This weekend, Friday, August 21st-Sunday, August 23rd, the Wild Salmon Celebration enters it's fourth year of celebrating wild BC salmon. While the Hospitality Industry has faced a lot the last few months due to COVID-19 and the Chefs' Table Society (CTS) has had to cancel other events (including the annual Spot Prawn Festival and CTS fundraiser), this event is one we're so excited to bring BC with it's new format thanks to the BC Salmon Marketing Council.
While we normally are only able to reach 200 guests at a one-night event in Vancouver, this year you can and are encouraged to celebrate this iconic BC product in your home and community! BC Wild Salmon is for everyone and we're thrilled to have offerings that will showcase how flexible this delicious and healthy choice product is!
A small overview of the chefs, restaurants and menu items you can try this weekend. Please note that safety protocols are in place and the dishes are priced independently at each restaurant.
If you're in Vancouver and looking for a truly West Coast casual experience head to Popina on Granville Island (1691 Johnston St). You can enjoy the outside atmosphere, soak up the sun and the flavours of BC Wild Salmon Fish & Chips. The chefs behind Popina: Angus An, Robert Belcham & Hamid Saliman are a powerhouse team!
Angus released a book, Maenam, early in August that we can't wait to get our hands on! Robert has been having hard but necessary discussions surrounding the industry on the Mise-En-Place Podcast and Hamid is educating the next generation while working with his partner Jen on The Nextjen Gluten-Free. This team has also JUST opened Popina Cantina just steps from Popina but inside, so head to Granville Island hungry whether by bus, boat, bike or feet!
If you're looking for something with a more traditional upscale setting (and inside!), we're thrilled to have the team at Hawksworth Restaurant (located inside the Hotel Georgia at 801 W Georgia St, Vancouver): Sylvain Assie & David Hawksworth as part of the celebration this year.
They'll be serving Skeena River Wild Sockeye Salmon with roasted fig, fennel, spinach, and meurette sauce. This dish emulates the rest of the Hawksworth menu full of contemporary cuisine with classic skills creating a modern and local dish that's full of flavour and personality.
One of the fantastic perks of this format for us has been able to connect with chef members across the province more readily. Which means if you're in the Interior or visiting this weekend you can still participate in celebrating!
Long time member and supporter Ned Bell has created a dish with his culinary team member Stacy Johnston at the Naramata Inn (3625 1 St, Naramata). Both Ned and Stacy have worked with Ocean Wise in the past and are advocates of sustainability in the food industry.
The dish at the Naramata Inn you can try soon is: Wild BC Salmon, Medley Organics Potatoes, Unearthed Farms Vegetables, Herb Emulsion. A super fresh and hyper-local dish that will have your taste buds dancing! And if you need a place to stay-- you won't have far to go for a great night's sleep!
If you're situated in Kelowna, you have a ton of options always for amazing dining and wine options, but if you haven't been head to O'Rourke's Peak Cellars (2290 Goldie Rd, Lake Country) for Chef B's trio of BC Wild Salmon creation. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Bernard Casavant's dish allows you to see and taste how small changes in preparation impact a single product.
Chef B's Wild Salmon Trio: Apple Wood Smoked Fillet; Lovage Scented Tartare, Caviar Crown; Salmon Skin Chip; Potted Salmon, Garden Bistro Beetroot Risotto, What The Fungus Wild Mushroom Cream, Herb Essence.
It wouldn't a winery dinner without a fantastic suggested Pairing: Peak Cellars Pinot Noir. Cheers!
Back in Vancouver, one of the hardest working and helpful member chefs Welbert Choi's Wild Salmon Celebration dish is unique in so many ways. Head to Forage (1300 Robson St, Vancouver) in the West End and you will not regret your decision!
Are you ready for it?
Welbert's dish is chocked full of flavours and textures: bull kelp cured sockeye salmon on 'bannock bagel', lemon verbena neufchatel cheese, ikura, salted duck yolk, pickled ox eye daisy capers.
This is surely a memorable dish so head over within your bubble and enjoy!
And finally (for this post anyway ;)) if you're getting away to the mountains you can indulge your taste buds at the Fairmon Chateau Whistler (4599 Chateau Blvd, Whistler) thanks to the chef team: Isabel Chung & Derek Bendig. Isabel is also a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier and Derek who joined the team in 2017 and loves fishing in his off-time knows good fish!
Photographer: Julie Zoney
Their Confit wild Haida Gwaii coho, Sweet corn, fennel and chanterelle mushroom ‘chowder’ with Mushroom dusted Gaufrette potatoes is sure to elevate your Whistler experience.
If you feel safer staying in there are some amazing recipes on the BC Salmon Marketing Council web page we encourage you to try out to get in on the celebration. Recipes.
Supporting BC Wild Salmon supports the BC economy and is a sustainable food option--there are lots of fishermen around the province you can connect with and it's a product that is versatile and easy to cook!
Big shout out to Organic Ocean Seafood and Aero Trading Co. Ltd for providing the salmon. These dishes will all be created with Skeena River Sockeye or Haida Gwaii Coho.