On the evening of April 23, an unprecedented culinary collaboration instilled wonder and admiration in the invited guests who attended Chinese Master Chefs’ Gold Medal Dinner. Five internationally acclaimed chefs from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, who boasted Michelin stars and Cordons Bleu wins, joined forces with four local Chinese Masters Chefs and two celebrity guest chefs to create an elaborate feast at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver.

For high resolution photos of chefs’ portraits and dishes, please contact rae@ChineseRestaurantAwards.com

View the event photos on Flickr

In 2013, Chinese Master Chefs was introduced to celebrate the
outstanding achievements and superb mastery of eight Chinese chefs in
Metro Vancouver. The plan to extend the program beyond the Canadian
border, however, had been brewing from the very beginning.

 
“It
took the team more than two years to search for the right gastronomic
elites outside of Canada to be part of Chinese Master Chefs,” said Craig
Stowe, Chinese Restaurant Awards’ Founding Director. “The Gold Medal
Dinner is a world-class collaboration that will change Canadians’
perception of Chinese food. We are honoured to have the culinary
heavyweights coming to Vancouver and working with the Chinese Master
Chefs in an event that strengthens the ties between China and Canada.”

 
The
all-star team from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai included
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).

 
The Vancouver Chinese Master Chefs’
collaborators were executive chefs Andy Lau (Sea Harbour Seafood
Restaurant), Tony Luk (The Jade Seafood Restaurant), Ming Yeung (Bamboo
Grove), and Anthony Leung (Grand Dynasty Seafood Restaurant), no
strangers to the culinary spotlight and refined Chinese cuisine.

 
Each
chef created his masterpiece using some of Canada’s finest ingredients,
such as Alberta Beef, Alberta Akakuro-buta Pork, Northern Divine
Caviar, Fraser River white sturgeon, BC organic chicken, and BC geoduck.
Together they created a sumptuous nine-course meal that complemented
the unique cooking style of each chef. Executive chef Ned Bell and
pastry chef Bruno Feldeisen of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver were
also invited to contribute to the dinner with their Chinese-inspired
creations. As the Canadian Chef Ambassor of the event, Ned Bell prepared
two splendid Albert beef and Alberta pork dishes that demonstrated the
diverse talent and global thinking of eminent chefs in Canada.

 
In
an award presentation, the four local master chefs and the five master
chefs from Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Shanghai were presented the Chinese
Master Chefs awards plaques, with the Ammolite sponsored by World Duty
Free Group and Korite International, to honour their outstanding
international achievements. The 21-year-old tenor pop vocalist Cody
Karey saluted the culinary heroes with a powerful and touching solo.
Throughout the evening, guests were treated to a mix of live piano and
erhu performances, sponsored by Tom Lee Music and Steinway and Sons. A
live auction that raised $14,500 for the Chinese Master Chefs
Scholarship ended the Gold Medal Dinner on a high note. Students who are
passionate about entering the Asian culinary program at Vancouver
Community College will benefit from the groundbreaking collaboration
that changed the history of Chinese cuisine in Canada.

 
 
 
The
Chinese Restaurant Awards wishes to thank the following sponsors and
partners: 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, OpenRoad
Auto Group, Brian Jessel BMW, Ferrari Maserati of Vancouver, Cathay
Pacific Airways, World Duty Free Group, Trump Vancouver / Holborn Group,
Shape Living, Port Living, Remy Martin, DeBeers Diamond Jewellery, Holt
Renfrew, Inform Interiors, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, Tom Lee Music,
Steinway & Sons, Lugaro Jewellers, FortisBC, Jenny Yeh Real Estate,
Singleton Legal Counsel Urquhart, Vancouver Community College, 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, and Foodie Photography.

– end –

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  
 

-end-

download the english release in PDF

dropbox download link for high resolution images of the winning dishes of Best Wonton Noodles, Best Sichuan Boiled Beef,  Best Honey Garlic Spareribs, Best Taiwanese Bubble Tea and Best Egg Tart

After more than twelve months of anticipation, diners were eager to
nominate and vote for their annual favourite restaurants. The
competition heated up about halfway into the voting period when several
restaurants were in the lead. The top three in each category were
announced daily on the awards’ website, making the voting process more
exciting and transparent.

Max Noodle House won the title
of Best Wonton Noodles. Diners were impressed by the chef’s skill in
balancing the combination of soup, noodles, and wonton all in one bowl.
S&W Pepper House won Best Sichuan Boiled Beef by maintaining the
authenticity of a classic dish. Bamboo Grove, the oldest Chinese
restaurant in Richmond, knows a thing or two about making the Best Honey
Garlic Spareribs, a delicacy that was invented right here in Canada.

The
Peninsula Seafood Restaurant at Oakridge Centre quickly won diners’
hearts with its outstanding performance, after only four months of
operation. The restaurant took first place in the Best Service and Best
Fine Dining Restaurant categories. In the Best Egg Tart category, Lido
Restaurant was the top contender throughout the competition. It won the
title by carefully crafting the Hong Kong-style pastry that is adored by
many. Last but not least, the title of Best Taiwanese Bubble Tea was
bestowed on Dragon Ball, a small café at the corner of West King Edward
Avenue and Oak Street that has gained a loyal following.

All
winners of the Diners’ Choice Awards will be invited to the opulent
awards ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver on April 23. The
judging panels of the Critics Choice Awards in Metro Vancouver and
Greater Toronto have finished their tasting journey and summited their
ballots to EY Canada for audition. The results will also be announced at
the ceremony.

Winners of the Diners’ Choice Awards  – Greater Vancouver
(20 awards in total) *new awards this year

1.       Best Wonton Noodles*
MaxNoodle House
#185-8291 Alexandra Road, Richmond (604) 231-8141
 

2.       Best Sichuan Boiled Beef*
S&W Pepper House
#1812-4500 Kingsway, Burnaby (604) 451-3916

3.       Best Honey Garlic Spareribs*
Bamboo Grove
6920 No.3 Road, Richmond (604) 278-9585
 

4.       Best Taiwanese Bubble Tea*
Dragon Ball Tea House
1007 W. King Edward Ave. Vancouver, B.C.  (604) 738-3198
 

5.       Best Egg Tart*
Lido Restaurant
#150-4231 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond (604) 231-0055
 

6.       Best Service Restaurant*
Peninsula Seafood Restaurant
#140-650 W. 41st Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia (604) 428-9999
 

7.       Best Fine Dining Restaurant
Peninsula Seafood Restaurant
#140-650 W. 41st Ave, Vancouver, British Columbia (604) 428-9999

8.       Best Dim Sum Restaurant
Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant
#150-8888 River Road, Richmond (604) 232-0816
 

9.       Best Cantonese Restaurant
The Jade Seafood Restaurant

8511 Alexandra Road, Richmond (604) 249-0082

10.    Best Northern Chinese Restaurant
Peaceful Restaurant
#110-532 W. Broadway, Vancouver  (604) 879-9878
43 East 5th Avenue, Vancouver (604) 559-9511
2394 4th Avenue W, Vancouver (604) 559-9533
 

11.    Best Shanghainese Restaurant
Long’s Noodle House
#4853 Main Street,, Vancouver (604) 879-7879

12.    Best Sichuan Restaurant
Golden Szechuan Restaurant
#170-3631 No. 3 Rd, Richmond (604) 288-9058
 

13.    Best Hunan Restaurant
Lucky Noodle Chinese Restaurant
#3-3377 Kingsway, Vancouver (604) 430-8818
 

14.    Best Taiwanese Restaurant/BBT Café
Bubble World Tea House
Ten Locations

15.    Best Hot Pot Restaurant
Landmark Hotpot House
4023 Cambie St, Vancouver, British Columbia (604) 872-2868

16.    Best Congee and Noodle Restaurant
Old Buddies Seafood Restaurant
#1120-8391 Alexandra Road, Richmond (604) 370-4833
 

17.    Best Vegetarian Restaurant
Po Kong Vegetarian Restaurant
1334 Kingsway, Vancouver (604) 876-3088
 

18.    Best Hong Kong-Style Café
Deer Garden Signatures
#2015-8580 Alexandra Road  Richmond (604) 278-9229
#1118-3779 Sexsmith Road, Richmond (604) 278-3779
6270 Fraser St., Vancouver (604) 322-6116

19.    Best Bakery Shop
La Patisserie
8278 Granville St, Vancouver, British Columbia (604) 269-0002
#2-6360 No.3 Road, Richmond, British Columbia (604) 270-3092

20.    Best Food Court Stall
Wah Yuen Noodle House, Yaohan Centre
#1035-3700 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond (604) 231-9080

The Chinese Restaurant Awards wishes to thank the following sponsors: Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, EY Canada, OpenRoad Auto Group, Lugaro Jewellers, FortisBC, Heineken, Amoy Food limited, Anchor Foods International Limited, Northern Divine Caviar, Premium Pork Akakuro-Buta, Target Marine Hatcheries, Underwater Harvesters’ Association, Fortune World, CityTV, OMNI Television, Richmond Review, Yelp Canada, Vancouver Boulevard, CNTVNA.com, City365.ca, Eatto.ca and Vandiary.com

Official Website: www.ChineseRestaurantAwards.com
Facebook @ChineseRestaurantAwards / Twitter @CRADiningGuide

-end-

+ Media Contact
Rae Kung, Project Manager // +1778.829.6244  // rae@ChineseRestaurantAwards.com

download launch release in PDF

“As the forerunner of promoting Chinese cuisine in Canada,
we have dedicated ourselves in staying up-to-date with the industry,
both at home and abroad,” said Craig Stowe, Chinese Restaurant Awards’
Founding Director. “We’ve been persistent at bringing the public a
well-rounded dinning guide that highlights the crème-de-la-crème in the
past five years. The public’s phenomenal support has pushed us to raise
our game.”

This year, the categories of Diners’ Choice
Awards in Greater Vancouver have expanded from 18 to 20, including six
new awards: Best Wonton Noodles, Best Honey Garlic Spareribs, Best
Sichuan Boiled Beef, Best Bubble Tea, Best Egg Tart, and Best Service
Restaurant. The public is invited to nominate their favourites from
February  3 to 9 and vote for the best from February 10 to March 9 on
www.ChineseRestaurantAwards.com  The results will be announced on March
10.

Many diners had written to the Chinese Restaurant
Awards requesting the return of Best Service Restaurant in 2014. Their
candid experiences make them the most qualified critics for the
category. They are also very enthusiastic about voting for each year’s
new selected dishes based on regions, popularity, and ingredients.
Wonton noodles, for example, have been a popular comfort food in
Guangzhou since the late Qing Dynasty (1890s). It is one of the most
recognizable Cantonese dishes outside China, yet only the most skilled
chef can perfect the combination of soup, wonton, and noodles. Sichuan
Boiled Beef, developedby the late master chef Fan Ji-an in the 1930s, is
equally challenging to recreate: poaching thinly sliced beef to
perfection in a spicy aromatic broth looks easier said than done. Honey
Garlic Spareribs is a Canadian invention that one rarely finds on a menu
in China. Bubble tea and egg tarts are popular delights that have been
satisfying the sweet tooth of Vancouverites.

The Chinese
Restaurant Awards also have taken a drastic step in reducing the
twenty-five best signature dishes of Critics’ Choice Signature Dish
Awards to ten. Vancouver-based food critics Stephen Wong, Lee Man,
Brendon Mathews, and Foodie Yau have been the Awards’ leading judges
for many years, and they have taken on the new mission to select the
spectacular from the best. Handed with a set of new rules, the Vancouver
judging panel has began a rigorous tasting journey since the summer of
2013.

Last year, the Critics’ Choice Signature Dish
Awards were introduced in Greater Toronto, based on the growing demand
of Chinese food in major Canadian cities. After receiving positive
feedback from the public, the Chinese Restaurant Awards will once again
team up with Toronto-based food critics Jen Chan, Jennifer Kwan, Renée
S. Suen, and Charles Yu to search for the 10 best signature dishes.
Winners of the Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards for both cities
will be announced on April 23 in a glittering awards ceremony at Four
Seasons Hotel Vancouver.

Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards (10 awards in Metro Vancouver and 10 awards in Greater Toronto)

 
Diners’ Choice Awards  – Greater Vancouver (20 awards in total) *new awards this year

1.     Best Wonton Noodles*

2.     Best Sichuan Boiled Beef*

3.     Best Honey Garlic Spareribs*

4.     Best Taiwanese Bubble Tea*

5.     Best Egg Tart*

6.     Best Service Restaurant*

7.     Best Fine Dining Restaurant

8.     Best Dim Sum Restaurant

9.     Best Cantonese Restaurant

10.   Best Northern Chinese Restaurant

11.   Best Shanghainese Restaurant

12.   Best Sichuan Restaurant

13.   Best Hunan Restaurant

14.   Best Taiwanese Restaurant/BBT Café

15.   Best Hot Pot Restaurant

16.   Best Congee and Noodle Restaurant

17.   Best Vegetarian Restaurant

18.   Best Hong Kong-Style Café

19.   Best Bakery Shop

20.   Best Food Court Stall

 
The
Chinese Restaurant Awards wishes to thank the following sponsors:
Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta
Canola Producers Commission, FortisBC, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver,
Hennessy, Heineken, Amoy Food limited, Anchor Foods International
Limited, Northern Divine Caviar, Premium Pork Akakuro-Buta, Target
Marine Hatcheries, Underwater Harvesters’ Association, Fortune World,
CityTV, OMNI Television, Richmond Review, Yelp Canada, Vancouver Boulevard, CNTVNA.com, City365.ca and Vandiary.com

To nominate your favorite restaurants and cast your vote: www.ChineseRestaurantAwards.com

Recommend dishes to the judging panel: critics@ChineseRestaurantAwards.com

Facebook @ChineseRestaurantAwards / Twitter @CRADiningGuide

-end-

+ Media Contact
Rae Kung, Project Manager // +1778.829.6244  // rae@ChineseRestaurantAwards.com