The Listel Hotel prepares the Next Course; Autumn guest chef series at West; Introducing the first winery from Kamloops: Harper’s Trail; Thai House Restaurant Group offers $12 corkage fee; Hawksworth Bar & Lounge receives Seal of the Sazerac; August 11 BBQ for the Downtown Eastside by Glowbal Group and Union Gospel Mission
THE LISTEL HOTEL PREPARES THE NEXT COURSE
at the restaurant formerly known as O’DOUL’S
Vancouver, BC… All good things must come to an end. O’Doul’s Restaurant & Bar closed its doors at midnight, June 2, 2012 after 40+ years of serving Vancouver. What comes next? How does a restaurant known for its deliciously eco-friendly experience prepare for the next 40 years? The Next Course follows Executive Chef Chris Whittaker, his team and an enthusiastic cast of partners and sponsors through the re-invention and renovation of O’Doul’s into a model of forward-thinking dining. Follow all the developments at the video blog – www.thenextcourse.ca.
Background: In mid-2011, after extensive deliberations, the Listel Hotel management team recognized that O’Doul’s time had come. Eager to evolve their restaurant & bar for local diners, hotels guests and extended community, a ‘re-think’ was on the table. André LaRivière of the Green Table Network offered an option – The Next Course – modeling a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient and sustainable food & beverage operation to be developed in partnership with BC Hydro Power Smart, LiveSmartBC, the Food Service Technology Center and the Green Table Network.
What’s happening right now: Demolition of the Robson Street space has begun. A consortium of partners and sponsors will install and upgrade energy-efficient kitchen equipment; redesign the restaurant with sustainable-source fixtures and furnishings; and prepare a refreshed menu and beverage offering. Given its existing eco-initiatives, such as solar water heating, ‘zero waste’ program and Chef Whittaker’s foraging local flavours for award-winning menus, the Listel Hotel is the ideal place to prepare The Next Course.
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AUTUMN GUEST CHEF SERIES AT WEST
Vancouver, BC (July 17, 2012) – Executive Chef Quang Dang is proud to present a Guest Chef Series at West this autumn, with an exciting round up of chefs who represent the next generation of culinary achievement across North America. “We’re tremendously excited to welcome these three outstanding chefs to West,” Dang said, “they are truly some of the finest talents on the continent.”
Beginning on August 28th, Chef Dang welcomes Chef Jeremy Charles from St-John’s, Newfoundland. Chef Charles is the incredible talent behind widely acclaimed Raymonds restaurant, recently named best new restaurant for 2012 by EnRoute magazine. Chef Dang and Chef Charles will present a unique “East meets West” menu, featuring favourite ingredients from the two coasts. Wines will be carefully paired with each dish, in partnership with some of Canada’s top wineries, including Tantalus, Laughing Stock and Pilliteri Estates.
On October 2nd, renowned Chef Marc Lepine will join Chef Dang at West for a collaborative seven-course dinner – whereby each chef will challenge the other to create alternate courses based on specific criteria and ingredients. Chef Lepine was named Canadian Culinary Champion in February 2012, and took home the winning title at the Gold Metal Plates in 2011 – while his Ottawa restaurant Atelier has consistently been recognized as one of the best in Canada.
Finally, on Sunday November 11th, Chef Dang welcomes special guest Mourad Lalouh, Executive Chef at Michelin-starred Aziza in San Francisco, to celebrate the launch of his new book ‘Mourad is Moroccan’. The seven-course menu will be inspired by recipes from the book, as prepared by Chef Dang and Chef Lalouh. Presented in partnership with Bombay Sapphire, the menu will be paired with original cocktails by West’s very own David Wolowydnik, the reigning ‘World’s Most Imaginative Bartender’.
East Meets West with Chef Jeremy Charles
Tuesday August 28, 2012
6:30pm
$175 (includes seven courses, beverages, tax + gratuity)
Atelier at West with Chef Marc Lepine
Tuesday October 2, 2012
6:30pm
$125 (includes seven courses, tax + gratuity)
Mourad is Moroccan with Chef Mourad Lalouh
Sunday November 11, 2012
6:30pm
$195 (includes seven courses, beverages, tax, gratuity + signed copy of Mourad is Moroccan provided by Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks)
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INTRODUCING THE FIRST WINERY FROM KAMLOOPS: HARPER’S TRAIL
Again proving that British Columbia offers many areas suitable for growing grapes, it is with pleasure that proprietors Ed and Vicki Collett announce the launch of Harper’s Trail Estate Winery, the first winery from Kamloops.
Harper’s Trail, the first winery to emerge from Kamloops, is named for the cattle drive trail of pioneer rancher Thaddeus Harper. The first wines, made by Michael Bartier at Okanagan Crush Pad, reflect this emerging region with minerality and crisp acidity; the flavours that the team believes will soon be known as characteristic for the Kamloops region.
The winery’s first releases are Riesling ($19.99), Rosé ($16.99), and Field Blend White ($16.99).
To order the wines, public can call Vicki Collett at 250-320-2188 or email vcollett@harperstrail.com
For members of the trade, Harper’s Trail is proudly represented by BCwineshop. Contact orders@bcwineshop.com, 1-866-826-9463 or 250-493-9412.
For more information visit www.harperstrail.com
Follow Harper’s Trail on Twitter @HarpersTrail or become a fan on Facebook at Facebook.com/harperstrail
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THAI HOUSE RESTAURANT GROUP CELEBRATES NEW “BYOW” LIQUOR LAW WITH $12 CORKAGE FEE
(Vancouver, BC) July, 2012 – In response to the BC government’s recent approval of restaurant corkage fees, Desmond Chen, president of Thai House Restaurant Group is pleased to offer a $12 corkage cost to wine-toting guests joining any of his six restaurants: all four Thai House locations, Urban Thai Bistro and Pink Elephant Thai.
“As a wine lover and frequent diner, it’s exciting to see the BC hospitality industry move in this direction,” said Desmond. “As a restaurateur, it’s nice to offer another service that caters to our guests and further enhances their experience.”
Chen is pleased to be one of the first Asian restaurants to establish a stance on BC’s new bring-your-own-wine legislation. As such, the entire Thai House Restaurant Group brigade is looking forward to inviting diners into their chic rooms and onto their sun-soaked patios to raise a glass (of possibly their own wine) to an exciting step in a new direction for BC restaurants.
For more information, visit: thaihouse.com
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HAWKSWORTH BAR & LOUNGE RECEIVES SEAL OF THE SAZERAC
First location outside of the US, awarded during Tales of the Cocktail® 2012
Vancouver, BC (July 26, 2012): Hawksworth Bar & Lounge is thrilled to announce receipt of the Seal of the Sazerac, during Tales of the Cocktail®’s opener gathering yesterday. Presented by New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society (NOCCPS), this marks the first occasion an establishment outside of the United States has been presented with this prestigious accolade.
Both Bar & Lounge Manager Brad Stanton and Head Bartender Cooper Tardivel were in New Orleans to receive the award, presented during Toast to Tales – the Tales of the Cocktail 2012 launch event held at the Hotel Monteleone. Other 2012 Sazerac recipients were Bellocq, The Columns Hotel, Iris and Superior Seafood, all voted for by NOCCPS’s expert team of “Sazerac Secret Sippers”; establishments “which consistently make the most expertly crafted Sazeracs the world has to offer,” according to the official announcement.
“The Sazerac lives as deep in any bartender’s soul as any cocktail could,” shares Cooper Tardivel. “At Hawksworth, we prepare and execute the Sazerac through one of the true senses of what it means to be a “bartender”; that is, to respect each ingredient and allow them to shine in the spotlight and speak to the drinker. We welcome our guests to settle into a seat at Hawksworth Bar, and allow us to stir them into the romantic depth of this historical cocktail.”
“This award is exceptionally exciting, not just for our Hawksworth team but for the entire bartending community in Vancouver,” adds Brad Stanton. “As a city, we are honoured to host Tales of the Cocktail Vancouver every spring and our residents and bartenders truly embrace the events and the people involved.
“Hawksworth may be a long way from the steps of the Hotel Monteleone, but there is a little New Orleans history stirred into every Sazerac that is made there. I congratulate our entire bar team for putting passion and care into every cocktail they make,” concludes Stanton.
For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.hawksworthrestaurant.com.
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UGM + GLOWBAL RESTAURANT GROUP TO SERVE 5,000 MEALS AT ANNUAL SUMMER BBQ IN OPPENHEIMER PARK
Vancouver, BC (July 26, 2012): Union Gospel Mission and the Glowbal Restaurant Group are working together once again to provide more than 5,000 meals at the Annual BBQ Picnic in Oppenheimer Park on Saturday, August 11, for the Downtown Eastside community.
“This will be our third year partnering with UGM,” says Emad Yacoub and Shannon Bosa Yacoub, owners of Glowbal, “and every year we have hundreds of restaurant staff, business colleagues and friends volunteer their time. They always come back raving about the experience and how it wasn’t just fun, it was enriching. We are grateful for the amazing response from our recent volunteer call-out to assist with next month’s BBQ and look forward to welcoming members of the Vancouver community who are aligned in our passion to promote positive change.”
Karen Fleming, a volunteer with UGM since 2007, agrees that the experience can be profound.
Fleming says that throughout her volunteer experience, she has witnessed hope, unconditional love and support being delivered to the guests. While she has participated in nearly every major meal at UGM, Fleming emphasizes the uniqueness of the Summer BBQ.
“The summer barbecue is especially fun-like a large family event, with a diverse group of people of all ages, ethnicities and backgrounds,” she says. “It is a great chance for us to step outside of our doors and be present in a safe place within the community.”
In addition to enjoying a scrumptious meal, families are invited to bring their kids who can enjoy games, cotton candy, arts and crafts, and even a large bouncy castle in a part of the park just for them.
“When a meal is among friends and family, it is never just about food,” says Bruce Curtiss, UGM’s Senior Chaplain. “Community in this context communicates a sense of belonging. This restores feelings of hope and safety, making it possible for vulnerable people to open up and trust others again.”
The Menu
• 5,000 gourmet hamburgers
• 900 pounds of coleslaw
• 900 pounds of fruit salad
• 5,000 bags of chips
• 5,000 cans of ice tea
BBQ Details
Date: Saturday, August 11
Time: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
Location: Oppenheimer Park (Cordova Street between Dunlevy and Jackson)
For more information, visit: glowbalgroup.com
