The 6th Annual Chinese Restaurant Awards Ceremony, Presented by OpenRoad Auto Group
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: APRIL 23, 2014
(VANCOUVER, CANADA) – After 180 days of scouring Metro Vancouver and
Greater Toronto for the twenty best dishes, the 6th Annual Chinese
Restaurant Awards, presented by OpenRoad Auto Group, revealed the
results of the Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards on April 23, 2014.
All winners were announced in a glittering awards ceremony at the Four
Seasons Hotel Vancouver.
Download Photos of Awards Ceremony
Download judges’ bios and result & photos of Awards Winning Dishes of Metro Vancouver
Download judges’ bios and result & photos of Awards Winning Dishes of Greater Toronto
Download the Chinese Master Chefs 2014 – bios & photos
CityTV Breakfast Television’s Dawn Chubai and OMNI
TV’s Bowen Zhang emceed the awards presentation, charming 250 guests
from the trade, culinary and media industries. During the reception,
guests enjoyed delicious canapés provided by previous Critics’ Choice
Signature Dish Awards winners and current Diners’ Choice Awards winner.
The selections included Steamed Brown Sugar Rice Cake (The Jade Seafood
Restaurant), Baked Lemon BBQ Pork Pie (Dynasty Seafood Restaurant), and
Signature Taiwanese Snacks (Bubble World).
This year, judging
criteria for Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards were modified, making
it more difficult for restaurants to be included in the Awards’ dining
guide. The judges had many debates and tastings before submitting their
votes to EY Canada for the official audit.
In Metro Vancouver,
the number of categories was reduced, but Dynasty Seafood Restaurant was
able to defeat other contenders in two categories with its Geoduck Two
Ways and Hand-Shredded Chicken with Bamboo Cane. The chef’s creative use
of the entire geoduck, including the siphon and body meat in making the
Deep-Fried Geoduck Quenelles and the Sliced Geoduck Deep Fried with
Basil, was especially impressive to the judges.
Lai Leung Kee
Delicatessen, a hidden gem in the food court of Richmond’s Empire
Centre, caught the critics’ attention with its Braised Beef Briskets and
Tendon. The little food stall whips up big flavour in the tender juicy
briskets and tendon that instantly fall apart in the mouth. This is a
good indication that the chef has mastered the secret of making this
popular Cantonese dish.
In Greater Toronto, Fung Lam Court’s
Dungeness Crab Baked with Rum, served with bread and White Pepper Pig
Stomach Milk Soup wowed the judges’ discerning taste buds. The critics
were pleased with the chef’s bold move in presenting an east-meets-west
crab dish on a diverse menu. Aroma Bakery in Scarborough made it to the
critics’ list with its flaky and soft traditional Cantonese Wife Cake,
also known as Sweetheart Cake. Aroma Bakery was the least expected
winner, but it shows the steadfast critics were serious about finding
the best Chinese food.
This year, the new award Canadian Food
Product of the Year was created in an effort to honour and recommend the
best food producer in Canada. Northern Divine Caviar took home the
title with its certified organic sustainable caviar produced from Fraser
River White Sturgeon in BC’s Sunshine Coast. The outstanding quality of
the luxury product is also recommended by Sea Choice and Monterey Bay
Aquarium’s Seafood Watch as the “Green” Best Choice.
Adding to the excitement was a surprise appearance at the ceremony by internationally renowned executive chefs Huang Wuhun (H.L. Peninsula Catering Group, a member of Commanderies Cordon Bleus de France), Mok Kit Keung (Shang Palace, Kowloon Shangri-La, two Michelin stars), Lau Yiu Fai (Yan Toh Heen, InterContinental Hong Kong, one Michelin star), Joseph Tse (Above & Beyond, Hotel ICON, CondéNast Traveller Magazine UK “The Best New Restaurant in 2012: Hotel Tables”), and Wu Wenbin (yè shanghai, one Michelin star), to everyone’s delight. They flew all the way to accept medals for their extraordinary achievements in the international culinary arena as Chinese chefs.
The Chinese Restaurant Awards
ceremony came to an end with the exhilarating announcement of the
collaboration between the five internationally acclaimed chefs and four
local Chinese Master Chefs at the Chinese Master Chefs’ Gold Medal
Dinner 2014. To be held at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver in the
evening of April 23, the exclusive event will change conventional
perceptions of Chinese cuisine in Canada, creating a positive impact on
the local Chinese culinary industry.
The Chinese
Restaurant Awards wishes to thank the following sponsors and partners:
OpenRoad Auto Group, Alberta Agricultural and Rural Development, Alberta
Livestock and Meat Agency, Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Canola
Producers Commission, Alberta Barley, Hong Kong Tourism Board, EY
Canada, World Duty Free Group, Trump Vancouver / Holborn Group, Remy
Martin, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, Lugaro Jewellers, FortisBC, Select
Wines, Heineken, Blaq Sheep Fine Coffee, Lang Vineyards, Painted Rock
Estate Winery Ltd., Amoy Food limited, Anchor Foods International
Limited, Northern Divine Caviar, Premium Pork Akakuro-Buta, Wingtat Game
Bird Packers, Target Marine Hatcheries, Underwater Harvesters’
Association, CityTV, OMNI Television, Richmond Review, Yelp Canada,
Vancouver Boulevard, CNTVNA.com, City365.ca, Eatto.ca and Vandiary.com
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