2012 Colour Your Palate Winners

Colour Your Palate 2012 Award Winners: Colour - Green; Colour - Orange; Colour - Blue. See below for more detail. Photos by Gary Hynes

Last night eleven chefs competed in the Colour Your Palate competition held at the Hotel Grand Pacific and four awards were given out. Each chef had to prepare a colour-specific appetizer sized plate (either cold, hot or a dessert) to present to the three judges (Eric Akis, Gary Hynes and Denise Marchessault). Points were awarded for Overall Appeal, Presentation, Execution, Taste, Colour Expression and Degree of Difficulty. It was clear the competitors put a lot of creativity into their dishes as they vied to not only come up with a flavourful dish but to outdo each other in picking ingredients to best show off the colour they were working with.

After the judging, the chefs served their creations to ticket holders. Proceeds went to raise funds for the 
artsREACH Project

 2012 Award Winners:

Most Colourful Creation: 
Chef: Chef Kamal Silva, The Fairmont Empress

Assistant: Chef D’oyen Christie

Colour: Blue

Blueberry Cheescake with Blueberry Kirch Compote and Cardamom Shortbread

Best Tasting: 
Chef: Morgan Milward, Fireside Grill

Assistant: Jeff Gair

Colour: Orange

Deep Fried Maltaise, Flambeed Yuzu Prawns, Butternut Squash Pancetta & Almond Caponata with Carrot Crisp

People’s Choice Award: 
Fireside Grill

See above for description.

Judges Award:

Chef: Stephan Drolet, Camille’s Restaurant
 Colour: Green
Metchosin Pork Paté, Green Mango Powder cured Pork Shoulder, Green Apple “Skin”, Pistachio Cracker, Verjus Vinaigrette spheres, Crispy Burdock Root, Green Curry Oil Powder

Other 2012 Chefs’ creations:

Sauce Restaurant & Lounge/Chef Andrew Hrushowy  
Colour: Black
Dip on a Black Corn Tortilla topped with Spicy Blackened Tomato Relish

The O Bistro at the Oswego Hotel/Chef Colin Davidson
Colour: Blue
“Out Of The Bleu”
Blue buck braised beef short ribs, sour candy crème fraiche, blue potato blinis and blue cheese foam

The EdGe Restaurant /Chef Edward Tuson
Colour: Green
Snapper Ceviche

Beacon Landing Restaurant and Lounge/Chef Miguel Goncalves
Colour: Orange
Wild Sockeye Salmon with Candied Kumquat and Soybean Ragout

Hotel Grand Pacific – The Pacific Restaurant/Chef Brock Bowes
Colour: Purple
Sloping Hills Pork Belly, Qualicum Bay Scallop Ceviche, Preserved Stone Fruit Essence, Purple Cabbage & Black Sesame Seed Cracker

Flavour/Chef Rob Cassels 
Colour: Purple
Lobster Carpaccio

AJs Organic Café/Chef Cathryn Kissinger 
Colour: Yellow
Crispy Organic Quinoa “Empiler”

The Royal Victoria Yacht Club/Chef Andrew Dickinson
Colour: Yellow
Yellow Fin Tuna, Cheese Cracker, Young Pickled Beet, Cured Saffron Marbled Chevre