Local Chinese restaurants shine on the world stage and the annual Chinese Restaurant Awards helps to shine the light on them.

On Wednesday night, at the fourth annual CRA ceremony, Signature Dish Awards were presented to 23 restaurants. Some were new to the awards; some, like Sea Harbour, Landmark Hotpot, Jade Seafood, Alvin Garden and Dynasty, return time and time again.

There are some newcomers, like James On Hastings (for dry-fried curry Dungeness crab) and Hoi Ton (Daliang fried milk and bitter melon omelette).

And what do you know? In my own Chinese-restaurant-sparse neighbourhood of Ambleside in West Vancouver, a winner: Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle won for its “championship beef shank and taro root cakes.”

I had noticed this new noodle shop and wandered in recently to see what it was about. I was told there was an established shop in Aberdeen Mall in Richmond but North Shore residents had been asking the owner to open another. Now I will have to do more than wander in.

Another aspect of the awards, the Diners’ Choice Awards, were announced last month.

Craig Stowe, president of the CRA, says the godhead of Chinese food — China — has been duly impressed. Mainland and Hong Kong Chinese chefs want some of the fresh, beautiful ingredients from B.C. and Alberta and their zeal to replicate Metro Vancouver’s Chinese food has fuelled exports of B.C. and Alberta seafood, beef and pork, he says. “It’s amazing what’s happening every day. Cathay Pacific and China Eastern are flying out container loads. There are over 500 Chinese restaurants in the Lower Mainland and a lot of culinary trends start here and move to Mainland China.”

Each CRA event amps up international interest but it also sparks competition and enthusiasm among chefs and restaurant owners, he says. The Canadian Tourism Council is also realizing what a huge drawing card our Chinese restaurants are to tourists.

Each year, the CRA trots out a new project. Last year, it was the Chinese Chef of the Year Award. This year, it will produce a reality documentary called Chinese Master Chefs, profiling eight top local Chinese chefs and cooking their signature dishes. The documentary will be aired on Omni TV later this year.

“The city has truly embraced the fact that we have the best Chinese food in the world outside of China. The restaurateurs and chefs are pleased as punch about that,” says Stowe.