11th Annual Healthy Chef Competition

Mango and milk chocolate tower, warm mixed berry honey Chiboust, raspberry coulis, vanilla ice cream. (Image above was the display)

Image above was what was actually served.

• Delicious! I loved this dessert. I would order this.

CARVER’S STEAKHOUSE: Main (Image not available)

Vancouver Harbor Bouillabaise. Pan-fried filet of wild sustainable halibut, Ocean Wise giant prawn, greyer-cayenne crostini, fennel tomato saffron broth, Yukon gold potato coin.

CARVER’S STEAKHOUSE: Dessert

Pressed Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Praline. Chilliwack farm organic hazelnuts, minted mango strawberry salsa, mandarin brandy glaze, strawberry coulis. (Image above is the display)

(Image above was what was actually served)

• This was one of my favourites as well. It was like a rich chocolate ganache layer with a another layer of chocolate nougat like cake with whole hazelnuts in it. It tasted like Ferrero Rocher in cake form.

FOUR WILLOWS FARM: Main

Roasted pork tenderloin stuffed with apricots, onions, and chanterelles; pistachio crusted pave; morel demi-glace.

FOUR WILLOWS FARM: Dessert

Dark chocolate mousse and orange passion cream on a sable disk with honey red tea sauce.

• I had to work to get this dessert. Everyone was raving about it and they “sold out” so I asked for he display dessert. Yes I did. I’m dedicated and also obsessed with desserts.

• I actually wasn’t too impressed with it. It was good, but also quite regular. It was a fluffy chocolate mousse dome with a passion fruit centre. Without the passion fruit centre it would have been way ordinary. Not really a use of that much fruit.

EXECUTIVE PLAZA HOTEL: Main

Healthy West Coast Seafood Lumber. Small mouth seabass, sockeye salmon, pacific lobster, saffron fennel puree, baby carrots, lima beans, yukon gold, blood orange glaze. (All produce used is organic)

• Everyone wanted to try this because it had lobster – but they ran out so I missed it. I wasn’t quick enough!

EXECUTIVE PLAZA HOTEL: Dessert

Strawberry shooter, ginger peach frozen yogurt, espresso creme brulee, wild berry coulis. (All produce used is organic)

• This was probably one of my least favourites. It was very watered down strawberry shooter.
• The creme brulee was okay, but I don’t see what they’re trying to do here.

A KETTLE OF FISH: Main

Bacon and Eggs. Braised Fraser Valley pork leg; fried quail’s egg, cranberry pine nut bread pudding, watercress puree, sautéed spring vegetables.

• My official entree. There was a big peice of juicy pork fast around the chop – but I wasn’t crazy about this.
• The sauce wasn’t reduced and the plating wasn’t fine dining to me.
• The pine nut bread pudding tasted like cranberry stiffing at Thanksgiving.

EDGE WATER CASINO: Dessert (Image not available)

Black tea poached Bartlett pears and crème fraiche parfait; white chocolate field berry mousse.

SHERATON WALL CENTRE: Main

Trio of Stuffed Vegetables. Components: beet stuffed with barley and bulgur; zucchini stuffed with red quinoa, amaranth, and couscous; onion stuffed with muskox, Mediterranean spices, and pine nuts. Sauce: yogurt, tahini, and extra virgin olive oil. Finish: black garlic, roasted red pepper coulis, and wild rice popcorn.

• Definitely the healthiest plate of the night. It was almost vegetarian with a little bit of meat. It would be good as an appetizer or side dish – but not really feeling it as a main.

• The sausage or ground meat wrapped in a Belgian endive leaf.

• I loved this!! The stuffed zucchini was great. It had quinoa in the stuffing and it was very flavourful.

SHERATON WALL CENTRE: Dessert

Green tea stack: jasmine tea, green tea, ginger, melon, starfruit, tapioca (cassava). Asian mango pudding: mango, tapioca (cassava). Surreal nacho: beet, avocado, lime, blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, juniper, cinnamon, clove, ginger. Grape on grape [BC chefs support BC wines]: red wine, red grape, green grape. Kat’s holé molé truffle on vegan chocolate: 72% bittersweet chocolate, pomegranate, raspberry, mango, Mexican pepper trio, cayenne pepper, tofu, soy milk, honey.

• LOTS going on here… and some may say too much. But I think everything had it’s own flavour… definitely a sampler plate.
• It didn’t taste that great though. I think Asian bakeries do a better job with Matcha and mango.

CULINARY ARTS AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF VANCOUVER: Main

Honey sablefish with barley risotto. Coconut turmeric broth, lots of vegetables.

CULINARY ARTS AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF VANCOUVER: Dessert

Strawberry three ways. Egg shell chocolate with strawberry ganache, angelfood cake with non-fat strawberry mousse, shot of strawberry consomme.

• I couldn’t tell there was strawberry ganache in the chocolate. It looked and tasted like caramel. The chocolate had gold specs which was gorgeous.
• The mousse was nice and light and fluffy though.