They Came, They Cooked, They Conquered

The cook-off competition consisted of three rounds with different chefs competing in each round. Each finalist prepared two separate dishes, each one featuring one of the three mandatory local ingredients: Geoduck, Wingtat Free Run Chicken and Tofu. Each dish was assessed based on four main criteria: Flavour, Presentation, Preparation/Technique and Mise en Place/Hygiene.

The judging panel itself is a ‘who’s who’ of Chinese chefdom. In addition to Chef Stephen Wong, the panel included: Chef Tony Kam (Hong Kong Canada Chinese Chefs Association), Chef Conrad Leung (Head of Asian Culinary Department at Vancouver Community College) and Chef Robert Wong (the youngest person to ever be included in Hong Kong’s ‘Top 100 Chefs’ (2006) and winner of Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Best of the Best Culinary Awards – Signature Dish).

When the cleavers stopped, the flames died down and the last chopstick was set to rest, three chefs were left standing. Gold Award and title of HSBC Chinese Restaurant Awards Chef of the Year goes to Tony Luk, Executive Chef, Jade Seafood Restaurant in Richmond for his two dishes – Sautéed Geoduck with Egg White and Italian Herbs / Drunken Free-Run Chicken with Yunnan Wild Morel Mushroom Sauce.

Silver was won by Sam Leung, Executive Chef, Dynasty Seafood Restaurant in Vancouver (Duo of Chicken: Free-Run Chicken Parcels with Truffle Sauce/ Sautéed Free-Run Chicken and Deep-Fried Tofu with Fish Paste).

Wing Ho, Executive Chef, Fortune House Seafood Restaurant in Burnaby took bronze with his two dishes Stir-fried Geoduck with Foie Gras and XO Sauce and Roasted Free-Run Chicken Seasoned with Herbs and Spices. The awards will be presented to the winners at the 2011 HSBC Chinese Restaurant Awards Ceremony on January 18, 2011.