tofino-ucluelet culinary guild and tourism tofino unveil details of first annual "feast tofino-ucluelet" culinary celebration in partnership with eat magazine and global bc Slated for may 2011

March 8, 2011

Event Series Features Acclaimed Chefs Showcasing West Coast Vancouver Island's Sustainable Seafood

TOFINO, BC and UCLUELET, BC--(Marketwire - March 8, 2011) - The Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild (TUCG) www.tucg.ca and Tourism Tofino www.tourismtofino.com today unveiled the details of "Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet" (www.FeastBC.com) -- a month-long series of culinary events to be held in the West Coast Vancouver Island communities of Tofino and Ucluelet in partnership with EAT magazine and Global BC beginning on May 8, 2011.  

A collaboration between local chefs and restaurants, fishermen, foragers and farmers, accommodation, activity and tour providers, Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet celebrates the abundance of locally available seafood and the sustainable "boat-to-table" practices commonly employed by the area's restaurants and the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild.

Working with local chefs and making special appearances throughout Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet will be distinguished visiting chefs, including:

• Angus An - Owner and Chef at Vancouver's celebrated Maenam Restaurant
• Rob Feenie - Canada's only "Iron Chef," author of 3 cookbooks and star of "New Classics with Rob Feenie" on Food Network Canada
• Brad Holmes - Owner and Chef at acclaimed ulla Restaurant in Victoria, BC
• Bob Izumi - Host of Global television's "The Real Fishing Show," author of Real Cooking with Bob Izumi
• Rick Moonen - Sustainable fishing and seafood advocate, educator, Owner-Chef of 'Rick Moonen's rm seafood' at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, named Seafood Choices Alliances 2006 "Seafood Champion," Monterey Bay Aquarium's 2011 "Chef of the Year" and author of Fish Without a Doubt: The Cook's Essential Companion
• Hayato Okamitsu - Crowned "Canada's Best Chef" in the 2009 "Gold Medal Plates" competition, Executive Chef at Calgary's celebrated Catch Restaurant
• JC Poirier - Chef de Cuisine at Vancouver's popular Campagnolo restaurant
• Nico Schuermans - Co-owner and Chef at Vancouver's popular Chambar Belgian Restaurant
• Peter Zambri - Owner and Executive Chef of multi-award winning and acclaimed Zambri's Restaurant, voted "Best Victoria Chef"

Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet event highlights include:

• Feast! kick-off with local chefs at TUCG fundraiser event May 8 (location TBD)
• Salmon Week: May 9-14 with free "On the Dock Salmon Festival" May 14
• Crab Week: May 15-21 with free "On the Dock Crab Festival" May 21
• Spot Prawn Week: May 22-28 with free "On the Dock Spot Prawn Festival" May 28
• Numerous restaurant events featuring local and guest chefs preparing a diverse array of seafood dishes
• Multi-course, set-price menus for $29, $39 and $49 and special pricing for children age 12 and under
• Educational "on the water" tours and sustainable seafood processing and preparation demonstrations
• Special "Stay, Dine & Play" packages from participating accommodation providers, restaurants, activity and tour operators

"The Tofino and Ucluelet restaurant scene is rich with "boat-to-table" sustainability combined with vibrant culinary talent," said Jay Gildenhuys of the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild. "We are very excited to launch the Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet series of events and look forward to celebrating our unique culinary culture with local residents and guests from around the world."

"Our community is looking forward to welcoming visitors to the area during the Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet series of events," said Charles McDiarmid, managing director of Tofino's Wickaninnish Inn. "May is an ideal time to come to the West Coast and our accommodations, restaurants and activities offer something for everyone, all at a great value to first-time and return guests alike."

The first annual Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet celebration culminates with the 9thth Annual Tofino Food and Wine Festival June 3-5, 2011 www.tofinofoodandwinefestival.com. 

For a complete list of Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet accommodation and activity specials and a calendar of events and activities please visit www.FeastBC.com.

About the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild (TUCG) www.tucg.ca
As members of a dynamic culinary community, the TUCG's mission is to work closely with each other and the region's farmers, fishermen and foragers to provide unique food experiences that rely on sustainable farm/boat-to-table practices and the freshest local ingredients prepared with integrity and passion.

About Tourism Tofino www.tourismtofino.com
Tourism Tofino is a destination marketing organization (DMO) promoting Tofino's extensive destination attributes, local events and hospitality industry businesses. Tourism Tofino also partners with other tourism organizations to create awareness of regional tourism initiatives for visitors worldwide.

About Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet Media Partners
Since 1999, EAT Magazine http://www.eatmagazine.ca provides a celebration of all that is best about food and wine in British Columbia. Published bimonthly, EAT is a comprehensive food, wine and associated good living resource for restaurant reviews, recipes from award-winning chefs, wine recommendations, local travel tips, cook's toys and tools, books and more.

The Global Television network http://shawmedia.ca/brands/conventional/global.asp broadcasts via 11 television stations, reaching 98.9% of English-speaking Canada. Global consistently scores many of the Top 10 programs in Canada, with major ratings hits such as House, the reality-series Survivor, NCIS:LA and Glee. Global National, the network's early- evening newscast garners almost a million viewers every weekday. Global also has successful local news programs in every market and is the dominant local news organization in British Columbia.

Event Contacts
Trish Dixon
Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet Coordinator
e: Email Contact
p: 250-266-8338

Media Contact
Lynda Kaye
Kaye Public Relations for Tourism Tofino and TUCG
e: Email Contact
p: 250-725-2035