For me, it’s always about pairing some great food along with great drinks. I’m always on the look out for a great bottle of wine, a new cocktail to make or a beer that’s just right for my meal. And who better to pair the best food with the best wine than the Vancouver International Wine Festival and the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.
The event ran during the festival and featured students and chefs from PICA, Chef Meeru Dhalwala (Vij’s), Chef Brian Luptak (Acorn), Chef Stewart Boyles (Culinary Capers), Chef Alessandro Vianello (Wildebeest), Chef Scott Jaeger (Peartree), Chef Ricardo Valverde (Ancora), Chef Sean Cousins (Vancouver Club) and Chef Stefan Hartmann (Bauhaus). These talented chefs put together their best bite sized treats that paired with a particular wine.
This is a great time to explore the PICA school and it’s kitchens, as it’s all open to the attendees. In every kitchen, you’ll find chefs cooking and plating the dishes while the wine experts pour the wine and talk a bit about it’s flavour profile.
The event sold out and was pretty packed – so if you’re planning to go next year, get there early!
It’s always fun to watch what happens in the kitchen, the plating process and the hustle that goes into creating a great dish. This event is one best attended with a friend, so that you can travel though each kitchen together.
It was announced during the event that PICA is celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this year and they will be celebrating with a special 3 course menu for only $20. I’m excited to try this out!
For more information on the Vancouver International Wine Festival, check out the website here: http://vanwinefest.ca/
For more information on the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, check out their website here: https://www.picachef.com
Disclosure: Please note I was invited to this event as a media guest.
