Top Table News: Autumn 2010

Posted on November 3, 2010

November 3rd, 2010

Notes of Autumn

Of Mushrooms, An Arts Award, Henderson’s Return to Araxi, ?
Holiday Reminders and Autumn Special Events

TRUFFLE FESTIVAL at CinCin

For the month of November, CinCin’s annual Mushroom and Truffle Festival ‘FESTA DI FUNGHI‘ spotlights the season’s earthy harvest, with plates starring local bluefoot and golden chanterelles, shimiji, king oyster, lobster, cauliflower and maitake mushrooms. Simple preparations redolent of the forest conceived and prepared by Chef de Cuisine Todd Howard will be expertly matched with wine pairings by Wine Director Sarah McCauley.

Another highlight of the Festival are the offerings of hand-selected black Burgundian truffles and white Alba truffles. Guests will be encouraged to indulge in a shaving of the prized truffles on dishes such as ‘risotto bianco’ and ‘pizzette di genzano’. Full menu

THE MAYOR’S ARTS AWARD FOR FRANK PABST

Earlier this year, Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar’s executive chef Frank Pabst was honoured with Vancouver magazine’s ‘Chef of the Year’ award, while the restaurant won ‘Restaurant of the Year’ and ‘Best Seafood’. On the heels of this trifecta, chef Pabst will soon be further honoured with the City of Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award.

The third annual awards will be held on Wednesday, November 24th and will recognize 10 disciplines, including the literary, performing, visual and culinary arts. The recipients’ “talents, efforts and accomplishments in a wide array of disciplines define the city’s dynamic creative sector.”

NEIL HENDERSON RETURNS TO ARAXI

Neil Henderson, who originally joined Araxi in 1992, and who has held positions of increasing responsibility there, has spent the last several years as Projects Director for Top Table Group. That role saw Neil managing our Olympics programming, as well as the publication of our three cookbooks.

We’re delighted to announce that Neil will be returning to Araxi full time, effective immediately, to resume the position of Restaurant Director. Of his move back to Araxi, he says, “Araxi has represented several milestones both in my career and personally. I couldn’t be happier to be back working alongside Chef James Walt and his talented kitchen brigade, as well as our team of dedicated service professionals.”

HOLIDAY REMINDERS

Seasonal Lunch – Along with West, which is open for lunch Monday through Saturday, CinCin (Dec 1st – 23rd) and Blue Water Cafe (Dec 8th – 23rd) will be open for lunch Monday through Friday during the holiday season.

Group Bookings – For both lunch and dinner, our restaurants can accommodate groups of all sizes with privacy assured. With a variety of group menu options from budget to luxe and expert wine consultations, your event will be tailor-made to suit your party’s needs.

Gifts – For anyone on your holiday shopping list, GIFT CERTIFICATES and our three award-winning COOKBOOKS are available to order online and delivered directly to you or the gift recipient.

UPCOMING EVENTS

We are excited to be involved in these upcoming events. Click on the links for further details, or visit our online event calendar.

All November
Festa di Funghi
Annual Mushroom + Truffle Festival
CinCin

Nov. 8th-20th
Dine Italia
CinCin

Nov. 12th
Big Guns Winemakers’ Dinner
Cornucopia, Whistler
Araxi

Nov. 13th
Chef’s Table Luncheon
Cornucopia, Whistler sold out
West, David Gunawan

Nov. 13th
Bubbles + Oceans Afterparty
Cornucopia, Whistler
Araxi

Nov. 23rd
Edible BC Market Dinner
Granville Island sold out
Araxi, James Walt

Nov. 24th
Mayor’s Arts Awards Presentation
BWC, Frank Pabst

Dec. 31st
New Year’s Eve Celebrations
details soon to be announced
All

Top Table is one of the most highly respected hospitality groups in Canada, encompassing four leading restaurants in Vancouver and Whistler: Araxi, CinCin, Blue Water Cafe and West, as well as the highly anticipated atelier, ‘thierry’ (early 2011). Continuing to evolve in the pursuit of excellence, each venue has received significant critical acclaim, both locally and internationally.

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