Black Box Winner Takes Home “2006 Rising Star” Award
9/22/2006

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The heat was on as 10 of Vancouver’s up-and-coming culinary stars vied for top honours in The Art Institute of Vancouver 11th Annual Rising Star Black Box competition on Tuesday, September 19. After four hours of grueling competition, six industry judges announced the newest recipient of the Rosenthal Rising Star Award – Paul Moran of West Restaurant & Bar.

The roster of judges at this year’s competition was a veritable “Who’s Who” list of the city’s culinary scene; Karen Barnaby, Executive Chef at The Fish House in Stanley Park; John Bishop of Bishop’s Restaurant; Ray Henry, Executive Chef at Diva at The Met; Lee Parsons, Executive Chef at Bacchus Restaurant at the Wedgewood Vancouver Hotel; Rhonda May, Editor of CityFood Magazine; and Bala Kumanan, Executive Chef at Gotham Steakhouse and Corporate Chef for Hy’s Steakhouse chain.

To win the coveted Rosenthal Rising Star Award, competitors were required to create two dishes – an appetizer and main entrée – using only the contents of a mysterious “black box” and the items available to them on a common table. Contents were revealed only at the start of the competition, and completed dishes were judged in a blind taste test. The black boxes at this year’s event contained rabbit, escalar, grain-fed veal tenderloin and duck breast (wing on).

Over 175 guests from the culinary and hospitality industries were on hand at The Art Institute of Vancouver – Dubrulle Culinary Arts campus on Granville Street to watch the competition. In addition to West Restaurant and Bar, competitors represented Diva at The Met, Globe@YVR, Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House, Heron’s Restaurant & Lounge, Showcase - The Vancouver Marriot Pinnacle; and The Boathouse Restaurant. There was also one entry, Colman Herrington from Culinaria , the student-run restaurant at The Art Institute of Vancouver – Dubrulle Culinary Arts. Herrington, who is in the first quarter of a four-quarter program, finished 4th overall.

The Art Institute of Vancouver is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with 32 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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Contacts

Cliff Jones
Director of Public Relations
The Art Institute of Vancouver,
3264 Beta Avenue, Burnaby, BC, V5G 4K4
Ph: 604.639.5117
Email: cjones@edmc.edu
www.aiv.aii.edu