Reproduced from Shaw Media:

National Casting for Food Network Canada’s Next Top Chef
Open Now Until June 19
Casting Details and Applications Available at www.topchefcanada.ca

TORONTO, May 17, 2012 – Shaw Media is thrilled to announce today the renewal of its number one Food Network Canada series, Top Chef Canada.  Since the launch of season one in April 2011, the Canadian adaptation of the international smash hit has consistently been Food Network’s top ranked series.  A national casting call for Canada’s next Top Chef has begun, with applications available at www.topchefcanada.ca. The deadline for submitting applications is June 19, 2012.

The country’s best and brightest up-and-coming culinary stars, aged 19 years and older, are encouraged to visit www.topchefcanada.ca to download the application form.  In addition to the online form, applicants must create a short video of themselves in action, showing off their cooking ability and on-camera personality. Casting is currently open and runs until June 19, 2012.

Staying true to the original show format, Top Chef Canada challenges competitors’ culinary skills to see who can cut it as Canada’s Top Chef, taking home the grand prize including $100,000.  The intensity builds each week as the competitors vie for their shot at stardom and avoid elimination.  Shaw Media will continue to work with Canadian production powerhouse, Insight Productions, for the third season, which will premiere in 2013 exclusively on Food Network Canada.

For those who may need to catch up on the current season of Top Chef Canada, tune in on May 21^st to a Victoria Day Top Chef Canada Marathon of the first 10 episodes back-to-back starting at 12pm ET followed by the premiere of episode 11 at 10pm ET/PT. Viewers can continue watching the second season of Top Chef Canada on Food Network Canada Mondays at 10 pm ET/PT.  Canada’s second Top Chef will be crowned in the special 90-minute season finale airing Monday, June 4^th at 10pm ET/PT on Food Network Canada.

Source: BBM Canada PPM, 8/27/09 to present

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The show’s producers will be on site at the 2012 EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival to answer questions. Top Chef Canada Season One winner Dale MacKay will be on the Food Network Celebrity Stage on June 2 and 3. www.eat-vancouver.com

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@TopChefCanada
@FoodNetworkCA

Facebook:
Top Chef Canada - https://www.facebook.com/TopChefCanada
Food Network Canada - https://www.facebook.com/foodnetworkcanada

Food Network Canada is a Shaw Media network.

About Shaw Communications Inc.
Shaw is a diversified communications and media company, providing consumers with broadband cable television, High-Speed Internet, Home Phone, telecommunications services (through Shaw Business), satellite direct-to-home services (through Shaw Direct) and engaging programming content (through Shaw Media). Shaw serves 3.4 million customers, through a reliable and extensive fibre network. Shaw Media operates one of the largest conventional television networks in Canada, Global Television, and 18 specialty networks including HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, History Television and Showcase. Shaw is traded on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges and is included in the S&P/TSX 60 Index (Symbol: TSX – SJR.B, NYSE – SJR). For more information about Shaw, please visit www.shaw.ca.

About Insight Productions
Insight Production Company Ltd, headed by John Brunton & Barbara Bowlby has become an industry leader in the creative development, financing and production of highly rated television programs and cutting edge multiplatform content for the global market in every genre. Since 1979, it has been recognized for its reputation for quality as the recipient of numerous international awards, including multiple Gemini’s. The company has created thousands of hours of groundbreaking television that continues to be broadcast over major networks worldwide. Broadcast Magazine International claims that “when it comes to adapting formats for Canadian audiences there is one producer who appears to have the Midas touch.” Recent hits include Canada’s Got Talent, the JUNO Awards, which plays a key role in the Canadian music industry; Insight’s original formats Canada Sings & Battle of the Blades, and Intervention Canada which is currently in production on its second season.  For more information visit www.insighttv.com.

For more information, please contact:

Cathy Kurzbock
Publicist, Food Network Canada
416-966-7501
cathy.kurzbock@shawmedia.ca
@ShawMediaTV_PR

Jaclyn Atwood-Powell
Publicity Manager, Lifestyle Channels
416-966-7293
jaclyn.atwood@shawmedia.ca
@ShawMediaTV_PR

Monique Camenzuli
Publicist, UNIT:PR Inc.
416-506-1277
monique@unitpr.com

Susan Stafford
Publicist, UNIT:PR Inc.
416-506-1238
susan@unitpr.com

Sandra Garcia
Publicist, EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival
604-721-0030
sandra@middlechildmarketing.com
www.eat-vancouver.com

For Immediate Release

EAT! Vancouver Joins Pop-Up Trend with Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts’s Pop Up Culinary Centre

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Vancouver’s had its share of pop-up markets, retail stores, and donut shops. Now, the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival on June 1-3 is jumping on the pop-up bandwagon by presenting the Pop-Up Culinary Centre in conjunction with long-time EAT! exhibitor, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (PICA).

This isn’t your typical quiche or cookie baking home economics class. Nine different classes – teaching hands-on fundamental cooking techniques like deboning, knife skills, shellfish shucking, and pastry plating – will be taught by PICA’s internationally-trained Chef Instructors under the leadership of Executive Chef Julian Bond.

“Each hands-on class provides a unique bird’s eye view into the foundation skills taught in our professional culinary programs,” says Chef Bond. “No matter your skill level, we’ll jump start your culinary prowess.” Chef Bond recently became the inaugural recipient of the Mentorship Award at the 23^rd annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards.

The full schedule of classes can be found on EAT! Vancouver’s website at www.eat-vancouver.com.

Attendees can sign up in advance on EAT! Vancouver’s website for $25+HST per session. Classes are limited to 16 people each.

About Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts: In its 15th year and located at the head of Granville Island, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts is one of Canada’s first highly accredited private culinary institutes providing Culinary Arts & Baking & Pastry Arts Diploma Programs. Core culinary curriculums include a mandatory Wine & Spirit Education Trust Foundation (WSET) Certification. Built into the curriculum is a Food & Beverage Operations Management program where graduates are able to hone their skill sets in an extensively renovated and industry relevant student-run Bistro 101 and Bakery 101. A Catering Department affords PICA the prestige of being one of Canada’s premiere centres dedicated to culinary excellence. For more information, please call (604) 734-4488 or visit www.picachef.com.

More than 35,000 visitors are expected to attend the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival at BC Place Stadium over the three-day weekend. For information and tickets please visit www.eat-vancouver.com.

EAT! Vancouver Media Contact:

Sandra Garcia
Publicist, EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival
sandra@middlechildmarketing.com
www.press.eat-vancouver.com
1-604-721-0030

Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts Media Contact:

Angelina Froste
Media Relations, Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts
angelina@picachef.com
www.picachef.com
1-604-734-4488

For Immediate Release

Dr. Greg’s SuperChefs Cookery for Kids on the Fit to EAT! Stage
at EAT! Vancouver
Motivating kids to love healthy food early

On June 1-3, 2012, the 10^th annual EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival continues its focus on healthy eating with special presentations by the Dr. Greg’s SuperChefs Cookery for Kids on the Fit to EAT! Stage. Founded by Dr. Greg Chang, SuperChefs Cookery for Kids aims to educate children about healthy eating habits and teach them hands-on cooking and nutrition skills. They empower children in the battle against childhood obesity, a nation-wide pandemic.

“Our program can be used for prevention for childhood obesity in many ways,” says Dr. Chang. By teaching the essentials of balanced nutrition, food preparation, and social etiquette, Dr. Greg’s SuperChefs Cookery for Kids program hopes to inspire life-long habits of physical and social well-being.

Under the direction of professional chefs and educators, SuperChefs Cookery students learn the joy of cooking as well as team building, role modeling, and community service. Dr. Chang continues: “The SuperChefs of the Universe characters teach younger kids aged 4-8 healthy eating habits using the SuperChefs Live Circus Show. Teaching older kids aged 8-11 hands on cooking techniques at the SuperChefs Cookery empowers them with culinary skills to eat their own good food. It also creates mentors and leaders in the teenage group by having them act as counsellors in our programs and camps. We will also be running programs in elders facilities to have elders help teach kids cooking skills, which benefits not only the kids but the elders as well.”

The SuperChefs of the Universe characters will be in attendance at the festival to perform circus feats and get younger children excited about cooking, eating power foods, and physical activity. On May 17th, Dr. Greg’s SuperChefs Cookery for Kids joins Trevor Booker of the Washington Wizards NBA team and students from the Francis Stevens Education Campus in Washington, D.C. for a cooking class in the Westin Georgetown hotel’s state-of-the-art kitchen.

Originating in 2011, the Fit to EAT! Stage presenters at the EAT! Vancouver Festival promote health and sustainability through social responsibility. Just some of the exhibitors featuring healthy, organic, natural, fair-trade, or socially-responsible products include Azuma Foods, Boring Porridge, Bullfrog Power, Canada Hemp Foods, car2go, Cloud 9, Doi Chaang Coffee, Granola Girl, Green & Black’s Organics, Health Products for Pets, Lesley Stowe Fine Foods, Life Choices Foods, Loving Whole Grains, Norwex Enviro Products, Sea Cider, Skinny Grape, SONNENTOR Tea, Three Farmers, Untamed Feast, Urban Harmonie Design, Xocai Chocolate, and Zipcar.

For more information on Dr. Greg’s SuperChefs Cookery for Kids, visit the EAT! Vancouver website or www.superchefs.tv. The presentation schedule will be posted on the EAT! Vancouver website one week before the festival.

More than 35,000 visitors are expected to attend the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival at BC Place Stadium over the three-day weekend. For information and tickets please visit www.eat-vancouver.com.

Media contact:
Sandra Garcia
Publicist, EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival
sandra@middlechildmarketing.com
www.press.eat-vancouver.com
1-604-721-0030

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fire Up Your Global Taste
“Where there are people, there’s good food and great fun!”

Vancouver, BC, Canada – Spring to exotic flavours at the 6^th World Culinary Travel Expo (www.worldculinary.net) to be held within the EAT! Vancouver Festival this June 1^st to 3^rd at the newly renovated BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, Canada.

Interest in international cooking has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to the appeal of reality cooking shows and the proliferation of celebrity chefs like David Rocco of Food Network Canada’s travel-food show David Rocco’s Dolce Vita — and Bob Blumer, host of World’s Weirdest Restaurants.  A dash of exotic flavour not only spruces up the most boring dish, but adds zest to life.

Most travellers agree that sampling a destination’s cuisine forms an important part of a memorable holiday experience, whether it is trying a newly-discovered dish or something wild that friends will never believe they ate.

There are new, exciting countries exhibiting at the 6th World Culinary Travel Expo this June. From the Middle East: Jordan, a country where mealtime is a time of celebration. Jordanians take great pride in serving their guests.  Relax, drink tea and experience Jordanians hospitality with the Jordan Tourism Board.

For an unforgettable African culinary safari, talk to Stuweb Travel and Tours from West Africa who will orchestrate a journey that brings inspiration to your taste buds and touch your soul.

Good food and fun abounds in Thailand and the Philippines. New and flavourful snacks await curious appetites at the Thai Trade Centre. For more fun, check out DAD – Dine, Adventure and Dive programs at Philippine Tourism. No visit to the expo is complete without a taste of delicious Indonesian cuisine.  Be prepared for line-ups.

Dine wine and dance in Spain — the heart of flamenco country. Explore ancient wine routes and heart-healthy eating centered on the Mediterranean diet — the foundation of Spanish cuisine. The diet emphasizes healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and nuts.  Find out about the popular gourmet travel deals at the Tourist Office of Spain.

For a fiery taste of Latin America’s hottest destinations – visit Peru and Mexico.  Take a bite of the rich, delectable, tangy ceviche at Peru.  Travel through Oaxaca with Mexican chef, Rossana Ascencio during her cooking demonstrations on the International Culinary Stage.  Unwind at Caribbean’s Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Enjoy tasty dishes featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives?  Try scrumptious Cajun and Creole cooking by Louisiana’s chef, Patrick Mould. Television personality, cookbook author and culinary innovator, Chef Mould has contributed significantly to the Southwest Louisiana cooking landscape.

Travel the World through gastronomy. Discover your next culinary vacation, intriguing cultures and mouthwatering cuisines, and unadvertised gourmet travel deals.

“Where There are People, There’s Good Food and Great Fun!”  Fire up your Global Taste at the 6^th World Culinary Travel Expo at the EAT!  Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival. Get your tickets now and save, visit our website at www.eat-vancouver.com

The World Culinary Travel Expo (www.worldculinary.net) is the first of its kind exhibition devoted to promoting global travel through gastronomy. It is held within the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival, Canada’s largest consumer food festival, featuring hundreds of food, beverage & kitchen goods exhibitors along with tourist boards, travel suppliers, wineries, breweries, restaurants, cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese seminars, cookbook authors & chef competitions. The three-day festival is attended by the travel trade, culinary enthusiasts, and media.   Since its inception, the event has been attended by over 230,000 visitors.  More details are available at www.eat-vancouver.com

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For more information, interviews, or photos suitable for publication, please contact:

North America Asean Consultants Inc.
E-mail: culinarytravel@gmail.com

For Immediate Release – The EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival celebrates its tenth year of all things food, returning to its former home at the newly renovated BC Place Stadium on June 1-3, 2012.

And who best to celebrate the anniversary by making his 10^th appearance on the ever-popular Food Network Celebrity Stage presented by Born 3 Eggs: Vancouver’s own Iron Chef America winner and Cactus Club Restaurants Food Concept Architect, Chef Rob Feenie. Other guests on the celebrity stage include Bob Blumer, Host of World’s Weirdest Restaurants and Glutton for Punishment, David Rocco, Host of David Rocco’s Dolce Vita, Annabelle Waugh, Food Director for Canadian Living Magazine, and winner of Season One of Food Network Canada’s Top Chef Canada, Chef Dale MacKay of ensemble restaurant & bar and eTap.

Bob Blumer will sign copies of his new book, Glutton for Pleasure, on June 1^st and David Rocco will sign copies of his new book, Made in Italy. All books will be on sale throughout the festival.

This year, EAT! Vancouver is host to three nail-biting competitions: The 2012 Western Canadian Regional Barista Championships, the BC Chefs’ Association Chocolate Competition, and the BC Chefs’ Association Grand Culinary Salon. One of 20 of Western Canada’s best baristas will move on to compete in the Canadian National Barista Championships at The Canadian Coffee & Tea Show in Toronto in September 2012.

New for this year is the Pop-Up Culinary Centre, where guests can sign up for one-hour cooking classes taught by instructors from Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.

Veterans of the festival will continue to enjoy the same pavilions, cooking stages, and 250+ exhibitors that have made EAT! Vancouver Canada’s largest consumer food show a success over the years: The International Culinary Stage and Fit to EAT! Stage, The World Culinary Travel Expo, the Wine, Beer & Spirits Tasting Pavilion and Grapes & Hops Presentation Stage hosted by the WineDiva Daenna Van Mulligen, the Bite of Vancouver Pavilion, Dairy Farmers of Canada Cheese Seminars, and the Pets Eat Too! Pavilion.

Long-standing exhibitors of the festival include the BC Salmon Farmers Association, Beverage Concepts, Bosa Foods, Cutco, the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, Titanium Exclusive, and Watkins. More than 35,000 visitors are expected to attend over the three-day weekend. For information and tickets please visit www.eat-vancouver.com.

Media contact:
Sandra Garcia
Publicist, EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival
sandra@middlechildmarketing.com
www.press.eat-vancouver.com
1-604-721-0030

For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 29, 2012

2012 Western Regional Barista Championships at the
EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival,
June 1-3, 2012, at BC Place Stadium

The EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival is the newly selected host venue for the 2012 Western Canadian Regional Barista Championships.  The event takes place on June 1, 2 & 3 at BC Place Stadium in front of an audience expected to reach 40,000 over the three day weekend.

Twenty of Western Canada’s best baristas will demonstrate the art of creating the perfect espresso drinks and compete for one of four Canadian Regional Barista Championship titles. The three day competition and coffee fair will feature coffee and tea samples from local coffee roasters and distributors of coffee products, confections and allied products, as well as coffee cupping and latte art demonstrations.

Each competitor must prepare and serve 12 separate espresso beverages: 4 espresso, 4 cappuccinos, and 4 “signature” drinks of their own creation. Competitors have only fifteen minutes to prepare all twelve drinks and are judged on various elements including taste, beverage presentation, technical skills, station cleanliness and total impression by a distinguished panel of judges.

The top competitors from each of the four Canadian Regional Barista Championships will compete at the Canadian National Barista Championships at the Coffee & Tea Show in Toronto. The eventual winner of the national championship will represent Canada at the World Barista Championship in 2013.

The new location of the Barista Championships, at EAT! Vancouver, Canada’s largest consumer food show, offers coffee related companies a huge opportunity to market and sell their products to an audience of over 40,000 visitors at the festival.

For more information, please contact:
George Acs
Event Co-Producer
Executive Event Production Inc.
george@eat-bc.com
604.576.8859
www.eat-vancouver.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Unleash Your Taste Buds and Wanderlust
Break Away for a Taste Around the Globe this June 10th to 12th

Vancouver, BC (May 19th, 2011) – The EAT! Buzz is Growing Louder! In three weeks, the world will gather again at the Vancouver Convention Centre for the 5th annual World Culinary Travel Expo at the EAT! Vancouver Food Festival, presented by Travelocity. The overwhelming success of the 2010 event sparked significant interest not only among travel and hospitality professionals and culinary aficionados locally — but also internationally — to the far reaches of the Georgian heartland in Eastern Europe.

As mankind advances, so has our affiliation with food and beverage. Interest on these two topics have skyrocketed — type in the word ‘food’ on the Google.ca search engine, over 1.5 billion results will appear. Once labeled as basic necessities – food and drink have developed into big entertainment business and lifestyle experiences.

It is not surprising news when ABC, a major US network announced recently they are cancelling two of their long-running soap operas, “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” in favour of two new talk shows “The Chew” and “The Revolution.” The sharp growth in culinary entertainment further boosts the demand for culinary travel. Food plays a huge part in any vacation — the best stories often revolved around food, the authentic smells and flavours of the destination where its culinary style reveals its history, culture and influences.

What’s Organic and Unique?
Showcasing for the first time is Begeli Ltd., a Georgian company featuring nuts, juices and legume products organically produced by farmers of the Biological Farming Association, Elkana. Returning for the second year is Spain — arguably one of the hottest epicurean destinations in the world. Visit their exhibit for a true taste of Spain’s national treasure — the mouth-watering Jamon Serrano Ham flavoured with the country’s sea salt and air. Transat Holidays together with Marlin Travel offer irresistible culinary packages to Spain, and popular European and Mexican getaways. Inquire about their special offer on the exclusive Occidental’s Royal Hideaway innovative Chef’s Table dining experience.

Drink to Christmas in June
A big hit with visitors is the Sorrel Drink served at the Antigua & Barbuda, St. Vincent & Grenadine exhibit. Key ingredients of this Christmas drink include Hibiscus flower, ginger, cinnamon and other spices. Caution — a gulp of this refreshing drink may awaken your wanderlust to seek a Caribbean getaway this winter.

Savouring the Silk Road
Like philosophy, science and religion, food has travelled and evolved along the ancient trade route between China and India over the centuries. This year is “China Cultural Tour Year” to tour, taste and experience China’s 5,000 years old culture. India has also designated 2011 to celebrate ‘’Year of India in Canada.” These two countries offer a smorgasbord of gastronomic delights to suit virtually every palate. One can travel around China and India 24/7 in 365 days and not be able to completely sample all the cuisine varieties of these two fascinating cultures.’’

The Silk Road also extended its route to Indonesia — traders went in search of precious spices, cocoa and coffee. Indonesia is the third largest cocoa bean producer in the world. Their beans make yummy hot chocolates. When it comes to the world’s most expensive and luscious coffee, Kopi Luwak or Civet Coffee tops the list — even Oprah Winfrey gave it a seal of approval. This ‘’Rare and Bizarre’’ coffee is made from berries consumed, and passed through the digestive system of the Asian Palm Civet. For a Kopi Luwak education or sample of tasty cuisine infused with genuine spices, visit the Indonesia stand.
Celebrity Chefs and Celebration

Barbados Chef Paul Yellin, highly acclaimed chef and author of the popular rum cookbook, Infusion! Spirited Cooking will be back on the International Culinary Stage with more of his yummy rummy delights to spice up your taste buds and dream vacation. Barbados is the first island in the Caribbean to be Zagat rated.

Premiering for the first time is Chef Edgar Grajo, chef instructor, management consultant and winner of the Kulinarya: the First Filipino Culinary Showdown in San Francisco. Don’t miss the opportunity to relish scrumptious Filipino cooking on June 12th, Philippines National Day Celebration — and inquire about the Exclusive Ambassador/Consul Generals and Tourism Directors Tour which, includes a meeting with the Philippines President Benigno Aquino III in his official residence.

Showcasing on the Food Network stage is television personality, author, and veteran culinary traveller, Graham Kerr; Canada’s First Iron Chef America Winner, Chef Rob Feenie — and Food Network’s Top Chef Canada contenders Connie DeSousa & Dale MacKay.

Unlimited Choices and Free Advice
The choices of culinary vacations are endless – deciding on your ideal dream trip can sometimes be mind-boggling. Experts at Insight Vacation, Trafalgar Tours and UniWorld River Cruises will be in-person to provide free advice and help craft your journey for a once-in-a- lifetime experience. On site will also be Travel Medicine and Vaccination Centre personnel who can advise you not only on your international medical needs, but also local seasonal vaccinations — and occupational health requirements for those working in the food and hospitality services.

Join us, this June 10th to 12th, at the Vancouver Convention Centre — Unleash Your Taste Buds and Wanderlust. Savour culinary delights, discover exotic cultures and destinations around the globe — and get free support from the travel experts for your next culinary dream vacation. Purchase your ticket online now, and save $2.00 on admission.

The World Culinary Travel Expo (www.worldculinary.net) is the first of its kind exhibition devoted to promoting global travel through gastronomy. It is held within the EAT! Vancouver Food Festival, Canada’s largest consumer food festival, featuring hundreds of food, beverage & kitchen goods exhibitors along with tourist boards, travel suppliers, wineries, breweries, restaurants, cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese seminars, cookbook authors & chef competitions. The three-day festival is attended by the travel trade, culinary enthusiasts, and media. Since its inception, the event has been attended by over 200,000 visitors. More details are available at www.eat-vancouver.com.

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For more information, interviews — or photos suitable for publication — please contact:

North America Asean Consultants Inc.
E-mail: culinarytravel@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Foodcation and Tastecation
“Start your Exploration at the World Culinary Travel Expo — Mouth First!”

Vancouver, BC (April 29, 2011) — The 5th World Culinary Travel Expo at the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival presented by Travelocity will be back this June after a hugely successful show last year. This is the ultimate event for those who love to explore travel through food. Gear up your appetite and adventurous spirit — head to the new Vancouver Convention Centre, West Wing, Vancouver, B.C., Canada this June 10th to 12th.

“The opportunities to discover new foodcations are awesome. It was great to get information direct from the source, and put a face to the people who planned my trip, said John K, a jaded global culinary traveller who enjoys dining with the locales on his travels.

In addition to browsing and shopping for the next gastronomic escapade — culinary aficionados would also have opportunities to tantalize their taste buds with delicious cuisines at the Bite of Vancouver Restaurants — savour some of the best local and global wines, beers and spirits in the Tasting Pavillion, and yes, there is also gourmet food for your beloved pets.

Experiencing a country’s cuisine opens the door to understanding its social fabric and environ. Food forges understanding, connects people, and reveals societies layered with history. “It is a primary avenue to discovering what is most authentic — the bizarre truth — about cultures everywhere,” said Andrew Zimmern, Global Food Connoisseur and host of The Travel Channel’s hit series Bizarre Food.

The June event is heating up with sizzling exhibits, exciting international chefs challenges, along with scrumptious food from around the world, and entertaining cooking presentations by celebrity chefs from Barbados, Philippines and Food Network Channel including Rob Feenie and Graham Kerr, formerly known as the Galloping Gourmet.

Graham Kerr, a world renowned culinary and television personality, award-winning author, and master of metaphorical speaking has travelled around the world 28 times over the past forty-eight years of broadcasting, writing and speaking about food. Don’t miss the opportunity to get firsthand tips from the veteran food traveller to spice up your culinary adventures.

The World Culinary Travel Expo (www.worldculinary.net) is the first of its kind exhibition devoted to promoting global travel through gastronomy. It is held within  the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival, Canada’s largest consumer food festival, featuring hundreds of food, beverage & kitchen goods exhibitors along with tourist boards, travel suppliers, wineries, breweries, restaurants, cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese seminars, cookbook authors & chef competitions. The three-day event is attended by the travel trade, culinary enthusiasts, and media. Since its inception, the expo has been attended by over 200,000 visitors. More details are available at www.eat-vancouver.com.

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For more information, interviews — or photos suitable for publication — please contact:

North America Asean Consultants Inc.
E-mail: culinarytravel@gmail.com

For Immediate Release

April 28, 2011 – Mark your calendars, the highly anticipated Ninth Annual EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival will be held June 10 -12, 2011 at the Vancouver Convention Centre and will showcase all the special features that have made it Canada’s number one consumer food event, plus more!

Visitors will once again explore, taste, sample and shop from over 250 exhibiting companies showcasing a huge variety of food, beverage and cooking related products.

Amongst the many special attractions, international cooking competitions, cheese seminars, wine & beer tasting, featured restaurant bites; the number one attraction for visitors continues to be the Food Network Celebrity Cooking Stage, where television celebrity chefs perform live for an adoring audience.

Our perennial favourite, Canada’s First Iron Chef America Winner and Food Concept Architect for Cactus Club, Chef Rob Feenie will highlight the Food Network Celebrity Stage once again. The stage will also play host to contenders from the hit Food Network series: Top Chef Canada.

This year, EAT! Vancouver is very pleased to announce the appearance of Graham Kerr, formerly known as the Galloping Gourmet, on the Food Network Celebrity Cooking Stage. Fresh from his recent appearance on the Rachael Ray show promoting his brand new book Growing at the Speed of Life: A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden, Kerr is one of the surprising new faces joining the burgeoning ranks of the health-conscious people who grow and enjoy eating their own fresh vegetables and making less of a footprint on the environment.

Graham Kerr is an internationally known culinary and television personality, award-winning author, and master of metaphorical speaking. His focus is on serving people who want to make healthy, creative, lifestyle changes and believes that the only lasting changes are the ones that we enjoy. His life goal is “to help to convert habits that harm into resources that heal both for ourselves and others in need.”

Kerr will be making presentations on the Food Network Celebrity Presentation Stage throughout the three days of the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival, meeting with his audience and autographing his new book: Growing at the Speed of Life: A Year in the Life of My First Kitchen Garden.

The Bite of Vancouver Restaurant Pavilion will feature a large number of fine restaurants from the Vancouver area, including; Crave Restaurant, Ebo Restaurant, Fleuri Restaurant at Sutton Place Hotel, Gramercy Grill, Fishworks and Milestones, amongst others. Restaurants will be offering their favourite dishes at a maximum price of $4, your chance to sample unique dishes at a fraction of the menu prices.

The Wine Beer & Spirits Tasting Pavilion will feature 36 agents sampling hundreds of products ranging from wine and beer (local and imported) to rums and cognacs, even exotic liquors such as Absinthe by Okanagan Spirits. Most samples are only two or three tasting tickets (50 cents/ticket). Join the Dean of Mott’s Clamato Caesar School, Len Fragomeni, for expert tips and delicious recipes centered around this truly Canadian masterpiece.

The Grapes & Hops Presentation Stage, Hosted by Daenna Van Mulligen, The Wine Diva, is an integral part of the wine Tasting pavilion. In Canada, Daenna has become the go to person for on-line wine reviews. Daenna is an accredited sommelier who thrives on educating the public with her deviously inspirational and humorous approach to wine.

New this year: The Fit To EAT! Pavilion will feature products and services that will cater to a health conscious consumer who seeks to embrace choices in life that make them healthier and fit for life. Located in the same area, the EAT! Garden Pavilion will showcase products and services for both beginner and savvy gardeners. As well, gardening experts will be making stage presentations on gardening tips.

The World Culinary Travel Expo, an integral part of EAT! Vancouver, features face-to-face contact with local and international vendors — discover new vacation spots based on culinary offerings of destinations like China, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, St Vincent & Grenadines and more! On the adjacent International Culinary Stage chefs from around the world will be showcasing world tourism through regional food and cuisine. Find out everything you always wanted to know from representatives of foreign countries you have always desired to visit and taste some of their culinary delights as well. Watch their celebrity chefs create exotic dishes you’ve only dreamt of on the International Culinary Stage.

International Culinary Competitions: EAT! Vancouver is proud to present the following competitions for the World Association of Chefs De Cuisine (WACS) Convention 2011, & hosted by CCFCC and the BC Chefs Associations: National Chefs Challenge, WACS Continental Chefs Challenge (With 5 teams from South America and 5 Teams from Canada in the finals) and the prestigious WACS Hans Bueschkens Junior Chefs Challenge.

And who doesn’t love Cheese: The Dairy Farmers of Canada will have cheese experts present a series of seminars during the three days of the event.

And not be forgotten; in the Pets EAT Too! Pavilion, pet supply and care service companies will be on hand to help you make the right decisions for your pets.

For more information, interview requests or photos please contact:
sandra@middlechildmarketing.com
www.eat-vancouver.com