The Vancouver Foodster Big Melt Challenge was a great success featuring unique big melt creations at restaurants around Vancouver, Burnaby and North Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their creation on their menu from November-4-30, 2014. and their customers voted for their favourites daily throughout the challenge.
Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
Our Media judges for this challenge were: Alyssa Dawson, Aaron Alexander and Jay Minter
The Winners are:
1st Place:
The Duckwich
The Meatery
Created by: Grant Mckay and Mark Jackson.
Description: Coffee cured and braised duck legs with Triple cream brie, Herbed orange aioli, Pickled onions, Arugula, Fennel slaw on Cranberry nut sourdough.
The Meatery
3108 Edgemont Blvd, North Vancouver
Tel: 604-980-1125
Twitter: @MeateryB2B
Grant Mckay
2nd Place:
Devils Dream Melt
Buckstop
Created by: Buckstop team
Description: It is served open faced on egg washed housemade sourdough. Smoked sirloin, onions and peppers in a bbq gravy wth Hoyne Devils Dream IPA, topped with melted emmenthal and mozzarella and finished with 2 pieces of tempura bacon.
Buckstop
833 Denman Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 428-2528
Web: http://buckstop.ca/
Twitter: @BuckstopDenman
Sherrie
3rd Place:
The Grande
Cioffi’s Cucina
Created by: Jeffery Siemens
Description: 10-hour Organic Braised Beef Shortrib Four Cheese Melt Panino (Provolone, Mozzarella, Fontina, & Parmesan) with Crispy Onions & Arugula
Cioffi’s Cucina
4150 E Hastings Street, Burnaby
Tel: (604) 291-9373
Web: http://www.cioffisgroup.com/
Twitter @cioffiscucina
Jeff Siemens
In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Big Melt Creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
Moroccan Lamb Meatloaf
Truffle Fine Foods Café
Created by: Chefs George Moutsos and Aaron Smith
Description: Our Moroccan Lamb Meatloaf is made of ground lamb, pan roasted carrots, onions, celery and garlic with hard herbs, mint and dried oregano. It is served with an apple & apricot pistachio chutney
Truffle Fine Foods Cafe
5151 Oak Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-505- 4961
Web: www.trufflesfinefoods.com/café
Twitter: @trufflesfoods
2nd Place People’s Choice:
The Top Dawg
Jacksons Meats & Deli
Created by: Chris and Shayna Jackson
Description: Toasted Ciabatta Bun with Aged White Cheddar, Nathan’s NY Hot Dog, Jackson’s House Made Chorizo Chili and Jackson’s House Made Aged Provolone Cheese Sauce
Jacksons Meats & Deli
2214 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver
Tel: 604-738-6328
Web: http://www.jacksonsmeatanddeli.com/
Twitter:@Jacksons4thAve
3rd Place People’s Choice:
Devils Dream Melt
Buckstop
Created by: Buckstop team
Description: It is served open faced on egg washed housemade sourdough. Smoked sirloin, onions and peppers in a bbq gravy wth Hoyne Devils Dream IPA, topped with melted emmenthal and mozzarella and finished with 2 pieces of tempura bacon.
Buckstop
833 Denman Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 428-2528
Web: http://buckstop.ca/
Twitter: @BuckstopDenman
Thank you to all the chefs and restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured the Big Melt Challenge on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Big Melt creations! See all the 6 Big Melt entries here.
By: Richard Wolak