VANCOUVER — DiRoNA Awards were presented to 21 leading British Colombia restaurants at the 23rd Gala Dinner of the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) held recently at Vancouver’s Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel.
Themed ‘Celebrating the Art of Culinary Excellence’ the gala highlighted a four-day annual reunion, featuring epicurean dining and wine experiences created by some 15 Vancouver, Whistler and Kelowna restaurants.
The new DiRoNA award-winning B.C.-based restaurants are:
Araxi, Vancouver
Bacchus Restaurant, the Wedgewood Hotel, Vancouver
Bearfoot Bistro Whistler, Whistler
Bishop’s, Vancouver
Blue Water Café, Vancouver
Chambar, Vancouver
CinCin, Vancouver
Hastings House Country House Hotel, Salt Spring Island
Hawksworth, Vancouver
JJ’s Restaurant, Vancouver Community College, Vancouver
Kirin, Vancouver
La Quercia, Vancouver
Lupo Restaurant, Vancouver
Vinoteca, Vancouver
Maenam, Kitsilano, Vancouver
Miradoro Restaurant, Tinhorn Creek, Oliver
Sooke Harbour House, Sooke
Terrace Restaurant, Mission Hill Family Estate, West Kelowna, Okanagan Valley
Thomas Haas Fine Chocolate and Patisserie, Kitsilano, Vancouver
Tojo’s, Vancouver
Vij’s, Vancouver
West, Vancouver
“This year we welcome a range of new honorees, restaurants that feature many different cuisines and approaches, [and] that have one important feature in common: a commitment to excellence,” said Pino Posteraro, conference chairman and owner of Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill. For example, JJ’s Restaurant at Vancouver Community College (VCC) was recognized for its quality of food, wine and service as well as the role the institution plays in supporting Canadian Culinary Federation culinary teams preparing to represent Canada in international competitions.
Each course at the event’s lunch and dinner meals was prepared by one of seven restaurants and paired with B.C. wines produced by Mission Hill Winery. Participating chefs and restaurants were: Tojo (Tojo’s); Melisssa Craig (Bearfoot Bistro); John Bishop (Bishop’s); Angus An (Maenam); Marcel Kauer (Hasting House); Mathew Batey (Terrace at Mission Hill Family Esrare); and Thomas Haas (Thomas Haas).
“There is no word, or group of words, that you can say that reach the heights of the program this evening and through this event since Sunday,” John Arena, DiRoNA founder and conference vice-chair, told the participants. “This event has piled excellence upon excellence in food, in wine and in hospitality. We have enjoyed many hours of greatness, not only in what we consumed but in our minds and spirits.”
