Top chefs taking centre stage at the Vancouver Home + Design Show

“The city’s best-known foodies will be dishing it up and dishing it out at this year’s Vancouver Home and Design Show presented by Scotiabank, happening October 17-20, 2013 at B.C. Place Stadium.”

“The Vancouver Magazine Cooking Stage, with appliances provided by Samsung, is set to host chefs and experts aplenty, including Chef Massimo Capra of Food Network’s Restaurant Makeover, host of the Samsung Passion for Fresh Cooking Challenge on Saturday, October 19, 2013 from 2-5 p.m.

Aspiring chefs will get the goods in grand form, including personal recipe collections and tips for achieving professional results in any home kitchen. Live, full-action cooking demonstrations will leave no doubt about it: Canadian cuisine is not just about smoked salmon, maple syrup and poutine anymore.”

Must-see Features:

• “Western Living Lounge – Sip and flip through the latest edition of Western Living magazine, all in the lap of luxury. Conveniently located adjacent to the HGTV Main Stage and designed by the talented Nicole Sjostedt, this is one space that will beg for a break – and a lengthy one at that, thanks to a wide variety of Road 13 wines and select beers suited to every palate.
• Samsung Passion for Fresh Cooking Challenge – [on] Saturday, October 19, 2-5PM*

Join host Chef Massimo Capra from Food Network’s Restaurant Makeover and three of Vancouver’s best home chefs as they face off in a battle for culinary supremacy! Paired with a local chef from Italian Kitchen, CIBO Trattoria or Campagnolo, a secret ingredient and a Samsung Flex Duo Oven, each competitor will have one hour to create two perfect dishes. The winning home chef will walk away with $7,000 worth of Samsung Home Appliances for their own kitchen. Ready, set, cook!”

Can’t-miss cooking demonstrations

“Ned Bell, Executive Chef, Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver

Okanagan native Ned Bell is committed to creating globally inspired dishes with locally grown ingredients. As exclusive corporate chef at the Urban Cultivator and executive chef of the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, which includes YEW seafood + bar, Ned doesn’t stray far from his farm to table cooking philosophy. Ned is no stranger to the media and has worked with many culinary stars, including Rob Feenie and Michel Jacob, among others.

Presenting: The “Big Red” Chowda – Sunday, October 20 at 1PM*

Trevor Bird, Owner & Executive Chef, Fable

Trevor Bird is the chef behind Vancouver’s hip dining destination Fable, a past contestant from Food Network’s Top Chef Canada, and one of the country’s hottest young gastronomists. Originally conceived in response to a challenge on Top Chef Canada, Fable is now one of the city’s most buzzed-about restaurants, complete with Canadian cuisine, an open kitchen and signature farm-to-table flair.

Presenting: Local Ingredients, Farm to Table – Friday, October 18 at 5PM*

Kazuya Matsuoka Executive Chef, Miku Restaurant

Growing up in the small fishing village of Miura, Kazuya Matsuoka was always surrounded by fresh seafood. Kazuya’s deep roots in Japanese cuisine and his desire to further his career and break free of tradition led him to Los Angeles. Today he fuses unlikely flavours together for his signature Japanese dishes at Miku and Minami.

Presenting: Traditional Japanese Uising with a Canadian Twist – Sunday, October 20 at 4PM*

Jean-Francis Quaglia, Owner & Chef, Provence Vancouver

Born in the South of France to a mother who is also an acclaimed chef, Jean-Francis was raised appreciating food made with love and fresh ingredients. JF worked at many acclaimed restaurants in Europe including the Hotel Negresco in Nice and his mother’s famous restaurant Le Patalain. He moved to Vancouver in 1992, embracing the West Coast lifestyle and continuing his quest to create wonderful memories created by sharing good food. His life-long dream was realized when Provence Mediterranean Grill opened its doors in the Point Grey neighbourhood of Vancouver in 1997 and a second location, Provence Marinaside, opened in Yaletown in 2002.

Presenting: Prawns Provencal – Friday, October 18 at 7:30PM*

Makoto Ono Executive Chef, PiDGiN

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Makoto Ono discovered his passion for elegance and simplicity at his parents’ sushi bar. After opening restaurants in Winnipeg, Beijing and Hong Kong, gaining culinary awards along the way, Makoto became the executive chef at PiDGiN in early 2013.

Presenting: Steelhead Trout – Sunday, October 20 at 11:30AM*

Brian Skinner Owner & Executive Chef, The Acorn

Born and raised on the west coast, Brian Skinner began working in the back-of-house at the ripe age of 16. Brian discovered his love for teaching in London, when his culinary career took him all over Europe. Eventually Brian came back to Vancouver to teach at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts before opening his first restaurant, The Acorn.

Presenting: Healthy, Fresh & Local Vegetables – Friday, October 18 at 4PM*

Jackie Ellis Owner & Baker, Beaucoup Bakery

Teaching herself to cook from books she borrowed from the library, Jackie Ellis discovered her love of baking at a young age. She has since studied in Paris, opened Beaucoup Bakery in Vancouver and been named one of Western Living magazine’s top foodies under 40. Her croissants have even made the news in Vancouver Magazine, cited as the city’s best.

Presenting: Dessert – Fall Flavours for Home Entertaining – Saturday, October 19 at 11:30AM and Sunday, October 20 at 2:30PM*

Jay Drysdale The BC Wine Guy

Chef and Sommelier Jay Drysdale, otherwise known as “The BC Wine Guy,” is a wine judge, educator and consultant in the Okanagan Valley. After working many years in the food and wine industry, Jay decided to branch out on his own by founding Bella Wines, a sparkling wine house focusing on Chardonnay and Gamay Noir. Jay tries to capture of beauty of B.C. fruit in every bubble of his wine – a valiant duty indeed.

Presenting: Prawn and Couscous – Friday, October 18 at 2:30PM*

Andrew Starritt Founder & Whisky Expert, Cask Strength

Andrew Starritt founded Cask Strength in 2004 to share his knowledge and love of whisky with the world! He gained a love for whisky while living in Edinburgh, Scotland between 1998 and 2000, where he worked at the world-renowned whisky shop Royal Mile Whiskies. It is here that his interest became a passion. Andrew continues to stay connected to the whisky world by exploring and dissecting the magical drink and talking to people at all levels of the industry.

Presenting: Pairing with Whisky – Friday, October 19 at 1:30PM*

Kurtis Kolt Wine Consultant

Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based freelance wine consultant, competition judge and writer who received the Sommelier of the Year award from the 2010 Vancouver International Wine Festival. Certified by London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust and having credit in the winemaking program at UC Davis, Kolt’s enthusiasm and experience have resulted in numerous high-profile appearances, from being the subject of a Wine Enthusiast profile and appearing at New York’s James Beard House, to leading wine festival seminars and beyond.

Presenting: On Trend – The Hottest Wines for Fall – Friday, October 19 at 6:30PM*

About the Vancouver Home + Design Show: The Vancouver Home + Design Show has been a staple in consumers’ calendars since 1983, attracting more than 35,000 qualified visitors every fall. Produced by Marketplace Events, the show features high-interest exhibits, high-profile industry personalities and the latest home and lifestyle trends. Marketplace Events produces 33 home shows in 20 markets that collectively attract 1.1 million attendees and another 1.5 million unique web visitors annually.

For more [information] on the Vancouver Magazine Cooking Stage at the Vancouver Home + Design Show, visit: www.vancouverhomeshow.com.

*Schedule subject to change”

Feature image credit: Vancouver Home + Design Show’s website