Press Releases for March 27, 2007

BAACHUS SOUS CHEF WINS NATIONAL COOKING COMPETITION

Malaspina University-College graduate Tobias Grignon recently won a national cooking competition for chefs 25 and under, sponsored by the worldwide culinary arts society La Chaine des Rotisseurs. In just four hours, Grignon prepared an award-winning three course meal using surprise ingredients contained in a “black box.�

Black box ingredients are revealed to competing chefs seconds before the competition begins. Grignon's surprise ingredients included duck, trout, bacon, fois gras, fennel, brussel sprouts, button mushrooms, yellow cherry tomatoes, chocolate, Stilton cheese, sour cherries and bosc pears. Competitors had 30 minutes to write a menu, and four hours to prepare a meal. A pantry of basic ingredients such as sugar, eggs, flour, butter, milk, cream, oil, stocks, vinegars, dried herbs and spices could also be incorporated into their culinary creations.

Grignon’s first course included pan-seared trout, fennel puree, yellow tomato and bacon salad. The second course featured oven roasted duck breast, braised leg and Stilton tart, brussel sprouts, poached pear and seared fois gras. For dessert, he created molten chocolate cake, port sour cherry compote, sable cookie and goat cheese mousse.

Immediately after graduation from Malaspina, Grignon worked at the downtown Vancouver Delta and Waterfront Hotels, and for one season at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria. He currently works as a sous-chef at the Wedgewood Hotel in Vancouver at Baachus restaurant.

As the Canadian winner of the La Chaine des Rotisseurs competition, Grignon will represent Canada at a world cooking competition sponsored by the La Chaine des Rotisseurs Society in Frankfurt, Germany in September, 2007.


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FORMOSA FARM BLUEBERRY CUTTINGS SALE ON MAY 13TH.
(This items is from the e-bits monthly newsletter for Your Local Farmers Market Society.)

Although the owners of Formosa Farm in Maple Ridge were not able to convince TransLink to move the planned highway that will run through their property, they are making the best of the situation by selling the blueberry plants that might otherwise be destroyed. They have decided to have the blueberry plant sale on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 13). They have over 1000 cuttings prepared and continue to make more cuttings before the bulldozers come. The owners, Ting and Risa, are very excited about the plant sale and about spending a fun day with friends and supporters. (Details to follow at a later date.)


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HART HOUSE RESTAURANT EXTENDS TABLE D'HOTE MENU TO APRIL 30, 2007
(Edited from the press release)

March 25, 2007 - (Vancouver): The Hart House on Deer Lake has extended the dates of their popular table d'hote menu to run through to April 30th, 2007. During this time, patrons can sample Executive Chef Dennis Peckham's culinary creations while keeping extra dollars in their wallets.

Guests can choose either smoked salmon with a frisee salad or duck confit with smoked bacon herb jus for an appetizer. Entree selections include grilled pork chop with grainy mustard pomme puree; seared scallops with caramelized broccoli and black pepper syrup; or roasted ling cod accompanied by potato wrapped, panang curry, baby bok choy, water chestnuts and red pepper.

Dessert is a choice between milk chocolate peanut butter mousse cake or lemon curd cheesecake served with blueberry cranberry compote.

Three courses for $35 or ($54 with wine pairings) Taxes and gratuity not included
(The table d'hôte menu will not be available March 29th in support of Dining out for Life)

The Hart House Restaurant at Deer Lake
6664 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby
Phone#: 604-298-4278

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