In the photo: How is that beer going to go around? Josh Wolfe and the Glowbal Group chefs. Wolfe has been working at the restaurant since October, 2007.



JOSH WOLFE ANNOUNCED AS EXECUTIVE CHEF OF COAST RESTAURANT
(Directly from the press release.)


Glowbal Restaurant Group officially welcomes Toronto native Josh Wolfe to its well established culinary team as Executive Chef of COAST Restaurant. Recently lured - by the culinary freedom and plethora of local ingredients - into the top post at COAST, he is set to offer guests his freshest culinary inspirations.

"Josh is a dynamic chef of considerable skill and talent," says Emad Yacoub, proprietor of Glowbal Restaurant Group. "We have been to Toronto twice to meet with him and finally lured him to Vancouver to be a part of our team." ... CONTINUE READING ...


FILED IN PEOPLE/Chefs ... and RESTAURANTS/Personnel Changes.





NEW RESTAURANT PREVIEW

INTRODUCING TEQUILA KITCHEN
(Directly from the press release.)

New restaurant under construction brings traditional regional Mexican cuisine to Vancouver
Coming this March to Yaletown

Tequila Kitchen owners Laura Enriquez, Emiliano (Emi) Nunez and Claudia Ibarrondo, along with Executive Chef Juan Gonzalez, are pleased to share with you their plans for Tequila Kitchen. The restaurant is now closed for renovations as we make the transition from Mel’s Diner to Tequila Kitchen; We will be opening this March. ... CONTINUE READING.


Filed in RESTAURANTS/Previews

TODAY'S PRESS RELEASES (January 18, 2008)

Learn how to make tourists pay to milk the cows or peel those authentic BC potatoes. Yes, the first BC Culinary Tourism Conference is coming to Vancouver in late February. We wonder if they are giving seminars on how to get food souvenirs past the prohibited substances-sniffing beagles at the airport.

also .... Cognac lovers line up to fork over $1,200 for a thimble full of a 1795 vintage at La Terrazza.


Filed in DAILY NEWS/Press Releases.

DINE AND DASH (January 18, 2008)
THE FIRST TO FALL

With over 100 new restaurants entering the scene in 2007, it seemed anyone's guess as to which restaurant would be the first to exit. As it stands, it didn't turn out to be any of the suspects on our "mostly likely" list.

Rumours are that ShaShuka, the bright little Israeli Kosher Deli/Breakfast Cafe/Art Gallery on Fraser Street has another week or so to go before it packs up. The owner is keeping the place as is, only long enough to return the display art on the walls back to the artists, and then the location will probably become the new home of yet another Indian food restaurant.

Well, they come and they go. Especially in this business. Perhaps Shashuka was unclear on the concept of marketing. When they first opened and we called for information, the owner didn't "feel like talking about it".

No doubt he feels even less like talking now.

UPDATE: Hmmm life is not so easy in the Middle East. Andrew Morrison tells us that the Israeli-styled Shashuka was not the first 2007 restaurant to fall. That distinction goes to Victoria Park Cafe, the little Palestinian place on the east side.



Filed in DAILY NEWS/Dine and Dash





And now for the official version ...

FRANCOIS GAGNON APPOINTED EXECUTIVE CHEF AT CINCIN
(Directly from the Press Release - January 18, 2008)

François Gagnon has been named the Executive Chef of Vancouver’s venerable CinCin Ristorante. A seasoned professional hailing from top restaurants throughout Quebec, France and Vancouver , Gagnon brings over 15 years of professional cooking experience to the helm of CinCin’s wood-fired kitchen.

Following his graduation from Quebec’s distinguished Centre Integer en Alimentation et Tourisme (CIAT) program in Culinary Arts, Gagnon trained under world-renowned chefs in France, including Roger Verger at the acclaimed Relais & Château property Le Moulin de Mougins and Joel Garault at Monte Carlo’s Hotel l’Hermitage. ... CONTINUE READING ...


Filed in DAILY NEWS/Greater Details ... PEOPLE/Chefs ... RESTAURANTS/Personnel Changes.

THE MEDIA HOUND - THE LOCAL INK (January 17, 2008)

Mia Stainsby of the Vancouver Sun likens the name of Pinkys Steakhouse to a "welcome mat in front of the treehouse", but she says if you visit, it will be mainly because of the meat.

Pinky's a New Destination for Steak Lovers.

More of this week's crop of local restaurant reviews later today at the Newsstand.


Filed in MEDIA/The Local Ink

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TODAYS PRESS RELEASES - (JANUARY 17, 2008)

AIN'T SHE SWEET? THREE PASTRY DIVAS WHO TAKE THE CAKE

There are two times in a restaurant's year when they are especially thankful if they have an in-house pastry chef, one is Valentine's Day and the other is bridal planning season -- both of which are looming up FAST on the 2008 calendar.

Today's press releases highlight three young women who have a sweet touch with the pastry medium.


Brix and George snag the former pastry chef for Raincity Grill and Elixir

One of San Francisco's most famous pastry chefs will visit Vancouver to conduct a master demo class.

A local catering company's chef wins the "Wedding Cake Designer of the Year" title.



Filed in DAILY NEWS/Press Releases.

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DINE OUT VANCOUVER STARTS TODAY - (January 16, 2008)

Dine Out Vancouver commences its annual two week run as of today with 180 Vancouver restaurants offering three-course budget menus priced at $15, $25 or $35 per person, all complemented by BC VQA wine pairing suggestions.

While most participating restaurants will go back to their regular menus as of February 3rd, many have opted to continue their budget options for an extended period of time (check your favourite restaurants to see if this applies), while others are choosing to opt out of Tourism Vancouver's promotional campaign entirely, citing a reluctance to disturb their regular clientele with the program's notorious reputation for turning serene dining rooms into frenzied circus rings. Two of the restaurants to decline this year were Fuel and Boneta. ... CONTINUE READING ...

THE MEDIA HOUND - The Local Ink
(January 16, 2008)


Alexandra Gill of the Globe and Mail visits the new Indian Restaurant Mysala and declares it to be the "Earl's of Indian Restaurants". However, that's actually not a bad thing.

Find other links to the past week's restaurant review columns by our local media in the newsstand.

THE NEXT GREAT FOODIE MOVIE? - January 15, 2008

Considering the success of Sideways, and even for that matter, Ratatouille, it's not surprising that one of the hottest tickets at this year's Sundance Film Festival has been for screenings of the new wine movie, Bottle Shock.

The film decants the story of the early days of California wine making, and features the now infamous, blind Paris wine tasting of 1976 that has come to be known as the "Judgment of Paris." ...CONTINUE READING...

THE MEDIA HOUND - To January 14, 2007



Red Herring reports on FohBoh (www.fohboh.com), a new social networking site in the US designed specifically for the restaurant industry.
Would You Like Fries with that Social Network? - Red Herring (January 3, 2008)
A Chowhound member says "No Thanks!."


Also in the Times, Tim and Nina Zagat want to retire from the restaurant reporting game and have put their Zagat Guide Empire up for sale.
Zagat Publisher Seeks Buyer - NYT (January 14, 2008).


If you are in need of a list of BC hotels currently under construction and due to open in 2008, the New York Times has supplied one in todays' edition. Chef Andrew Springett, formerly of the Wickaninnish Inn and Vancouver's Metropolitan Hotel, returns to the scene as the new Executive Chef at Whistler's Nita Lake Lodge, which opens this week at Whistler.
A Building Boom to Welcome the Winter Games - NYT (January 13, 2008).


... MORE ARTICLES AFTER THE JUMP ....


Filed in MEDIA/The Outside World.