Grilled Cheese Challenge Winners

The Vancouver Foodster Grilled Cheese Challenge  was a huge success featuring creations from restaurants around greater Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their Grilled Cheese creation from January 8-31. 2016. 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: Tara Lee, Rick Green and Benjamin Yong

The Winners are:

1st Place:

Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck

'The Hot Mama'

‘The Hot Mama’

Price: $11

Created by: Cindy Hamilton

Description:  Spicy sopressatta, sundried tomato feta spread, provolone, mozzarella, hot banana peppers, red onions on olive rosemary bread, grilled with garlic butter, and finished with a handful of arugula.

Mom’s Grilled Cheese Truck

Howe & Robson Street

Web: http://momsgrilledcheesetruck.com/

Twitter: @momsgrilledchz

Cindy Hamilton

Cindy Hamilton

2nd Place:

Melt City Grilled Cheese

Tradition

Tradition

Price: $12

Description: Slow roasted lamb and juicy pomegranate join forces in Melt City’s newest creation: Tradition. Conventional Middle Eastern ingredients are paired with double crème cheese and fresh baked sourdough, making this sandwich The Cheese.  Khiar Shoor, a Persian pickled cucumber, completes this food truck’s homage to family, culture, and out-of-this-world flavour.

Created by: Chefs : Yasmin Ghaffari and Elizabeth Carr

Melt City Grilled Cheese

Twitter: @MeltCitygc

Yasmin Ghaffari and Sarah

Yasmin Ghaffari and Sarah

3rd Place (tie): 

Saj & Co.

IMG_0072 (1)

Price: $15

Description: Halloumi, avocado, pickles, red onion, olives, beets, mint, and tomato wrapped in Saj flatbread

Created by: Malek Anouti

Saj & Co.

813 Davie Street, Vancouver

Web: http://sajandco.ca/

Twitter: @Sajnco

Malek Anouti

Malek Anouti

3rd Place (tie): 

S’wich Café

Bocadillo Del Vaquero

Bocadillo Del Vaquero

Price: $11.00

Description:  this Spanish style ranchhand grilled cheese is cut lengthwise, pairing mozzarella with an indulgence of aged manchego, layered with the smoky spicy warmth of bacon, paprika and roasted garlic shallot confit. This combo speaks to gratifying a hard days hunger, transforming a hearty mainstay into the luxurious epitome of comfort chow. Paired with Chef Erik’s Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque (with a hint of Espalette pepper so that you never forget!).

Created by: Chef Erik Smith

S’Wich Cafe

644 Queensbury Ave, North Vancouver

Tel: (604) 973-0133

Web: http://www.swich.ca/

Twitter: @swichcafe

Chef Erik Smith

Chef Erik Smith

In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Grilled Cheese creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.

The Winners are:

1st Place People’s Choice:

vf_award_badge_grillcheese-01

S’wich Café

Bocadillo Del Vaquero

Bocadillo Del Vaquero

Price: $11.00

Description:  this Spanish style ranchhand grilled cheese is cut lengthwise, pairing mozzarella with an indulgence of aged manchego, layered with the smoky spicy warmth of bacon, paprika and roasted garlic shallot confit. This combo speaks to gratifying a hard days hunger, transforming a hearty mainstay into the luxurious epitome of comfort chow. Paired with Chef Erik’s Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque (with a hint of Espalette pepper so that you never forget!).

Created by: Chef Erik Smith

S’Wich Cafe

644 Queensbury Ave, North Vancouver

Tel: (604) 973-0133

Web: http://www.swich.ca/

Twitter: @swichcafe

2nd Place People’s Choice:

vf_award_badge_grillcheese-02

Zee’s Grilled Cheese

Mac'N'Mayhem

Mac’N’Mayhem

Price: $9.95

Description: We start with our classic sourdough bread smothered with parmasan butter, then layered with aged cheddar, double smoked bacon, three cheese macaroni, a dash of fiery sriracha sauce, another layer of bacon and one more layer of aged cheddar to finish off our simply decadent entry.

Created by: Zyanna Daya

Zee’s Grilled Cheese

#160 – 12420 No.1 Road, Richmond

Tel:  (604) 447-0420

Web: http://www.zeesgrilledcheese.com/

Twitter: @zeesinsteveston

 

3rd Place People’s Choice:

vf_award_badge_grillcheese-03

Prado Cafe

Easy Cheesy

Easy Cheesy

Price: $6.50

Description: Grilled to perfection on the cast iron panini grill. Perfectly toasted and buttery on the outside, hot and gooey on the inside. Comes with a side of house-made pickled beets.

Created by: Chef Reiko Cunningham

Prado Cafe

  • 4208 Fraser Street, Vancouver
  • 1938 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
  • 100 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

Web: http://pradocafevancouver.com/

Twitter: @PradoCafe

 

Thank you to the chefs and restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured their Grilled Cheese sandwiches on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.

I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Grilled Cheese creations! See the entries here.

By: Richard Wolak

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