Executive Chef Blair Rasmussen To Be Inducted To BC Restaurant Hall Of Fame

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 22, 2012 /CNW/ - Vancouver Convention Centre's Executive Chef Blair Rasmussen will be inducted to the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame's class of 2012.

The BC Restaurant Hall of Fame recognizes individuals in the industry who have made significant contributions to the British Columbia restaurant scene. Inductees are chosen by a panel of industry peers and will be formally honoured at a gala on October 15^th.

Celebrating a 30-year career in the industry, 25 of which have been with the Vancouver Convention Centre, Chef Rasmussen will receive the Industry Award, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional professionalism working in the restaurant industry.

"As the chef of the Vancouver Convention Centre, I have enjoyed travelling to many parts of the world promoting our cuisine, and in turn have brought my culinary travel experiences home to Vancouver, creating truly 'West Coast Fusion' menus," said Chef Rasmussen. "Born in Vancouver, I am very proud of our local culinary culture, and I am equally honoured to be selected as an inductee into the BCRFA Hall of Fame."

"This is a wonderful and well-deserved honour for Blair. We are extremely fortunate and proud to have such a passionate visionary leading our culinary team for over 20 years," said Ken Cretney, General Manager, Vancouver Convention Centre. "Despite the incredible growth in events resulting from the addition of our new building and the growing specialized culinary requests by our clients, Blair and his team continue to prepare first class food and beverage – truly unconventional for a convention facility."

"Running a convention centre kitchen is no easy task; where on any given day we have a dozen simultaneous events, all with different catering needs, or single banquets for thousands of guests," added Andrew Pollard, lead manager for the Centre's exclusive culinary partner: Centerplate. "Blair and his brigade not only make it look effortless, but every meal looks and tastes like it comes straight from a fine restaurant. He is immersed in industry discussions, always looking at the latest culinary trends and making sure that the Vancouver Convention Centre remains in its leadership position."

Born and raised in Vancouver, Chef Rasmussen made his mark as a leading figure in the development of Canada's unique West Coast cuisine – a combination of the finest local ingredients, Asian influences and innovative wine pairing. His team proudly operates a 'scratch' kitchen using only the freshest ingredients: from fresh caught local seafood to produce from nearby farms. Chef Rasmussen also regularly participates in business development initiatives, sharing his culinary passion with the global meetings industry.

With a foundation of culinary excellence, the Vancouver Convention Centre has won numerous awards. Most recently, Professional Convention Management Association's (PCMA) Convene Magazine named the Vancouver Convention Centre as one of the top venues for Best Food and Beverage.

About the Vancouver Convention Centre

The only two-time winner of the International Association of Congress Centres' APEX award for "World's Best Convention Centre," the Vancouver Convention Centre features two connected buildings with a combined total of 466,500 ft² (43,340 m²) of flexible meeting, exhibition, ballroom and plenary space. Since inception, the facility has demonstrated a constant commitment to service, technical and culinary excellence, as well as environmental sustainability. In fact, the Centre's West building has received LEED^® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, and was the first convention centre in the world awarded the highest LEED rating.

About Centerplate

Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America – annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. Last year, the company was named the fastest growing restaurant/ hospitality group in the country by Nation's Restaurant News. Visit the company online at www.centerplate.com

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos for media: http://gallery.vancouverconventioncentre.com/?c=557&k=3615f450ab

SOURCE: Centerplate

Jinny Wu, Communications Manager, Vancouver Convention Centre, [phone], [email protected]; Ashley Luneburg, Assistant Manager, Communications, Centerplate, [phone], [email protected]

http://www.centerplate.com