The Vancouver Foodster Martini Challenge was a great success featuring unique creations at restaurants around Vancouver, and Maple Ridge. Each restaurant featured their creation on their menu from April 12 -may 6, 2018. and their customers voted for their favourites daily throughout the challenge for their People’s Choice favourites.
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.
Each media judge scored each creation with a maximum of 40 points as follows: Overall Taste 20 points, Originality and Uniqueness 10 points, Presentation and Appearance 10 points. The highest number of points a challenge creation could have been awarded is 120 points.
Our Media judges for this challenge were:Mary Sheridan, Zahra Alani, and Christine McAvoy.
The Winners are:
1st Place:
{108 points}
Ban Chok Dee
Simply Thai Martini
Price: $10
Created by: Chika Ikeda (Head Mixologist)
Description: The inspiration behind the martini is based off traditional Thai ingredients. Simplicity at its best! Martini’s tend to be too complicated. Our ingredients enhance the gin flavor and incorporate subtle hints of Lemongrass and Coconut without adding unnecessary sugar. Chika uses a widely used technique of “Fat Washing”. Simply put he infuses the gin by allowing it to absorb coconut oil then freezes the mixture to lock in the flavor. The result is a truly unique spin on the classic. Garnished with a torched sugar wedge.
Offered: All the time
Ban Chok Dee
20395 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge
Tel: (604) 459-8000
Web: http://www.banchokdee.com
Twitter: @BanChokDeeThai
Instagram: @banchokdeemr
Chika Ikeda
2nd Place:
{107 points}
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market
The Q
Price: $14
Created by: Bartender Scotty Bordignon
Description: a riff of the Vesper Martini, is simply divine to sip and savour with a plate of our perfectly shucked oysters at the Fanny Bay Oyster Bar.
Ingredients: Gin, Vodka, Americano Cocchi, Salinated Lillet rinse, Salt and sugar sous vide cured citrus pee
Offered: all the time
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market
762 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: (778) 379-9510
Web: http://fannybayoysters.com/location/oyster-bar–shellfish-market
Twitter: @fannybayoysters
Instagram: @fannybayoysters
3rd Place:
{106 points}
Water Street Café
Not At Liberty To Say
Price: $10
Created by: Jenn Fisk
Description: This drink was created by our newest team member Jenn Fisk, who has an incredible background in such spots as Fable, Araxi and Joe Fortes. This drink was inspired by the need for something delicious which would start the flow of sharing tales. That’s what we are all about at Water Street. Locally inspired ingredients which nourish and create warmth within.
Ingredients are: Bourbon, Cassis, St. Germain, Fresh Lemon and BC Blackberries!
Offered:all the time
Water Street Cafe
300 Water St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 689-2832
Web: http://www.waterstreetcafe.ca/
Twitter: @waterstcafe
Instagram: @waterstcafe
Jenn Fisk
In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Martini Creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
Water Street Café
Not At Liberty To Say
Price: $10
Created by: Jenn Fisk
Description: This drink was created by our newest team member Jenn Fisk, who has an incredible background in such spots as Fable, Araxi and Joe Fortes. This drink was inspired by the need for something delicious which would start the flow of sharing tales. That’s what we are all about at Water Street. Locally inspired ingredients which nourish and create warmth within.
Ingredients are: Bourbon, Cassis, St. Germain, Fresh Lemon and BC Blackberries!
Offered:all the time
Water Street Cafe
300 Water St, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 689-2832
Web: http://www.waterstreetcafe.ca/
Twitter: @waterstcafe
Instagram: @waterstcafe
Jenn Fisk
2nd Place People’s Choice:
Ban Chok Dee
Simply Thai Martini
Price: $10
Created by: Chika Ikeda (Head Mixologist)
Description: The inspiration behind the martini is based off traditional Thai ingredients. Simplicity at its best! Martini’s tend to be too complicated. Our ingredients enhance the gin flavor and incorporate subtle hints of Lemongrass and Coconut without adding unnecessary sugar. Chika uses a widely used technique of “Fat Washing”. Simply put he infuses the gin by allowing it to absorb coconut oil then freezes the mixture to lock in the flavor. The result is a truly unique spin on the classic. Garnished with a torched sugar wedge.
Offered: All the time
Ban Chok Dee
20395 Lougheed Hwy, Maple Ridge
Tel: (604) 459-8000
Web: http://www.banchokdee.com
Twitter: @BanChokDeeThai
Instagram: @banchokdeemr
3rd Place People’s Choice:
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market
The Q
Price: $14
Created by: Bartender Scotty Bordignon
Description: a riff of the Vesper Martini, is simply divine to sip and savour with a plate of our perfectly shucked oysters at the Fanny Bay Oyster Bar.
Ingredients: Gin, Vodka, Americano Cocchi, Salinated Lillet rinse, Salt and sugar sous vide cured citrus pee
Offered: all the time
Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market
762 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: (778) 379-9510
Web: http://fannybayoysters.com/location/oyster-bar–shellfish-market
Twitter: @fannybayoysters
Instagram: @fannybayoysters
Thank you to all the chefs and restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured the Martini Challenge creations on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Martini creations! See all the Martini Challenge Entries Here.
By: Richard Wolak