviting new ones to show him what they are doing, and often incorporating new items on the menu.

Signature Dish: Campbell’s Honey glazed Gelderman Farms pork belly; Pork fat poached Abundant Acres Family Farms potato; Klippers Organic apple purée; Glorious Organics celebration greens with apple cider vinaigrette

Price: $20

Offered: Dinner nightly

Seasonal 56 Restaurant

Suite 201-26730 56 Ave, Langley

Tel: (604) 625-5601

Web: http://www.seasonal56.ca/

Twitter: @seasonal56

 

Chef Roy Flemming

Tuc Restaurant

Bio:

Born in the UK of West Indian parentage, Roy was raised in the Caribbean, Montreal and New York City. Roy’s influences are forged with a global appreciation for culture, rare ingredients and different techniques. In Quebec, Roy worked for hotels and restaurants such as Le Marin, a hip high-end French seafood restaurant and Le Vieux Pecheur (sister restaurant to Vancouver’s Cannery) as the Executive Chef. Looking for a change of lifestyle, Roy moved to Vancouver where working at hotels such as Radisson Hotel and The Sheraton Wall Centre allowed him to start his family.

Signature Dish: Cherry Braised Paradise Valley Pork Shoulder, Navy Bean & Merguez ragout.

Paradise Valley free range pork shoulder braised in Black Cherry Cola with Ancho Chile’s, Fraser Valley Cherries, clove and red wine. Served over a ragout of Navy beans, Fennel and Merguez sausage.

Price: $17

Offered: Dinner nightly

Tuc Restaurant

60 Cordova Street, Vancouver

Tel:  (604) 559-8999

Web: www.tucrestaurant.com

Twitter: @TucRestaurant

 

Chef Matt Repeto

The Bibo

Bio:

 

 

Signature Dish: Risotto Mediterraneo

Delicate Risotto with the best B.C. seafood that join the Italian traditional with a taste of the sea.

Price: $24

Offered: Wednesday dinner, Thursday lunch and Thursday dinner

The Bibo

1835 W 4th Ave, Vancouver

Tel: 604-568-6177

Web:  http://www.thebibo.com

Twitter: @TheBiBo

 

Chef Joel R. Godfrey

Yagger’s Restaurant & Sports Bar

Bio:

Born and raised in the lower mainland, he has been in the industry since the mid 1990’s, working in various bars and restaurants through out the lower mainland perfecting his craft. New to yaggers, he has a passion for fresh, local and seasonal ingredients and strives to add an eclectic twist to the classics. He has a love for food with big flavor and is happy to now be part of the yaggers family.

Signature Dish: Smoked Brisket Enchiladas

Slow smoked organic beef brisket rolled in white corn tortillas, topped with a smoked tomato red sauce, a blue cheese cream reduction and beer candied bacon, served with Spanish rice.

Price: $15.99

Offered at lunch,diner and late night at both locations (note that 12 do not open until 3pmi n kits mon-friday)

Yagger’s Downtown Restaurant & Sports Bar

433 West Pender St. Vancouver

Tel: 604 602 7030

Web: http://www.yaggers.com/

Twitter: @yaggersdowntown

Yagger’s Kitsilano

2884 W Broadway, Vancouver

Tel: 604-733-3002

Web: http://www.yaggers.com/

Twitter: @yaggerskits

 

Chef Ian Errington

Catch 122

Bio:

From North Queensland, Australia, Ian comes to Catch 122 with an extensive list of top-notch positions under his belt. He studied culinary school in Townsville, North Queensland (TAFE), then moved to Brisbane and was featured in a television cooking series titled “My Restaurant Rules”. The on-camera, high-octane cooking led Ian to an equally adventurous position working at the Story Bridge Hotel’s Gastro Pub where he helped win an award for Best Restaurant.Growing his culinary repertoire, Ian took on the role of head chef on the savoury-side at the high-end delicatessen and pastry shop, Beas of Bloomsbury. Ian worked with acclaimed ‘Chef Diplomat’ Dave Pugh at Brisbane’s multi-star rated Restaurant II. After travels to the US, Europe, Asia, India, and South America, Ian is happy to have landed in and joined Catch 122 where he’s given free creative reign in the kitchen, along with a terrific culinary team backing him up.

Signature Dish: Pan-roasted Thiessen Farm Blue Foot Chicken Breast

house-made potato gnocchi, BC lobster mushrooms, roasted baby carrots, sage cream

Price: $25

Offered: Dinner nightly

Catch 122

122 West Hastings Street

Tel: (604) 731-3474

Web: http://www.catch122.ca/

Twitter: @Catch122

 

Chef Dan Craig

EBO Restaurant

Bio:

While Dan was going to highschool in Ontario he got a job washing dishes at a friends deli, they needed help in the kitchen and he progressed from dish washer to cook. He moved out West and took a job in Victoria at the Empress Hotel as the 3rd cook for 6 months, then a friend offered him a job at Japanese Village where he worked as a Teppanyaki Chef for 1 year. He loved cooking and decided to go to culinary school, he enrolled in Camosun College and took the Chef program for 1 year, he then apprenticed at the Delta Ocean Point Resort for 5 years. An opportunity came up to compete in a prestigious culinary competition, he ended up winning a string of competitions which then sent him on a journey to Australia where he worked on the Gold Coast at a resort for a few months. From there another opportunity lead him to work at one of most renown restaurants in Sydney at Tetsuya’s, and then a cook job at the Four Seasons Hotel in Sydney. Back to Canada, a friend called him and lured him back to Victoria to work a cook position at the Westin Bear Mountain Hotel in Victoria. Then to France (prize from the culinary competition) he spent 5 weeks in Paris staging and eating. Dan was then was lucky enough (Bruno Marti helped him) to get a job in l’Abbaye Saint-Ambroix 2 Michelin star (2 hours south of Paris) and he worked for 1 year as Chef de Partie. Then back to Canada where he joined the Delta Hotel Burnaby 5-1/2 years ago, first he was as the Banquet Chef and then promoted to Executive Chef over 3 years ago.

Signature Appetizer Dish: Tasting of Dungeness Crab and Butternut Squash

Pink Salmon, Crab Chawanmushi and croquette, Butternut Squash Terrine.

Tasting of Dungeness Crab:

Warm Rice Crusted Dungeness Crab Salad, Smoked Lime Aioli

Dungeness Crab and Butternut Custard,

Dungeness Crab and smoked Pink Salmon Spheres, Cocktail Sauce

Price: $14

Offered: Dinner nightly

EBO Restaurant

Delta Burnaby Hotel and Conference Centre

4331 Dominion Street, Burnaby

Tel: (604) 453-0788

Web:  http://www.eborestaurant.com/

Twitter: @EBOrestaurant

 

Chef A.J. Jackson

Darby’s Public House

Bio:

A.J grew up in the town of Powell River, while finishing high school he fell in love with cooking and once he graduated moved to Vancouver to start his career. Working at the Capilano Golf and Country Club he completed his red seal and moved on to gain more experience working in many different restaurants in Vancouver and Victoria. Two years ago A.J landed back in Vancouver at Darby’s Public House and switched his focus to more casual comfort food and hasn’t looked back since.

Signature Dish: Braised Lamb Shank with wild mushroom polenta,green beans, rosemary red wine reduction

Price: $15.95

Offered: Dinner nightly

Darby’s Public House

2001 Macdonald St, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 731-0617

Web: http://www.darbyspub.ca/

Twitter: @darbys_in_kits

 

Chef Nourdine Majdoubi

Ten Ten Tapas

Bio:

Growing  up  in  southern  Morocco’s  coastal  tourist  town  of  Agadir,   Executive  Chef  Nourdine  Majdoubi  first  developed  a  curiosity  for   international  cuisine  on  his  home  turf,  with  European  visitors  wanting   familiar  fare  when  away  from  home.   His  mother’s  kitchen  provided  the  smells  of  daily  fresh  bread  and  the  scent   of  cumin  and  coriander,  staples  in  nightly  fish  tagines  or  lamb  dishes.  And   the  traditional Friday  evening  couscous  stood  him  in  good  stead  when  he   worked  in  an  Algerian  restaurant  in  Paris,  recalling  childhood  memories  of   the  souks  where  olive  oil  from  his  family’s  country  house  found  no  rival.

Coming  to  Vancouver  after  experience  in  French  restaurants,  Chef   Majdoubi  first  mastered  English  and  then  attended  The  Dubrulle  French   Culinary  School  (now  amalgamated  with  The  International  Culinary School   of  The  Art  Institute  of  Vancouver),  doing  his  externship  at  the  Pan  Pacific   Hotel’s  famed  Four  Sails  Restaurant.  On  graduating,  he  worked  at  the  prestigious  Vancouver  Club  and  then  at  Hotel  Le  Soleil, polishing  off  his   credentials  in  West  Coast  cuisine  learning  how  to  make  a  mean  breakfast   and  delivering  a  nicely  turned  naan.  He  went  on  to  work  at  Feenie’s  and  the  internationally  celebrated   Lumière,  under Top  Chef  Rob  Feenie  and  Chef  Yasmin,  and  topped  up  his   West  Coast  cuisine  skills  under  Executive  Chef  Mario  Fortin  at  Aqua  Riva.   Chef  Majdoubi  then  expanded  his  repertoire  in  international  cuisine  with  a   return  to  Europe  and  a  two  years  stint  in  England,  working  at  The  Orange   in  London’s  posh  Belgravia  district.

On  returning  to  Vancouver,  he  worked  as  Executive  Chef  at  Meinhardt’s,   as  a  Chef  at  The  Fairmont  Hotel  Vancouver  and  was  Executive  Chef  at  the   Executive  Hotel.  He  holds  a  Red  Seal  certification  at  the highest  level  (Level   3)  from  the  interprovincial  Red  Seal  Program  of  the  Industry  Training   Authority.  Widely  travelled  in  Europe  and  drawing  on  his  native  North  African  and   Mediterranean  traditions,  Chef Majdoubi  brings  to  Ten  Ten  Tapas  a  strong   background  in  both  Old  World  culinary  traditions  and  West  Coast  cuisine.   With  its  emphasis  on  fine  quality  ingredients,  seafood,  freshness,  and  bold   combinations, West  Coast  cuisine,  with  a  dash  of  European  flair,  fuels  his   passion  about  food  that  delights  the  eye  as  well  as  the  palate.

 

Signature Dish: Moroccan Braised Lamb with 25 Spices

Mulled wine poached pear stuffed with Gruyere cheese and walnuts, glazed apricots, glazed prunes, caramelized figs and 25 spice jus.

Price: $13.50

Offered: Lunch & Dinner

Ten Ten Tapas

1010 Beach Avenue #3, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 689-7800

Web: www.TenTenTapas.com

Twitter: @TenTenTapas

 

Chef Siddharth Choudhary

Siddarthas Indian Kitchen

Bio:

Siddharth Choudhary grew up in New Delhi, India, when he was 19 years old he got into cooking, he did a 3 year diploma in culinary in New Delhi at a 5 star luxury hotel. He was then selected for a job at a restaurant chain in Ireland where he worked for 6 years. He received a bronze medal in a chefs competition in Ireland in presentation. He then bought an Italian restaurant and turned it into a Japanese restaurant and then won best restaurant of Ireland in 2008. He then sold the restaurant and moved to Canada where he opened Siddartha’s Indian Kitchen on Commercial Drive in late 2011.

 

Signature Dish: Chargrilled Chicken Breast with Chefs saffron sauce. served with healthy brown rice or piece of home made bread

Price: $18.99

Offered: Dinner nightly

Siddarthas Indian Kitchen

2066 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 215-7556

Web: http://siddharthaskitchen.com/

Twitter: @ChefSiddharthas

 

Chef Brian Fowke

Kitsilano Daily Kitchen

Bio:

Brian apprenticed at the Windsor Arms Hotel from 1986-1989. In 1988, Brian was in university in Toronto, working as a bartender, a guy showed up from The Dorchester and needed a dishwasher for one night, he ended up helping out one day a week. He watched the food and hospitality side of things and was interested in hospitality. He was then Chef de Partie/Sous Chef at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto in 1989 for a year. In 1990 he was the Sous Chef at Le Pigalle Restaurant for a year. In January 1991 he was the Executive Chef at Jonathon’s of Oakville for over 3 years. Brian was the Executive Hotel Chef at The Sherwood Inn in 1997 for 2 years.

In January, 1999 he got recruited to Joe Fortes in Vancouver. He interviewed with Bud Kanke for an hour, and then took the job and moved to Vancouver. From 1999-2004 he was the Executive Chef at Joe Fortes. In 2005 he opened Rare on Hornby with a few investors and was there for 2-1/2 years. Then opened Metro, but the economy hurt them and it closed. He took some time off and worked in Whistler during the Olympics. Then an opportunity came up to get him into a space to open Kitsilano Daily Kitchen where he has been the owner and Executive Chef ever since.

Signature Dish: Brown Butter Broiled Organic Peace Country Beef Marrow ‘Provençal’ with fried green heirloom tomatoes, bourbon onion jam, butter potato gnocchi and chanterelle mushroom cornbread.

Price: Appetizer (without the gnocchi or cornbread): $18 OR Entrée: $32

Special Add-on: A complete bone’s pour of White American Bourbon to finish your meal – $12 (bring a bib)

Offered: Dinner nightly

Kitsilano Daily Kitchen

1809 W 1st Ave, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 569-2741

Web: http://www.kitsdaily.com/

Twitter: @KitsDaily

 

Chef Dennis Huang

Gramercy Grill

Bio:

 

Signature Dish: Italian Sausage Tagliatelle

Price: $16

Offered: Dinner nightly

Gramercy Grill

2685 Arbutus Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-730-5666

Web:  http://www.gramercygrill.ca/

Twitter: @gramercygrill

Make sure you pick up one of the Chefs Dishes Festival postcards available at each of the participating restaurants and keep a record of your favourites.

Remember to Vote daily for your favourites from September 6- 30, 2013 at https://vancouverfoodster.com/chefs-dishes-festival/

Click here to VOTE http://bit.ly/156krz4

By: Richard Wolak