special promotion
Dockside in Tofino - the FEAST! line-up left to right: Joel Aubie (Shelter Restaurant), Nicolas Nutting (The Pointe), Matt Wilson (The Point), Cameron Young (Tacofino), Margo Bodchon (Sea Shanty), Nick Donaldson (The Common Loaf ), Mare Dewar (Schooner Restaurant), Tracy Head (Breakers), Liam Paul (Long Beach Lodge), Bobby Lax (TUCG), John Gilmour (Trilogy), Vincent Fraissange (The Spotted Bear Bistro), Bonnie Martell (Wildside Grill).
Second Annual Feast! Culinary Festival in Tofino Rarely do tourists get the chance to experience what life is really like for the locals in the places they visit. An upcoming culinary festival provides the chance to do just that on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Feast! Tofino is a 16-day EAT Magazine sponsored event that celebrates the stock and trade of this fishing-turned-tourist towns – wild salmon and spot prawns. “Feast is about celebrating the food that we have here – specifically seafood,” said Shelter Restaurant chef Joel Aubie. “It’s about salmon and prawns and all we get to enjoy here on the west coast.” Chef Vincent Fraissange of the Spotted Bear Bistro says Tofino’s chefs are keen to share their boat-to-table seafood access with visitors and visiting chefs. “With Feast! we are showcasing the products we have readily available in Clayoquot Sound and how we use it in our restaurants,” he said. “It’s really nice to be able to share it with our friends from the city as well and see how they showcase it.” There are many salmon and spot prawn events planned for this year’s second annual festival, said organizer Trish Dixon, although not quite as many as last year. “What we’ve done is taken the best events and focused on those,” she said. “We really got a good idea of what people, both tourist and locals, want.” By pairing down the festival to 16 days from last year’s 29, there are also fewer days with multiple events, making it easier to take advantage of all Feast! Tofino has to offer. The main events are two Saturday dockside festivals on the wharf on May 19th and May 26th. On these days, the Tofino wharf is buzzing with activity amidst tents with food samples, chef demonstrations, grape stomping, live music and entertainment. The first dock festival kicks off salmon week and the second is the starting point for spot prawn week. Many other events are planned for the intervening time, including prix fixe menus and accommodation and excursion specials at local restaurants and hotels. Not only will Tofino’s best chefs be taking part in Feast! Tofino, but Vancouver’s culinary scene is well represented with the following chefs taking part: Nico Schuermans of Chambar, Joel Wannatabe of Bao Bei, Tom Lee of Edible at the Market, Lucias Syme of La
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EAT MAGAZINE MAY | JUNE 2012
Quercia, JC Poirier of Campagnolo, and Justin and Lea Ault of Hapa Ikazaya. From Victoria, Chef Kunal Ghose of Redfish Bluefish, and Chef Andrew Springett of the Southern Alberta Institue of Technology (formally of the Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn and Fetch at Black Rock Resort) will also be attending as guest chefs. Look for this visiting culinary talent to take part in guest dinners at local eateries and other special events. For example, take in a beachside barbecue with Red Can Gourmet’s Chef Tim May and Lee of Edible at the Market at Pacific Sands Beach Resort or go motocross biking with Storm Surf Shop and Shelter Restaurant, with a stop for a picnic lunch and a barbecue at the end of the day. Also combine activities like a trip to the Hot Springs or fly fishing with a culinary component. All types of accommodation providers, from B&Bs to hotels are also getting in on the Feast! Tofino action. Stay and play packages that are being offered include some culinary element as well. And the festival is designed to be ending just as another great Tofino event is starting. “The whole concept for Feast! is we want it to tie into the Tofino Food and Wine Festival,” said Dixon. “It’s great for people visiting and also for guest chefs to be able to experience that as well.” Before Feast! kicks off, there is a warm-up event that is designed to give a taste of the festival. Sneak Peak into Feast is a throwback to 70s progressive dinners, where each of the five course will be offered at five different establishments involved in the festival. The transportation-provided event is set for May 13th. All in all, it’s a great time to be here, says Kirsten Soder, general manager of Tourism Tofino: “"With great accommodation and activity specials, 'Dine About' menus, dock festivals and other special events, Feast offers a chance to experience many of Tofino's world-renowned attributes before our busier summer season." —By Jen Dart For more information about Feast! Tofino and all its associated events and specials, please visit www.feastbc.com or follow them on Twitter (@FeastBC) and Facebook.
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