The Winners of Vancouver Magazine 24th Annual Restaurant Awards

Starting a restaurant is hard.  Running a restaurant is hard. Whether you are the owner, chef, wait staff, or any combination of these, you are dedicated, you love food, and what you do.  This week was the Vancouver Magazine 24th Annual Restaurant Awards in Vancouver, celebrating our restaurants, chefs, and staff who have been tantalizing our tastebuds over the past year, or years.

Before the winners were announced, media, and the restaurant trade were in full force sampling some of the varied creations, sweet and savoury, of these restaurants, and complementing them with some BC wines, and wines from around the world.  It was truly a whirlwind event.

Our Gold Medal Winners

Michael Eckford and Fiona Forbes were our hosts for the awards presentations.  It was quite fun, with many things I cannot repeat in print.

Best Coffee House – Revolver

Best Food Cart – Tacofino

Best Design – Wildebeest

Best Korean – Sura

Best Seafood – Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar

Best Pizzeria – Nicli Antica Pizzeria

Best Noodle House – Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Best of the Americas – La Taqueria

Best Upscale Japanese – Tojo’s

Best Casual Italian – La Quercia

Best Indian – Vij’s

Best Vietnamese – Phnom Penh

Best Upscale Italian – Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill and Enoteca (also longest restaurant name. My comment.)

Best Upscale French – Le Crocodile

Best Thai – Maenam

Best Steakhouse – Hy’s Encore

Best Casual Chinese – Alvin Garden (yaay Burnaby!)

Best Other Asian – Spice Islands (Did you know the Spice Islands are the eastern islands of Indonesia?)

Best North Shore – La Regalade

Best Other Vancouver Island – The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn

Best Okanagan – Waterfront Restaurant & Wine Bar

Best Victoria – Ulla

Best Winery / Vineyard Dining – Miradoro at Tinhorn Creek

Best Whistler – Araxi

Best Upscale Chinese – Hoi Tong

Best Dim Sum – Dynasty Seafood

Best Casual French – Tableau Bar Bistro

Best Casual Chain – Cactus Club Cafe

Best Casual Japanese – Kingyo

Producer / Supplier of the Year – Jonathan Chovancek and Lauren Mote from Kale & Nori Culinary Arts

Green Award – Forage

Premier Crew – Romano Costillo fromL’Abattoir, Miki Ellis from Minami, Jamie Lauder from CinCin,and Ike Seaman from The Pointe at the Wickaninnish Inn

Mentorship Award – John Bishop (Congratulations John.  I am proud to know you.)

Lifetime Achievement – Alain Raye

Bartender of the Year – Robert “H” Holl-Allen

Sommelier of the Year – Samantha Rahn, Araxi

Pastry Chef of the Year – Thomas Haas

Chef of the Year – David Hawksworth

Best New Restaurant – Wildebeest

Best Casual – La Quercia

Best Upscale – Hawksworth

Restaurant of the Year – Hawksworth

Both Hawksworth and Wildebeest were multi-award winners.  Congratulations to them, the other Gold Medal winners, and all the nominated restaurants.

 

A Sampling of Delicious Food and Drink

As I mentioned, we all enjoyed our fill of delicious food and wine at this event, prepared by the participating restaurants, wineries and wine agencies.

We also need to thank the Presenting Sponsor, Capilano Audi, and the Host Sponsor, Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center Hotel, for hosting this event.