Earls Brunch

Earls Restaurants – new Brunch
Hi great foodie friends,

If you have grown up in Vancouver you will be familiar with a popular local chain run by a well known family! I actually was lucky enough to go to high school with one of the Fuller sons so I have always felt an extra connection to this hip chain.
Over the years I would find myself heading to Earls with friends or family for a good night of good food and good times, I can’t ever say it was on the top of my list for brunch but do remember the brunch of old. I was lucky enough to learn about their new brunch menu now only 3 weeks into its launch!

The menu focuses on their House made Sourdough bread that they have been working on perfecting for over two years!
They have hit the mark and created a wonderful, rustic house made fresh sourdough which is one of the Stars in this new flavourful brunch.

The new menu has something for everyone.
A truly heart and tummy warming surprise is a little treat that all brunch guests are presented with as you get ready for your brunch experience…. mini cinnamon rolls for all, these little treats are perfectly prepared As they were warm, soft and gooey with the perfect balance of cinnamon, raisins and just the right amount of cream cheese frosting.

Your next decision will be what great brunch dish to enjoy and wether to pair it with a nice Mimosa $8.75 or a unique play on a Caesar, the Beaser $10.00 – a one ounce Caesar served with a bottle of bud.

The Granola & Yogurt parfait : $9.00. This house made healthy choice is full of flax seeds, rolled oats, dried cranberries, sultanas, toasted almonds and pecans topped with fresh berries. The bonus for me is that Earls uses Greek yogurt and serves the agave drizzle on the side for a perfect balance of natures sweetness to bring this dish together.

A perfect presentation

Eggs Benny: $13.00 -This classic is taken to a new level using Earls house made sourdough, Virginia ham, house made hollandaise served on grilled sourdough. The flavours were on the mark, you will be anxious for your next bite!

Croque Madame $13.00 – this flavour wow brunch dish is something you may have not tried before as it is not an item found everywhere. It’s similar enough to the Benny but has some unique differences that set it apart. A perfectly poached egg, Virginia ham & Swiss cheese served on Earls house made sourdough bread and served with a roasted Serrano cream, your taste buds will thank you for this one.

Chorizo & Mushroom Hash: $14.00- Poached eggs served on top of crispy fried potatoes, avocado, fried mushrooms and house made hollandaise. This dish is probably my favourite…it offers a perfect balance of complex flavours and tummy warming notes.

Sourdough French Toast: $12.00 – The sweeter alternative brings French toast to a new level as it is again staring Earls house made sourdough and then topped with delectable chantilly cream, berry purée, pure maple syrup and whipped butter.

Frittata $12.00 – Fresh eggs (a play on an Italian style omelet) served with field mushrooms, grape tomatoes and goat cheese to bring it all together. The dish is presented in a iron cast skillet and served with a fresh salad.

Earls has introduced a fresh and exciting new brunch menu that offers a new play on some traditional favourites as well as introducing you to some new items…. You will quickly understand why Earls house made sourdough shines as a star performer in the brunch dishes.

I recommend that you try Earls new brunch… You will surely Meet, eat and repeat!

You Gotta Try This!

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Top 20 Social Chef of the year Nominees- brought to us by Foodable Network

Thank you Foodable Network for this great article and intriguing list of the up and coming top social chefs!

Foodable Network site to original article click here

TOP 20 SOCIAL CHEF OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

September 12, 2013
The Social Chef: An Appetizing Dish of Transparency

Chefs are no longer blurred faces masked behind counters, hidden in kitchens, with only plates of edible artistry to hint at their presence. Over the past decade, more chefs have become celebrities, thanks to TV outlets like Bravo’s Top Chef, Food Network’s Next Iron Chef, and a slew of cooking shows hosted by over-the-top personalities like Paula Deen and Rachel Ray. As a byproduct of such entertainment exposure, a greater percentage of the masses – both foodies and non-foodies alike – have become more in-tune to the overall dining experience, from conception to consumption. But forget television: Realistically, most chefs aren’t Food Network celebrities, and the typical life of a chef is far from glamorous. The big shift in today’s chef-consumer relationship lies in the transparency and accessibility of social and digital media channels – namely, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Social Chef of the Year Award

The Social Chef of the Year RIZMY Award, to be presented at the first annual Foodservice Digital Marketing Summit on September 24th, will celebrate these rockstar social chefs. This is no hand-selected ranking, but rather is based on our own key methodology – organic data pulled from DigitalCoCo’s proprietary Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI), which is specific to the restaurant business and currently tracks more than 50 million U.S. prosumers. In the past, the RSMI has always been geared toward tracking restaurant concepts, but now we’re taking things to another dimension with social chef tracking, something that’s never been done in an uncontrolled manner before. There are three elements we measure for this award: consumer sentiment score, Klout score and influence score, determined by our proprietary Social Insights system. (For more information on how the RSMI works, click here.)

And the Nominees Are…

For the first time ever, we present the Top 20 Social Chef of the Year nominees, in no specific order, from our Index of 6,000 chefs throughout 20 of the nation’s most booming food cities. Some are considered cheflebrities for their notoriety, while others are hot emerging chefs to watch out for. Regardless, all had top scores in the three aforementioned elements. Congratulations to those who made the cut!

Todd Erickson, Miami: https://twitter.com/IAmChefTodd
Marcus Samuelsson, NYC: https://twitter.com/MarcusCooks
Stephanie Izard, Chicago: https://twitter.com/StephAndTheGoat
Harold Dieterle, NYC: https://twitter.com/harolddieterle
Ludo Lefebvre, LA: https://twitter.com/chefludo
Spike Mendelson, DC: https://twitter.com/chefspike
Michael Voltaggio, LA: https://twitter.com/Mvoltaggio
Jose Garces, PA: https://twitter.com/chefjosegarces
Bryan Voltaggio, MD: https://twitter.com/BryanVoltaggio
Tyler Florence, SF: https://twitter.com/tylerflorence
Adrianne Calvo, Miami: https://twitter.com/ChefAdrianne
Giorgio Rapicavoli, Miami: https://twitter.com/grapicavoli
April Bloomfield, NYC: https://twitter.com/AprilBloomfield
Akira Back, Las Vegas: https://twitter.com/akiraback
Ken Oringer, Boston: https://twitter.com/kenoringer
Roy Choi, LA: https://twitter.com/RidingShotgunLA
Bryce Gilmore, Austin: https://twitter.com/BarleySwine
Dale Talde, NYC: https://twitter.com/DaleTalde
Matt Accarrino, SF: https://twitter.com/mattaccarrino
Justin Beckett, PHX: https://twitter.com/BeckettsTable
The Future of Social Chefs

Social platforms can, and will, become the primary vehicle in how emerging chefs reach future and existing consumers. Whether it’s to showcase their culinary style and highlight dishes with the intention of luring guests through the door, highly successful emerging chefs will need to incorporate tactical digital skill sets to their existing culinary talents. In doing so, chefs will, in a way, become their own media networks.

“Once you eliminate the superstars out of the equation and open up to more emerging chefs, you can start drilling down into some very relevant consumer content based on restaurant actions,” said Paul Barron, Founder of DigitalCoCo and the Restaurant Social Media Index.

“Influential chefs could actually shift the way consumers eat, think and learn about food,” said Barron. “We believe these emerging chefs have a way to reach consumers in a whole new way that is very fresh and alluring. And isn’t that what the culinary world is all about?”

You Gotta Read This!

6th Annual Fraser Valley Food Show

Happy Friday great foodie friends…
The 6th Annual Fraser Valley food show is around the corner!

All Foodies….. Mark your calendars for Oct 4,5 & 6th and make plans to et out to what looks to be a great new show!

Click here for the Fraser Valley Food show site

As always there is a great list of local product booths as well as some great educational experiences with the Dairy Farmers of Canada…. Sausage making competition as well as a Top Chef stage / competition.

As usual a favorite of the show is the Celebrity Cooking stage featuring some of our great chefs:

Oct 4, 2 PM to 9 PM | Oct 5, 10 AM to 8 PM | Oct 6, 10 AM to 5 PM @ TRADEX, Abbotsford

Celebrity Cooking Stage

Purchase your admission tickets online now and save $2.00 off the regular adult entrance fee! Purchase your adult ticket for only $7 instead of the gate price of $9 (includes all taxes and service fees).

Purchase your tickets by Sept 17th and be eligible to win a prize package.
Our Sept 3 winner was Eric T. of Abbotsford!

The central focal point of The Fraser Valley Food Show is, without a doubt, the Celebrity Cooking Stage where Food Network Canada’s superstars will dazzle the audience with their amazing talent, wit and humour.

The driving culinary force behind Cactus Restaurants Ltd., the award-winning collection of 23 casual fine dining restaurants in BC and Alberta, Rob Feenie is also one of Canada’s most recognized and celebrated chefs.

At Cactus Restaurants Ltd., Chef Feenie leads the culinary team, blending his talent for creating elegant, globally-inspired cuisine with his passion for simple dishes using fresh, local ingredients. Chef Feenie’s innovative approach to cooking has continued to drive the evolution of Cactus Club Cafe’s menu selections and its commitment to sourcing the best fresh, local and sustainable products wherever possible.

Growing up in Burnaby, BC, Chef Feenie first developed a curiosity for international cuisine over countless traditional family dinners at his Japanese neighbours’ home. This early experience was followed by a high school exchange program where he was first introduced to European chefs and techniques. At 20, Chef Feenie attended the Dubrulle Culinary Institute in Vancouver and upon graduating, became a Sous-chef in some of Western Canada’s top restaurants, notably Le Crocodile and Cherry Stone Cove in Vancouver and The Rim Rock Café in Whistler.

While at Le Crocodile he began a series of work and educational trips, or stages, throughout Europe and North America, starting in Alsace with Chef Emile Jung at Au Crocodile and Chef Antoine Westermann at Le Buerehiesel, both Michelin three-star rated restaurants. In North America he worked with Chef Charlie Trotter, at Trotter’s Restaurant in Chicago, and Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at Jean-Georges in New York.

In 1995 Chef Feenie opened the internationally celebrated Lumière Restaurant in Vancouver, followed by Lumière Tasting Bar and then Feenie’s, a more casual Canadian Bistro, next door to Lumière, in 2003. Throughout his career, Chef Feenie has secured international culinary recognition, including the coveted Relais Gourmand and Traditions et Qualitè designations, in addition to the Mobil Travel Guide four-stars designation and the AAA Five Diamond Award. In 2009 and 2011, Chef Feenie won the Vancouver Gold Medal Plates competition, and won silver at the national level in 2012.

Chef Feenie has published four cookbooks: Rob Feenie’s Casual Classics, Rob Feenie Cooks at Lumière, Lumière Light and Feenie’s. He also starred on New Classics with Chef Rob Feenie on Food Network Canada for five seasons. In 2005 Feenie became the first Canadian to win on the popular television show Iron Chef America by defeating Chef Masaharu Morimoto.

Charming, creative, and tough, Chef Corbin is a credited Executive Chef and host of DINNER PARTY WARS who is currently working on his own cookbook, three new restaurants, and a full-service catering business.

A regular on RESTAURANT MAKEOVER (HGTV/Food Network), Chef Corbin made his TV debut in CRASH MY KITCHEN (Food Network) and has since won over a huge following of fans who want to cook like him, viewers who want to emulate his culinary style, and legions of up-and-coming chefs who want to train under him.

Honing his expert skills in the kitchen under his mother’s tutelage, Chef Corbin is known to right culinary wrongs on DINNER PARTY WARS with charismatic honesty and educational know-how. He is always ready to applaud a delicious meal or rebuild lackluster menus with his signature flair and attention to detail.

Chef Corbin is also an active member of the Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks and volunteers in the community for charitable organizations including CANFAR, Canadian Heart and Stroke Association, Osteoporosis Canada, Diabetes Canada, and United Way Canada. He works with Chef Net Work Inc., where he travels throughout Canada, the U.S.A., and Mexico to showcase his talents and provide superior presentations, food demonstrations, and product endorsements.

Chef Corbin’s TV Shows:

Restaurant Makeover
Crash My Kitchen
Dinner Party Wars
Restaurant Takeover

Matthew grew up in Surrey and is a proud husband, father, Canadian Chef and cookbook author. At the young age of 15, Matthew fell in love with cooking. Following high school, and this passion, Stowe graduated from New York’s prestigious Culinary Institute of America in 2002. After graduation he further honed his craft at NYC’s famed French restaurant, Lutèce.

As Executive Chef of Sonora Resort in B.C. from 2004-2010, Matthew played an integral role in the resort achieving the coveted Relais & Châteaux designation in 2009. That same year, Chef Stowe also wrote his first cookbook, The Tastes of Sonora Resort which highlighted his signature dishes from his time at the coastal resort. Chef Stowe plans on opening up his own restaurant in the future. Currently he is excited to continue working with Cactus Restaurant Ltd. president and founder, Richard Jaffray as a Product Development Chef on continuous menu development and Cactus’ aggressive, nationwide, growth plan. Most recently, Matthew was named the winner of Top Chef Canada for the third season of Food Network Canada’s competitive culinary show. Matthew is a passionate and focused Chef who prides his style on refined Canadian cuisine with modern techniques.

For up to date information on what Chef Stowe is doing, visit him on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ChefMatthewStowe), twitter (https://twitter.com/chefmattstowe) or website (www.matthewstowe.ca).

Following in his father’s footsteps, William developed a passion for food and the culinary arts at a very young age. While working alongside his father, he learned the fundamentals of Asian cuisine.

William’s first formal position in the restaurant industry was at the Delta Pacific Hotel and Conference Centre and Resorts where he worked under the tutelage of Chef Wolfgang Leske. During his time here, William was exposed to Culinary Team Canada and the world of culinary competitions, earning his Red Seal as well as silver and bronze medals at various culinary shows.

Goldfish Pacific Kitchen marks William’s first foray as Executive Chef, where he spent 6 months developing menu items before its opening. Goldfish helped define William’s food and his creative flare. In August of 2010 William decided it was time for a new challenge, at which time he assumed the role of Executive Chef of the Sandbar Seafood Restaurant. Sandbar embraces the ultimate Vancouver food destination: a multitude of cultures from Japanese, to Chinese, to West Coast. This lends well to William’s style, the blending of cultures yet keeping the integrity of tradition.

Food creation is one of William’s passions, and attending local food events and culinary competitions; William’s goal is to expose Vancouver to his food. Doing his part to help define the food scene in Vancouver, William is an active member of the Ocean Wise program.

Chef Chris Remington began his career in cooking at age 20 with EarlsRestaurants. He soon found that cooking was his passion when he went travelling around theworld working in the kitchens of various upscale restaurants across Europe andthe South Pacific.

Chris returned to Vancouver and enrolled in the renowned Pacific Institute ofCulinary Arts. While there as a student, he entered the BC ‘Iron Chef Competition. Chris won the Iron Chef title, beating out several of Vancouver’s top chefs. The following year he returned to defend his title, this time beating out one of his culinary instructors to win the competition.

Chris then worked in an array of Vancouver’s top restaurants-The Beach Side Cafe in West Vancouver, Sous Chef at the award winning ‘C’ restaurant before becoming the product development chef for Earls. Later he helped to open and create the menu for the award winning Chi restaurant. Once Chi was opened, Chris and his family moved to Penticton to run the kitchen at the ‘Hooded Merganser’.

Since that time he has taken over the culinary development of the Penticton Lakeside Resort, where he continues to create fresh, innovative and delicious food today!

Returning to Vancouver in 2009 marked the completion of a circle for
Patrick. After leaving Vancouver he has been working in some of the
finer hotels and restaurants on both the West and East coasts of the
United States and the Caribbean for the Four Seasons, Fairmont and the
Kimpton Hotel Group.

Upon returning to Vancouver he most recently headed up the
kitchen as Executive Chef at The Fairmont Waterfront and after a brief sabbatical is excited to dive back into Vancouver’s dynamic restaurant scene as Executive Concept Chef for Frankie’s Italian Kitchen & Bar.

Hope to see you all there!

You Gotta Go To This!

Buy Local, Eat Local – Save On Foods

Hi great foodie friends…..

I just had to write a quick blog post on what I think is one of the best new marketing directions that Save on Foods has launched Talk about Local.

The first day that I walked into Save on Foods and saw the signs and better yet the products featured throughout the store I was encouraged that Save on is listening to their customers and has their finger on the pulse of changing trends…….

Have you noticed how many wonderful farmers markets are around now? The fact is there is nearly 10+ farmers markets within the greater metro Vancouver area showcasing local producers fresh and fantastic products every weekend. How wonderful is it to find a connection to understanding where your foods and products actually come from? Even better how wonderful is it to actually meet the farmer, chocolatier, baker or artists that is bringing the products to you?!

Now that Save on Foods has brought this concept to their stores you can count on a similar experience and definitely access to many of these same local products while you do your daily or weekly shopping……

Great local / award winning hand crafted chocolate! From Wild Sweets – tasting actually served by award winning Chocolatier Dominique and Cindy Duby!
The local producers have been great in explaining their process, product and educating us as to our choices!

Herb’s Crushed Garlic…. The aroma pulled me to this tasting ….wow!

Fantastic pork (organic too!) from a great local farming family Gelderman Farms

Whistler Chocolates….yum

Local spice producer Ricks Rubs……

Local sweets……

Local crackers…….

Local breads……..

Local cereals…….

There are far more products than I can put into one posting but I wanted to make sure that you all knew that the options and availability of local products is expanding in multiple locations of Save on Foods…. This has to be good news for all of us!
Support our local industry, producers, farmers and grocers….. It is important to us, our economy and our health! Know where your food and products come from, celebrate our local options….. Eat fresh wholesome things……

Buy local, eat local, support local

Thank you Save on Foods for embracing this trend!

You Gotta Try This!

Chocolate Challenge 2013- The Gourmet Warehouse

Happy Friday great foodie friends,

I can’t wait for the 2nd annual Chocolate Challenge being held at the Gourmet Warehouse!
Date: Oct 10, 2013
Time: 6:30-9:30pm

Are you an aspiring pastry student, confident home cook or just a confident master in the kitchen with an original delectable chocolate recipe?
Then honestly, this challenge is for you!

Click on this link to submit your “original” recipe to submit your chance to compete. Choose either “student” or “home cook” and bring your best to have the opportunity to win up to $1000.00 in each category.
click here to submit your recipe

All recipes need to be in by September 19th and the top 3 recipes chosen will be announced September 26th.

If you were chosen now what?
You will have your opportunity to bring your best effort and to be judged by some of the best chefs in Vancouver!

The judges panel include:
Rob Feenie

Food concept architect, Cactus Restaurants, First Canadian winner of Iron Chef America

Thomas Haas

Pastry Chef & Chocolatier, owner of Thomas Hass Chocolates

Greg Hook

Cacao Barry brand Ambassador, and owner of Chocolate Arts

The MC for the night is Vancouver’s own Jill Crop!

Lastly I just heard from a little birdie…
That Erin Ireland from To Die For Fine Foods will be attending the Chocolate Challenge and just might be doing tastings of her own To Die For Banana bread (maybe the Lemon loaf too? Not sure but I am hopeful!)

I attended this event last year and can tell you that is is more than just a chocolate challenge…. There will be unique and fun food served and sips to enjoy all while you are being entertained and enjoying the night.
Besides there being plenty of delectable chocolate temptations, there will be a wine bar as well as tasting stations featuring tasty treats such as New York’s Rao’s specialty sauces…Sable & Rosenfeld’s gourmet foods and pulled pork from Albertan BBQ Master Rockin Ronnie Shewchuck.

The true magic of this evening and the reason that your host Caren McSherry is putting on this event is for the Strathcona Community Centre’s backpack program…. The money earned from this evening will go towards the Strathcona community centre Back-Pack program which delivers backpacks of food to deserving children on the downtown Eastside on the weekends.

This night will prove to be a lot of fun and entertaining all while in a great location! The Gourmet Warehouse is what I like to call a Culinary Disneyland

Come out and support Caren and the Strathcona Backpack program all while having a great evening of fun and entertainment! This is a “Foodies” dream night…..

Get your tickets by calling 604-253-3022
Cost-$50.00 and is a great value as well as for a great cause.

Kick off your fall season with a truly unique and fun event!

You Gotta Try This!

Nook Pizzeria

Happy Tuesday great foodie friends….

Nook Pizzeria
We happened to bump into this great little spot after a Whitecaps game and though it was busy we were able to get a cosy little table within about 10 mins.

We were greeted with a smile and a great waitress that knew her menu inside and out that guided us to the perfect delectable treats!

first up…

Whipped Ricotta Crostini – with honey, black pepper and toasted hazelnuts.

What a perfect balance of great subtle but distinct flavors…..

Next up…. we split a:
Prosciutto pizza topped with arugula and roasted garlic.
Another excellent blend of a perfectly cooked pizza with wow flavors… The garlic was tasty and creamy without being overwhelming….

They have a moderate but good wine list and it is very reasonably priced….

They also have a nice handful of “house made” pastas that we heard rave reviews about from neighboring tables….

Last, because we split everything we were happy that we left room for dessert.
I can’t for the life of me remember the name of it but took a picture of course and what I do remember is mouthwatering salted caramel and chocolate ganache flavors with a hint of Grand mariner……
It was a “must have again” type of dessert to be sure.

I give the nook a thumbs up and recommend that you go to Nook whether its for a nice quiet dinner with your significant other or with friends….. You will find yourself happy, comfortable and enjoying the night.

You Gotta Try This!