AURORA BISTRO'S JEFF VAN GEEST TO ATTEND TERRA MADRE - SLOW FOOD CONFERENCE IN ITALY
(Edited from the Press Release)

OCTOBER 16, 2006 (Vancouver, BC) - Aurora Bistro Chef/Owner Jeff Van Geest is thrilled to be attending the 2006 Terra Madre – World Meeting of Food Communities. Van Geest was one of the 28 chefs selected to represent Canada's sustainable food culture at the Slow Food conference being held in Turin, Italy, from October 26th to 30th, 2006. Over 1,600 food communities, 5,000 farmers, breeders, fishermen and traditional food producers, 1,000 chefs and numerous Universities will meet in Turin to share experiences and discuss the development of Slow Food, a new concept of agriculture and good, clean and fair food.

Producers and chefs from all over the world who adhere to the Slow Food philosophy will attend workshops and lectures at Terra Madre, an occasion for examining and thinking about sustainable food production. They will also experience one of the highest profile events organized by Slow Food, the Salone del Gusto. The Salone del Gusto is a huge biennial fair dedicated to quality artisan food produce that showcases quality food and promotes consumer education. The dates for this year’s Terra Madre and Salone del Gusto overlap, so participants will be able to visit both and appreciate how the two events complement each other.

After the conference, Van Geest will spend nine days touring Piedmont with a focus on food and wine education. The highlight of his Piedmont tour will be the truffle festival in Alba. October is truffle month in Alba and the festival celebrating the famous 'tartufo bianco' is a massive affair. When Van Geest returns to Vancouver in November, he will share his experiences from Terra Madre and Piedmont with a special dinner at Aurora Bistro based on his travels.

Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world. Today, with over 80,000 members in more than 100 countries around the world, the Slow Food philosophy is that that the food we eat should taste good; it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and food producers should receive fair compensation for their work. For more information about the Slow Food Movement please visit www.slowfood.com.

Aurora Bistro is open for dinner nightly from 5:30pm, offering modern Canadian cuisine in an approachable, neighbourhood setting. Jeff Van Geest offers local and organic products, including an all-B.C. wine list - a priority in his contemporary West Coast cuisine. With a dedicated passionate staff, exciting critically-acclaimed food, and a modern yet comfortable atmosphere, Aurora Bistro showcases the best our region has to offer. Aurora Bistro is located at 2420 Main Street (at 8th), Vancouver, BC. For more information please call 604-873-9944 or visit www.aurorabistro.ca. -- Tiffany Soper

In the photo: A child's hand-painted poster for Terra Madre