Award Ceremony Celebrates Culinary Excellence with New Signature Dishes
Winners of the 13th Annual Chinese Restaurant Awards Announced
The 13th annual Chinese Restaurant Awards ceremony today gathered over a hundred and fifty guests and award winners at the Vancouver Club in Downtown Vancouver, presenting 41 awards to honour the culinary excellence of Chinese and Taiwanese restaurants, as well as their emerging culinary influence in Metro Vancouver.
“Today is a celebration of togetherness and shared vision for a brighter future, after overcoming major challenges from the pandemic since Spring 2020,” said the Awards’ President Craig Stowe. “We believe it’s time to put a spotlight on these outstanding restaurants, and award winning signature dishes curated by our team of culinary judges. The Awards is proud to continue promoting Vancouver to eager diners and returning tourists, as having the best Chinese food in North America.”
2021 Signature Dishes’ Innovative Surprises
Proudly presented by Canola Eat Well, besides the previously announced 2020 Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards and 2021 Critics’ Choice Awards Game Changers, the most anticipated moment at today’s awards ceremony was the 2021 Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards. Judging chair Lee Man and judges Alexandra Gill, Brendon Mathews, and William Ho Wood Kuen had been secretly tasting throughout the past year. Among the 13 award winning Signature Dishes, seven restaurants are first-time winners, while Bamboo Grove Restaurant and Chef’s Choice Chinese Cuisine each took two awards home. Two new Critics’ Choice Awards winners are non-Chinese establishments that surprise diners by endeavouring Chinese elements in their menus. Executive Chef Roger Ma at Sutton Place Hotel’s Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar has incorporated classic Chinese barbecue into his culinary vision with the Dry-aged Chinese BBQ style Duck and Quail. Located at the heart of Chinatown, Kouign Café’s White Rabbit Cookie exemplifies Pastry Chef Andrew Han’s evolutionary creation that combines the comforting taste of nostalgia with the iconic White Rabbit Candy.
Sustaining Underwater Treasures for Culinary Longevity
Representing Canadian geoduck harvesters, Underwater Harvesters’ Association received the INSPIRE Award in recognition of their 11 years of support and the longest partnership with the Awards. During today’s award ceremony, a special documentary film was aired, in which superstar Chef Vicky Cheng, from Asia’s Best Restaurant Ranked No. 16 VEA Restaurant and Wing Restaurant, showcases how he connects his Canadian and Hong Kong culinary upbringings on the world’s stage by using BC’s world-famous geoduck. Promoting sustainable seafood in Chinese restaurants has been the Awards’ partnership goal with Ocean Wise. Hotpot Palace and the Fish Man in Richmond have received the Ocean Wise Awards. They joined the Ocean Wise program and renewed menus with sustainable seafood choices that delight both the palate and the Earth.
Community Support honoured by the COLLECTIVE Awards
Nine recipients of the COLLECTIVE Awards have collaborated with the Awards and supported the restaurant industry and community in 2020-21. Restaurateurs Alex Bin Wang, Dachen Yang, and Jason Li collaborated with the Awards on the #ChopsticktoHeroes meal donation campaign for frontline health workers, while ChopValue and Fantuan supported daily meal delivery. St. Paul’s Foundation has collaborated with the Awards for years, and the 2021 DINING for the Feast of Fortune series had motivated diners to feast at 8 award-winning restaurants and raised funds for the new St. Paul’s Hospital. Restaurateur Brad Roark and PR specialist Shelley McArthur Everett’s Behind the Plexi 2021 had raised funds for the Awards’ scholarship for VCC Asian Culinary Arts Program; Vancouver Chinatown Foundation’s “Taste of Chinatown” collaborated with the Awards’ judges to create a new dining guide, encouraging locals to rediscover Chinatown’s hidden gems.
The East Meets West Culinary Experience
The award ceremony’s afternoon reception presented an East Meets West tasting experience with collaboration with western chefs, while highlighting the future generation of culinary talents. The Awards sincerely thanked Executive Chef Matthew Taylor of the Vancouver Club, Executive Chef William Lew of Ocean Wise and BRUNO Restaurant, Pastry Chef Eric Ho of Little Fox Bakehouse, and 2 teams of culinary students from Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and Vancouver Community College for their contribution.
Reflecting on the unforgettable experiences of the past 18 months, chefs and restaurateurs should be cherished for continuing to pursue their dreams and supporting the community. With sincere appreciation, the Awards looks forward to a brand new transformation in 2022, where perseverance and innovation will take the culinary scene to the next level.
Sponsors & Partners: Canola Eat Well, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office(Toronto), Ocean Wise, Underwater Harvesters Association, S3 Robotics, Great Bear Scallops, Fresh Ideas Start Here, Pacific Halibut Management Association, Think x Blink Communications Ltd., Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts and Vancouver Community College.
AWARDS RESULT
[ 2021 Chinese Restaurant Awards ]
INSPIRE Award
Recipient: Underwater Harvesters’ Association
Ocean Wise Awards
2 award-winning restaurants:
Hotpot Palace 168-7911 Alderbridge Way, Richmond (604) 270-2588
The Fish Man 8391 Alexandra Rd #1170, Richmond (604) 284-5393
COLLECTIVE Awards
Nine recipients:
Light Up Chinatown “Taste of Chinatown” 2021: Vancouver Chinatown Foundation
Feast of Fortune: St. Paul’s Foundation
Behind the Plexi 2021: Shelley McArthur Everett and Brad Roark
Chopstickstoheroes 2020: Alex Bin Wang, Dachen Yang, Jason Li, Chopvalue and Fantuan
Critics’ Choice Awards – Game Changers, presented by Canola Eat Well
4 award-winning restaurants
(In alphabetic order of restaurant name)
Chef’s Choice Chinese Cuisine 955 W Broadway, Vancouver
iDen and Quan Ju De 808 Cambie St, Vancouver
Old Bird 3950 Main St, Vancouver
Uncle’s Snack Shop 8180 Westminster Hwy, Richmond
Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards, presented by Canola Eat Well
13 award-winning dishes in total | *first time winners of the Critics’ Choice Awards component
(In alphabetic order of restaurant name)
1. ABALONE GINGER AND GREEN ONION HOT POT
Bamboo Grove Restaurant
6920 No. 3 Rd, Richmond (604) 278-9585
2. BC GEODUCK WITH SOFT SCRAMBLED EGGS
Bamboo Grove Restaurant
6920 No. 3 Rd, Richmond (604) 278-9585
3. DRY AGED CHINESE STYLE BBQ DUCK / QUAIL
Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar *
845 Burrard St, Vancouver (604) 642-2900
4. BEEF FEATHER TRIPE WITH SICHUAN PEPPERCORNS
Chef Tony Seafood Restaurant
4600 No. 3 Rd #101, Richmond (604) 279-0083
5. GOLD COIN CHICKEN
Chef’s Choice Chinese Cuisine *
955 W Broadway, Vancouver (604) 558-1198
6. STEAMED SOUP DUMPLING
Chef’s Choice Chinese Cuisine *
955 W Broadway, Vancouver (604) 558-1198
7. BLACK SESAME BALLS
Heritage Asian Eatery
382 W Broadway, Vancouver (604) 559-6058
8. THE WHITE RABBIT
Kouign Café *
18 E Pender St, Vancouver (604) 633-8333
9. MIXED DEEP FRIED APPETIZERS
Memory Corner *
4651 Garden City Rd #1110, Richmond (604) 284-5434
10. SIGNATURE BEIJING DUCK
iDen & Quan Ju De *
2808 Cambie St, Vancouver (236) 477-7777
11. YUNNAN GHOST CHICKEN SALAD
Street Auntie Aperitivo House *
1039 Granville St, Vancouver (604) 345-9667
12. DONG BO PORK
Suhang Restaurant *
Unit 100, 8291 Ackroyd Rd, Richmond (604) 278-7787
13. SOUR CABBAGE FISH HOTPOT
The Fish Man
8391 Alexandra Rd #1170, Richmond (604) 284-5393
[ 2020 Chinese Restaurant Awards ]
Critics’ Choice Signature Dish Awards, presented by Canola Eat Well
12 award-winning dishes in total | *first time winners of the Critics’ Choice Awards component
(In alphabetic order of restaurant name)
1. STEAMED SCALLOP & PEA TIP DUMPLING
Dynasty Seafood Restaurant
108-777 W Broadway, Vancouver (604) 876-8388
2. SWEET & SOUR PORK TENDERLOIN
Emperor’s Kitchen *
Ground Floor, 8511 Alexandra Rd, Richmond (604) 279-9997
3. VITASOY FLAVOURED CREAM PUFF
Little Fox Bakehouse *
8181 Cambie Rd # 1180, Richmond (604) 231-8131
4. KUNG PO LOBSTER/PRAWN, SWEETCORN & WATER CHESTNUT CAKE
Mott 32 (Temporarily closed)
1161 W Georgia St, Vancouver (604) 979-8886
5. CHEF’S ALASKA KING CRAB SIGNATURE MENU
New Fishport Seafood Bistro *
620 SE Marine Dr, Vancouver (604) 323-1318
6. CHIU CHOW STYLE OYSTER PAN CAKE
New Mandarin Seafood Restaurant *
4650 Gladstone St, Vancouver (604) 336-9388
7. TRADITIONAL STEAMED DUMPLING SAMPLER
Nine Dumplings *
204-1610 Robson St, Vancouver (778) 246-1199
8. INDIVIDUAL STEAMED BLACK COD IN BAMBOO LEAF
Prince Seafood Restaurant *
2881 Grandview Hwy, Vancouver (604) 430-6808
9. EXQUISITE SILVER SOUP BASE
The Dolar Shop *
5300 Number 3 Rd, Richmond (604) 370-7077
10. TORAFUKU BEEF NOODLE SOUP
Torafuku *
958 Main St, Vancouver (778) 903-2006
11. XIN JIANG BRAISED CHICKEN AND POTATO PLATTER WITH BIANG BIANG NOODLES
Xi’an Noodle Restaurant *
4351 Number 3 Rd, Richmond (778) 654-4566
12. SHANGHAI MOON CAKES
Z&W Shanghainese Kitchen *
2126 W Broadway, Vancouver (604) 423-2999
About Chinese Restaurant Awards Founded in 2008, Chinese Restaurant Awards is the longest running Chinese culinary awards event in the world. The Awards are rooted in two challenging yet humble goals; raise public awareness to quality Chinese cuisine throughout Vancouver’s lower mainland and create a platform for cross-cultural culinary exchange, with a deeper understanding of Chinese culinary influence. The team behind the Chinese Restaurant Awards consist of food, media and marketing professionals who are Chinese food enthusiasts, with a passion for promoting regional Chinese cuisine in North America. Over the years, the team has achieved many milestones through several culinary events and campaigns such as the Chinese Master Chefs Gold Medal Dinner in 2014, East Meets West: Paris x Vancouver 2016, DINING by the Awards 2019, Chinese Restaurant Awards Scholarship and the highly popular social influential culinary tourism campaign #Taste city series in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Taipei.
