WHO WILL BE NAMED CANADA'S BEST CHEF AT THE CANADIAN CULINARY CHAMPIONSHIPS?

TORONTO, Nov. 24 /CNW/ - The sizzle, the soaring, the passion - Canadian chefs go to great heights to bring home the gold.  Competition fires up in Kelowna, BC, as eight of Canada's best chefs will compete for top honours during the coveted Gold Medal Plates' Canadian Culinary Championships February 18, and 19, 2011.  

The event will challenge the chefs' culinary skills in three distinct competitions: a mystery wine pairing; a black box competition and the grande finale.

On Thursday, the chefs will be given a mystery bottle of wine and must create a dish that pairs perfectly for Friday, February18^th. Chefs are given a limited budget to pound the pavement in Kelowna y in search of ingredients. Guests are able to sample each chef's fare at the event that evening, which will be staged at the Hotel Eldorado.

On Saturday morning, chefs have one hour to plan and create two different dishes using all mystery ingredients in the Black Box in front of guests attending the competition at the Okanagan College.  In the Grande Finale on Saturday night, chefs create their finest dish for guests to sample before Canada's best chef 2010 is crowned. This event is at the Delta Grand Okanagan.

Competing chefs have each won gold in their respective cities during the regional events held in October and November and will meet in Kelowna for the national finals. They are:

Montreal		MARTIN JUNEAU		Toronto		FRANK DODD
		- La Montée				- Hillebrand Winery Restaurant
Edmonton		ANDREW FUNG		Calgary		DUNCAN LY
		- Blackhawk Golf Course				- Hotel Arts, Raw Bar
Vancouver		ROBERT CLARKE		Ottawa		MICHAEL MOFFATT
		- C Restaurant				- Beckta Dining and Wine
Saskatoon		DAN WALKER		St. John's		JEREMY CHARLES
		- Weczeria Food & Wine				- Raymonds

"To see chefs, who are at the top of their game, truly challenged in each of the competitions is very exciting!" says Stephen Leckie, CEO and co-founder of Gold Medal Plates. "It gets better and more intense every year".

Last year it was Mathieu Cloutier of Montreal's Kitchen Gallerie who won the title of Canada's Best Chef. In 2009, it was Hayato Okamitsu from Catch. Hayato is now an instructor at SAIT. In 2008, it was Melissa Craig of Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler and in 2007, it was Makoto Ono from Winnipeg. Makoto has since been lured to Hong Kong to direct a new restaurant that bears his name.

"This year, more than ever, it's anyone's game - a powder keg mix of experienced veterans and eager young blood," says James Chatto, Gold Medal Plates national culinary advisor and head judge. "The regional campaign was so strong with Saskatchewan leaping into the arena and St. John's raising the bar sky high, the other cities have their work cut out. At this level, the slightest lapse in concentration means disaster."

Event Schedule/ Media Opportunities   

Friday, Feb. 18	6:00 p.m.	Welcome Reception/ Mystery Wine Pairing Competition	Hotel Eldorado
	7:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m.	Chefs present dish paired with mystery wine	Hotel Eldorado
Saturday, Feb 19	9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.	Black Box Competition	Okanagan College
	6:30 p.m.	Grande Finale Competition	Delta Grand Okanagan
	9:30 p.m.	Canada's Best Chef named Award presentation	Delta Grand Okanagan

Thinking of a once-in-a-lifetime weekend getaway? Go for Gold. Limited event tickets are still available. For more information visit www.goldmedalplates.com or call 604-803-8813

About Gold Medal Plates
Gold Medal Plates is the ultimate celebration of Canadian Excellence in cuisine, wine, entertainment and athletic achievement. Celebrating in eight cities across Canada in 2010, Gold Medal Plates will feature superb wines and the premier chefs in each city, paired with Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes, in a competition to crown a gold, silver and bronze medal culinary team in each city, and subsequently nation-wide. Founded in 2003, the goal of Gold Medal Plates is to raise substantial funds for Canada's high performance athletes, while celebrating Canadian excellence. Since 2004, this event has received tremendous support and accolades all across Canada, and generated a combined net total of $4.1 million for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic athletes! For more information, visit the Gold Medal Plates website www.goldmedalplates.com.

The Canadian Olympic Foundation - The Beneficiary of the Events
Net proceeds from Gold Medal Plates are given to the Canadian Olympic Foundation to support high performance programs such as Own the Podium. To learn more about the Foundation and the programs it funds, please visit www.olympicfoundation.ca.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information:

Media inquiries: Lisa Pasin ph: 1.877.255.0707 or [email protected]
Tickets: Lisa Pasin ph: 1.877.255.0707 or [email protected]