It was a delicious Sunday in Chinatown as some of the city’s best chefs and restaurants served up their innovative offerings in the 2014 Golden Dumpling Competition.
Back for its second year, the Golden Dumpling Competition pitted a couple dozen of Vancouver’s kitchen elite as they showed off their take on the beloved Chinese dumpling, veering the staple dish into bold new territory in flavour and shape.
A panel of expert judges, along with the ticket-holding public, gobbled their way through the event in order to proclaim the winners. The judges selected Maenam’s Thai seafood dumpling in southern style turmeric curry as first place, followed by Winner Winner’s crab & shellfish parcels with preserved duck egg yolk & seasoned vinegar in second, and La Mezcaleria’s braised beef chicharron & guajillo chili sauce dumpling for third place.
Meanwhile, the People’s Choice picks were the same as the judges’ for first and second, but for third the honour went to Bestie’s smoky bison wonton with chili jam & kohlrabi slaw.
Also doing some serious eating were the participants in the two heats of the Dumpling Derby eating contest. Knocking down last year’s winner, Cody Jensen took the men’s heat with 37 dumplings consumed. For the ladies’ heat, winner Julia Roos was able to eat 21 dumplings in two minutes for the win.
Check out a few images shared online from this year’s event.
we’re ready for the cook off!! serving up a Thai seafood dumpling in a southern style tumeric curry! pic.twitter.com/9DiQlJenRJ
— Maenam Restaurant (@maenam) August 10, 2014
Congratulations to @maenam and @chefangusan for winning the 2014 Golden Dumpling Competition!!! #kitsilano pic.twitter.com/QEF3Q7xUQ1
— Broadway Wine Shop (@broadwaywine) August 11, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: @RailtownCafe‘s Xiao Long Bao – pork consommé, braised geoduck, water chestnuts #GetSome pic.twitter.com/kJvV4kWAqo
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: @chickenrice604‘s crab & shellfish parcels with preserved duck egg yolk & seasoned vinegar pic.twitter.com/V4y9UlYdEL
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: @maenam‘s Thai seafood dumpling in southern style turmeric curry #GetSome pic.twitter.com/jumvUy9qki
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
A dumpling within a tofu pocket dumpling: bonus points for @GuuIzakaya #GoldenDumpling2014 pic.twitter.com/VofahSoJGE
— Carolyn Ali (@carolynali) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 offering from contender @HomerStCafeBar. Chicken & Leek dumpling from Chef Tret Jordan. #GetSome pic.twitter.com/9w1yUa2vYx
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
Thx @BaoBei1 #GoldenDumpling2014 @Vijs_restaurant @thekeeferbar pic.twitter.com/mizbbgMLD0
— Nathan Fong (@fongonfood) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: Chef Lisa Henderson of @TheUnionVan‘s red curry duck lychee potsticker. pic.twitter.com/JEWPwtW3uC
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: @WildebeestYVR‘s decadent foie gras and duck dumpling. #GetSome pic.twitter.com/liQbH0nXO5
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: @Vijs_restaurant chicken samos – the biggest dumpling in the joint! #GetSome pic.twitter.com/TUR2kkE5fL
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: @LaMezcaleriaYVR‘s braised beef chicharron & guajillo chili sauce dumpling. pic.twitter.com/i27Ktodvjn
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
#GoldenDumpling2014 Live: @bestiewurst‘s smoky bison wonton with chili jam & kohlrabi slaw. #GetSome pic.twitter.com/3WHyQ0FYWy
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
An awesome afternoon of dumplings. Thank you #GoldenDumpling2014 http://t.co/xyo7bXK8BF pic.twitter.com/RhHKH2ixeT
— William Louie (@wlouie) August 11, 2014
Judge’s Choice 1st Place : @maenam! #GoldenDumpling2014 Champions!!Congratulations @chefangusan. pic.twitter.com/Zqt8FIZoKO
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 11, 2014
Gearing up for the #DumplingDerby2014, it’s @CBCVancouver‘s @FredAboutTown! Good luck to all the contenders! pic.twitter.com/OceHwJrgGJ
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
Ladies heat of the #DumplingDerby2014 starts NOW! Puking means disqualification. Ready, set, GO! #GoldenDumpling2014 pic.twitter.com/8AtP8ILxUz
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
Winner of the #GoldenDumpling2014 women’s heat: JULIE, with 21 dumplings in 2 minutes. Congratulations! pic.twitter.com/j07hqg7zEj
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
#DumplingDerby2014 Men’s heat starts NOW! #NoPuking #GoldenDumpling2014 pic.twitter.com/RqZ9j8BSro
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 10, 2014
Cody Jensen, with 37 dumplings consumed, was the winner of the men’s heat of today’s #DumplingDerby2014. Congrats!! pic.twitter.com/kJfVSZSn8v
— Bao Bei (@BaoBei1) August 11, 2014
Remember to get your tickets early! Looking forward to next year. #GoldenDumpling2014 pic.twitter.com/Y3r64DN9fM
— William Louie (@wlouie) August 11, 2014
Featured image: @askforluigi/Instagram