“So who’s going to be at the show?”
I can’t tell you the number of times I was asked that question back when I helped to coordinate media relations for CRFA events. The snarky part of me — which accounts for about 95% of my body mass — wanted to say, “About 12,000 people and twice as many stories,” but I’d bite my tongue, let the diplomatic 5% win out and share the names of the celebrity chefs slated to appear, which was invariably the information the asker was after.
And I can’t blame anyone for being curious. CRFA events have earned a reputation for attracting top-line talent on and off the stages. This year is no exception.
I’ve only seen two of the Fabulous Four in action — McEwan and Stadtländer — but I’ve heard great things about Vij and Title as well. It takes a special kind of personality to cook before a large, live crowd and I know that none of these chefs will disappoint:
From CRFA’s media release:
Chef Vikram Vij is the chef/owner of Vij’s Restaurant and Rangoli, both located in Vancouver. He is the author of two cookbooks and has started a new venture creating packaged gourmet curries, available throughout Canada in 2011. Vij is past president and an active member of the Chefs’ Table Society of British Columbia, which is dedicated to supporting innovative and sustainable food programs involving chefs, producers and others working in the local food industry. Vij is a certified Sommelier and is passionate about encouraging people to enjoy wine as they do food.
Chef Mark McEwan is the chef/owner of four restaurants in Toronto – North 44, Bymark, ONE and Fabbrica – and opened gourmet food store McEwan in 2010. His TV show “The Heat” highlights the challenges of his catering company and has aired for three seasons. McEwan’s first cookbook Great Food at Home was published in 2010 and he also has a line of cookware available at Sears. In 2011, McEwan will be the head judge of the new TV show “Top Chef Canada.”
Chef Michael Stadtländer is the chef/owner of Eigensinn Farm, an internationally celebrated destination for gourmets located two hours north of Toronto. Formerly chef at Scaramouche, Sooke Harbour House, Stadtländer’s and Nekah, Stadtländer’s latest venture is Haisai, a restaurant and bakery in Singhampton, Ontario that features locally raised and foraged ingredients. Haisai was named the best new restaurant in Canada by En Route magazine in October 2010.
Chef Ezra Title is the chef/owner of Chezvous Dining in Toronto. Formerly a chef at Jardiniere in San Francisco and Restaurant Daniel and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in New York, Title returned to Toronto to apply his style of cooking with the finest seasonal ingredients from local producers using time-honoured French techniques in unique ways at his own restaurant. Title is also the host of “Healthy Gourmet” which highlights the ongoing battle between taste and nutrition and helps people make the right food choices for both taste buds and body.
Some helpful links if you’re looking for all the latest show news:
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