It was January 2009 when Edgewater Casino Chinese Restaurant Awards entered the food scene in Metro Vancouver with its inaugural event. The Awards soon became the talk of the town, gaining notoriety as the premier event showcasing Chinese food in Metro Vancouver. The Awards, a bi-lingual event in Chinese and English, attracted food connoisseurs, chefs, corporate suppliers, wine makers and food writers from both Chinese and mainstream markets. Print and media coverage was extensive, with the success of the awards giving way to significant press and exposure for those restaurants selected.  

Chinese Restaurant Awards (CRA) is now regarded as an influential event, highlighting the unique and exciting Chinese food scene that Metro Vancouver has garnered. CRA is to applaud the skill, passion and creativity of Metro Vancouver’s best Chinese Restaurants, the event features both the prominent ‘Critic’s Choice Signature Dish Awards’ and the publically chosen ‘Diner’s Choice Awards’. Furthermore, while the event further defines Metro Vancouver’s impressive Chinese cuisine with in-depth approach, the awards have also become the authority on Chinese food, serving as a restaurant and dining guide for local and visiting food lovers. 

CRA is a not-for-profit organization made up of food, hospitality and marketing professionals who understand and appreciate Chinese cuisine. Both the CRA and the judges who select the awards are food enthusiasts with a strong passion for promoting Asian arts, culture and cuisine in North America. The goal of the organization is to provide the dining public with the most comprehensive Chinese Dining Guide in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. The dining guide, which categorizes the winning dishes, will serve as a resource for both locals and international visitors seeking the region’s best Chinese food.