British Columbia is home to incredible wines, luscious produce and countless creative chefs dedicated to creating an exceptional culinary experience for locals and travellers alike. Check out these three gastronomic foodie events and hot spots this fall.
Whistler
Indulge at the Westin – Whistler Cornucopia. Credit Tourism Whistler Mike Crane
Cornucopia, presented by BlueShore Financial, is Whistler’s epic Celebration of Food + Drink. The eleven-day event attracts more than 15,000 visitors to the resort each November and caters to everyone from amateur enthusiasts to aficionados. Each event, seminar and tasting brings respected industry professionals, judges and presenters to the gorgeous Whistler mountain region on the eve of the opening of the ski season. Designed to showcase and support local restaurants, restaurateurs and the food and wine industry, the events run the gamut from clean and healthy eating seminars (we suggest Plant Based Deliciousness with Whistler Blackcomb’s executive chef, Wolfgang Sterr) to utter indulgence (don’t miss Guilty Pleasures: Wine and Junk Food).
Vancouver
Lovers of local seafood and social times have a reason to rejoice, as the historically sold-out Chefs’ Table Society of BC’s Slow Fish Canada Dinner returns to the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts this October for the fourth year. This event allows Vancouverites to gather and indulge in local sustainable seafood in the most interactive way.
Credit – Chefs’ Table Society of BC – Slow Fish Dinner
The evening begins with PICA culinary student-prepared canapés and salmon safe wines. Next, attendees move through the school’s eight professional teaching kitchens to meet the visiting chefs (predominately from BC, with one hailing as far as New Brunswick), each offering a tasting-sized portion of local sustainable seafood delicacies. Leading the event is Chefs’ Table Society chef Darren Clay, executive culinary chef instructor at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.
Credit – Chefs’ Table Society of BC – Slow Fish Dinner
Designed to raise awareness for Slow Fish Canada (a Slow Food initiative) and its role in protecting our oceans, the event spotlights the beautiful quality and variety of the ocean’s bounty.
Vernon
Prettily situated in the heart of Okanagan’s growing country, Vernon’s chefs have some of the most gorgeous produce in the country at their fingertips. Choose from farm to fork restaurants, quaint bistros, worldly flavours, five-star cuisine, gastropubs, food trucks and more in Vernon. Wash it all down with award-winning wines, tasty ciders, fine spirits, and exotic teas. Everything is made with quality ingredients, with most grown in the Vernon area. The influencing elements of soil, climate and geography create a unique terroir that adds to the rich flavours of their craft beverage industry. This fall, visitors should plan to dine at the newly opened Da Poké Bowl, a Hawaiian Poké restaurant.
Our personal favourite is the Vernon Tasting Trail, which you can travel on your own or engage a tour operator to let you sit back and enjoy a boozy afternoon of culinary indulgence.
