BC Chinese Chef of the Year to be crowned at 2012 BC Foodservice Expo

VANCOUVER, Jan. 6, 2012 /CNW/ - The Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA), the BC Chefs Association (BCCA) and Canadian Culinary Federation (CCFCC) have joined together to host the very first BC Chinese Chef of the Year competition. This iron-chef-style live competition will take place Jan. 29 and 30 on the Discover Presentation Stage at the BC Foodservice Expo in the Vancouver Convention Centre. The long-standing Roasted Competition and Hot Competition Live - Junior Chef Challenge will also take place at the expo.

Chinese chefs who are members of the BCCA or CCFCC are encouraged to submit their entries before the Jan. 10 deadline. The competition is co-chaired by Chef William Lam and Chef Donald Gyurkovits, president of the Canadian Culinary Federation, and officiated under the guidance of Chef Alex Chen, chairman of the judging panel. Chef Chen is Canada's representative for the Bocuse d'Or in 2013, the world professional cooking competition in Lyon, France. His international reputation brings a high level of professionalism to the competition. From the entries, 12 chefs will be chosen based on their credentials and professional experience to compete.

"The very first official BC Chinese Chef of the Year competition is the first of its kind in BC, if not the country," said Chef Mike Li, president of the Chinese Canadian Chef Association. He and Chef Tony Luk, president of the Hong Kong Canada Chinese Chef Club, have both actively encouraged their members to attend and/or participate in this high-calibre competition.

"Invitations have been sent out to our members. We all look forward to participating in this competition dedicated to improving the profile of BC Chinese chefs and showcasing the talent in our professional community," said Chef Luk.

Stephanie Yuen, author of East Meets West and established food, culture and travel writer, will be hosting and emceeing the competition in both Chinese and English.

"I salute the CRFA, BCCA and CCFCC for recognizing our Chinese chefs and providing a platform for them to showcase the cooking techniques of these talented chefs," said Yuen. "It's a great honour to be involved in this inaugural event."

The Jan. 10 deadline is fast approaching. Interested chefs are encouraged to register as a competitor by contacting Chef William Lam or the show hotline at 1.866.300.7675. To download the entry form, go to www.bcfoodexpo.com/competitions.

With over 250 exhibit booths featuring new products, foods, ideas and services, the BC Foodservice Expo is British Columbia's largest hospitality trade show. Chinese chefs and restaurateurs, partners and colleagues are welcome to join more than 5,000 attendees who travel from the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan to attend two days of focused trade show, seminars and chef competitions.

Go to www.bcfoodexpo.ca to register now to attend the show.

The BC Foodservice Expo is owned and operated by the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, one of the country's leading business associations with more than 30,000 members. CRFA also owns and operates the CRFA Show (www.crfashow.ca) and is the title sponsor of the ApEx show in Halifax (www.apextradeshow.ca and the Alberta Foodservice Expo www.albertafoodserviceexpo.ca). Proceeds from the shows fund CRFA's advocacy, research and member services in support of a growing and prosperous Canadian restaurant industry.

Media contact:
Samantha Scholefield, BC Foodservice Expo Show Manager
Canadian Restaurant & Foodservices Association
Office: 604.685.9655 x 2 Cell: 604.838.7956
[email protected]