Dynasty Seafood accepting the Restaurant of the Year award from the Vancouver Magazine editorial team Dee Dhaliwal, Anicka Quin, and Neal McLennan. 

Awards show celebrates first-ever Chinese Restaurant of the Year; Joël Watanabe named Chef of the Year

At yesterday’s Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards, Dynasty Seafood became the first-ever Chinese restaurant to win the coveted Restaurant of the Year title. During the 28th annual addition of the awards show, 41 gold awards were handed out, as the industry’s top talent gathered to celebrate their own.

“Though Vancouver is renowned for having the best Chinese food outside of China, there has often been a disconnect between Chinese restaurants and non-Chinese diners. Dynasty Seafood has changed all that,” said Neal McLennan, Food Editor, Vancouver Magazine. “Chef Sam Leung has bridged the gap like no other, by reaching out to non-Chinese diners without compromising the integrity of his traditional dishes. We are thrilled to celebrate Dynasty Seafood, and all the talented teams who took home Restaurant Awards this year.”

 Chef of the Year honours went to Joël Watanabe. The award recognizes the triumph of Watanabe’s refined fusion style which Vancouverites have come know, first through his modernized Chinese-French menu at Bao Bei, and now through his Japanese-Italian menu at Kissa Tanto. “Humming with clarity,” “honesty,” and “elegance,” is how the judges described Watanabe’s food. Kissa Tanto also picked up gold in the Best Pan-Asian and Best Design categories.

Fraserhood favourite, Savio Volpe, celebrated top honours in the Best New Restaurant category. This year’s show saw the addition of several new categories, including Best Brunch (Café Medina), Best Sushi (Zest), Best Vegan/Vegetarian (The Acorn), Best Bakery (Thomas Haas), and Best Pacific Northwest (Royal Dinette).

There were surprise upsets in some categories, with CinCin taking Best Italian and My Shanti winning Best Indian. Meanwhile, Hawksworth once again defended its Best Upscale Restaurant title, and Le Crocodile and Maenam repeated for Best French and Best Thai respectively. Best Latin saw La Mezcaleria and newcomer, El Santo, tie for first place. Around the province, Araxi took Best Whistler, Agrius won Best Victoria, and Waterfront Wines was named Best Okanagan.

Uva’s Sabrine Dhaliwal took home Bartender of the Year; L’Abattoir’s Lisa Haley was named Sommelier of the Year;  Pemberton’s North Arm Farm won the Producer/Supplier Award; and Sid and Joan Cross were honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. For five decades, Sid, an oenophile, and Joan, a cookbook editor, have sought out and celebrated the local culinary pioneers who have changed the way we eat and drink. Together, they’ve promoted the region’s up-and-coming city talent to chefs, winemakers, and producers throughout the world. 

Bob Lindsay, Owner, Lift Bar and Grill, Soojin Park, Lift Executive Chef, and Damon Wong, General Manager, SSP Canada

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) welcomed a new full-service restaurant, Lift Bar & Grill, in January.  Inspired by the original location in downtown Vancouver, passengers are now able to enjoy Lift’s well-known selection of seasonal cuisine with a focus on local seafood offerings. 

Centrally located in the international terminal, the restaurant is wrapped around the airport’s iconic aquarium (with more than 850 indigenous sea animals), and is designed to draw on a coastal waters theme.  This is evident in both the interior detailing with tones of warm oak, steel blue and charcoal greys as well as the menu, featuring Oceanwise certified seafood. 

Scott Norris, Vice President, Commercial Development, Vancouver Airport Authority said, “YVR provides the first and last impression of British Columbia, so we are delighted to welcome Lift Bar & Grill to bring our passengers a unique West Coast dining experience.”

In partnership with YVR, Elettra invited food media, bloggers and influencers to the launch event, where they were treated to Lift Executive Chef Soojin Park’s incredible tasting menu.  Before becoming a chef, Soojin studied Inorganic Chemistry, which now fuels her passion for molecular gastronomy and understanding of food composition.

Soojin’s beautifully plated bite-sized portions were well received by attending media, served with New Zealand wine from the Marlborough Sounds region.

Lift’s location post-security means that travelers can take advantage of YVR Food on the Fly – any YVR restaurant provides fresh food and snacks packaged especially for your flight in a travel-friendly bag.

Be sure to check out Lift next time you’re flying internationally through YVR.

Our intern, Sara, played an integral role in organizing the ever-popular Chefs’ Showcase at this year’s Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. Here she shares her takeaways on making it a success:

On April 13th, we helped Vancouver Magazine celebrate its 27th Annual Restaurant Awards. Hosts Gloria Macarenko and Stephan Quinn from CBC handed out nearly 50 awards ranging from Restaurant of the Year to Best Food Truck. A panel of 18 judges spent the past year preparing for this event, tasting more than 2,000 dishes all over Vancouver and BC, narrowing their list down to 150 restaurants in 48 categories.

Elettra Communications (and its principals) has been the producer behind the event for 14 years. Their work includes everything from organizing the event set up (alongside the Sheraton Wall Centre, the host venue), to getting key influencers within the community to participate.

The Chefs’ Showcase is an opportunity for all nominated restaurants to share their work with their peers and local influencers. During the first couple weeks of my internship at Elettra, I had the responsibility of planning and executing the Chefs’ Showcase. Before my internship at Elettra, I had never planned an event. I had help organized events but I had never executed one from start to finish.  Looking back at the event, there are a couple tips that everyone planning an event, either big or small, needs to know that make your job easier:

1. Details are huge

People say that the details really make an event. Once the big things are booked, the details have to be taken care of. This could be everything from double-checking that the sponsors have everything they need, to making sure the flower arrangements are exactly how the client envisioned them. Having the details thought out before the event ensures you deliver exactly what the client wanted and frees you from worrying about any unexpected hiccups.

Before I called a restaurant to ask them to participate, I found out a little bit about the restaurant. The simple things such as who their Chef and General Manager is and how long they have been open. Just having a quick browse around their website before calling helps to get a feel for the restaurant and how best to approach them.

2. Organization is key

You may have a vision as to what the event should look like, but without having a plan, it makes the vision hard to accomplish.  Being able to put together a plan of what the event will look like will make it easier to connect with different vendors and have contract and contact available to you. Having this information will make the weeks running up to the event is less chaotic, and if there are any issues, the information is right there to access.  

Starting with just an Excel spreadsheet listing the restaurants who were nominated, I had to craft a system to keep participating restaurants and their information organized. If I received an email or a phone call from a nominated restaurant, I would have to input it right away otherwise I knew it would just get lost or forgotten about. Having this information printed out made the registration of the showcase go more smoothly.

3. Be a problem solver

Things will never go exactly as you planned. If something comes up, being flexible will help you think on your feet and solve problems in a creative way.

With 36 different chefs (and restaurants) with over 46 dishes there will always be some issues. Despite requesting otherwise,  of the dishes arrived on site the same time which made matching up the dish with its label challenging. Having critical information printed out before hand allowed me to match the dishes to the information. If something didn’t match up properly, I got creative and figured out ways to match the dish to the restaurant.

A big thank-you to all of the participants in the 2016 Chefs’ Showcase at the Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards. You can check out all of the winners here. From having seen their work up close, I highly recommend you pay them a visit. 

A celebratory event is a great way to show your employees how much you value them.  It’s also an investment in engagement and culture building, so it makes sense to spend your resources (including time and budget) wisely by making thoughtful event planning decisions.

Elettra recently worked with the Vancouver Airport Authority to produce just such an event. The first annual YVR Stars celebration was a cocktail party and awards show to honour the airport workers and volunteers who go above and beyond for customers. The event was a great success and inspired us to offer insight into how smart decision-making can lead to a top-notch corporate event. Here are four tips to take your appreciation event from ho-hum to stellar:

1)   Let your guests be your guide.

Start your event planning by mapping out everything you know about your guests. From this, create a guest profile to guide the planning process. Check your all decision against that profile. This includes everything from your venue location (is it convenient and easy for your guests to get to?), to the food and beverages you’ll serve (have you considered a variety of dietary needs?).

At YVR Stars, the nature our guest list – which included shift workers, 9-5 office workers, and volunteers – shaped the event. We chose a time that made sense for all workers and ensured it was drop-in style so that shift workers could stop by on a break. We even created plan for getting the invitation to guests who don’t work at a desk and therefore might not be able to receive an invitation via company email.

2)   Set the mood.

Have you ever been to an event that was billed as a celebration, but somehow just felt flat? Well, the truth is, mood doesn’t create itself.

Oftentimes lighting gets overlooked or even cut out entirely due to budget, but it really is critical for setting the tone. House lighting will never deliver on a party atmosphere, but proper lighting design adds drama, sparkle, and even the opportunity to brand the event through use of coloured lighting.

You might not think about the connection between food and mood, but have you ever been standing at an event for 30 minutes before a server finally appears with a tray, but then can’t even make it ten steps from back-of-house before his/her tray is empty? A hungry guest is one that doesn’t feel valued. When planning an occasion, collaboration with your caterer doesn’t stop at selecting a menu. Work with them to ensure that the food is tasty (you can even ask to do an advanced tasting), plentiful, and ready to go the moment your first guest walks through the door.

Of course setting the mood doesn’t stop there.  Décor and entertainment are also important. Don’t just hire a DJ, actually work with her/him to develop a playlist that suits your guest profile. For YVR Stars we injected some fun with a Tap Snap photo booth. Décor-wise, you can see from the photos what some colour can do.

3)   Say it out loud.

Though treating your guests to food and drink is a great start, showing your appreciation is about saying it out loud. In the case of YVR Stars we accomplished this through an awards show presentation. The program provided an opportunity to share and celebrate the stories of workers who went to great lengths in the name of customer care. This was backed up with a thoughtful gift in recognition of their efforts. We also spread the love around the room, incorporating reflections on everyone’s efforts and gave away many stellar door prizes that were a fit for our guest profile.

4)   Bring in the experts.

Creating a successful event is not about ticking off a to-do list. It takes strategic vision, technical know-how, strong supplier relationships, and, most importantly, time. If your company could benefit from this assistance, then it’s a good idea to call in an expert. Look for an experienced event planner, someone who views challenges as an opportunity for creativity. A good planner will act as your partner, providing smart counsel and making sure every last detail is considered. Together you’ll make event magic happen.

Elettra Communications has a combined 35 years' experience creating successful events of all shapes and sizes. We've done it all, from award shows and galas, to fashion shows, launches, and corporate celebrations. Our services include:

• Event feasibility studies and budgeting
• Venue selection
• Event planning and execution
• Collateral production
• Show scripting and direction
• Entertainment programming

Contact us for a complimentary one-hour brainstorming session at info@elettra.ca.

Volunteer Opportunity – Event Coordination

Event:         Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards

Date/Time:  Wednesday, April 13 10:30am – 6pm (required)                             

Elettra Communications is looking for student volunteers to assist with Vancouver’s premier restaurant industry event. This opportunity will appeal to students who have an interest in public relations, publishing, marketing, or event management.

Now in its 27th year, the Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards event is the biggest of its kind in North America. Nineteen of the city’s top food critics form the judging panel and vote on the best dining experience in more than 40 categories. The event includes a reception and awards show. The annual extravaganza welcomes more than 900 restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, suppliers, and food and wine critics.

Elettra Communications is the producer of Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards. Elettra is a public relations firm that specializes in event management, media relations, and marketing communications. www.elettra.ca

Duties:

Volunteers will assist with a range of activities including:

·       Event set up

·       Guest check-in

·       Awards presenting/backstage coordination

·       Coat check

·       Event wrap-up

Benefit to you:

·       Event coordination experience

·       Exposure to the behind-the-scenes workings of a large event

·       Opportunity to build contacts in the PR, marketing, and publishing industries

·       Lunch will be provided

How to apply:

If you would like to volunteer for this opportunity, please contact leanne@elettra.ca

In your email please provide a brief introduction of yourself, and include a description of your current course of study, why you are interested in this position, and your contact information.

Part of the excitement of working in PR is all the different types of events we plan. For example, last Thursday we helped BCAA show their valued Members how rewarding membership can be – by giving away free ice cream! We set up a team at the Marble Slab in Langley to surprise and delight BCAA Members with fresh, made-in-house ice cream. All members had to do was show their BCAA card and enjoy. Customers also had the opportunity to take photos with props at our photo wall and listen to QMFM live on location.

If you are a BCAA Member, check out where you can save at over 100,000 partner locations worldwide including hotels, shoes, travel insurance, and more. See at bcaa.com/savings for more details.

Check out these pictures from the event:

Opening day is here for this summer’s YVR Take-Off Fridays. Every Friday from today until August 28, the terminal will come alive with music, entertainment and family-friendly activities.

We stopped by to check things out, and we weren’t disappointed. Today’s event had a DJ, live musicians, caricaturists, balloon artists, mascots, face painting and more. You can enjoy these activities between 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Each Friday there will be delicious food samples and great deals from airport shops and restaurants. On select days there will be on-site activities with The Vancouver Aquarium, Science World, and the Vancouver Canadians.

For the aviation buffs, in the Public Observation Area there are interactive displays, quizzes, and behind the scenes videos. Tours are also available to learn about YVR’s history, art, and operations.

We’ll be back soon and hope to see you there too!

Here’s what you need to know:

WHEN:               Every Friday from July 3 to August 28,             9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

WHERE:             Vancouver International Airport, Domestic and International Terminals, Departures – Level 3

COST:                 Free event. Reduced parking rate available for $5 for up to four hours. Parking vouchers available at the Customer Information Counter, International Terminal, Level 3

ONLINE:            Website: www.yvr.ca | Twitter: @yvrairport | Facebook: Vancouver International Airport

#YVRTakeOffFridays

Earlier this week, Pacific Centre officially open its new retail expansion. New shops include Ted Baker, Kate Spade, TUMI, Weekend MaxMara, Hugo BOSS, and Vancouver's first AllSaints. More retailers will be opening later this summer and into the fall.

To celebrate the opening, Pacific Centre charged Elettra Communications with planning and executing an outdoor fashion event on Granville Street. Thirty stunning models walked our open-air catwalk and 300 ft red carpet, showing gorgeous looks from Pacific Centre's newest shops.

Here are some pics of Elettra's event set up and the fashion show. Enjoy!

One of the most common pieces of advice I received at the start of my career in public relations was to read - A LOT. Pick up everything and anything and pay attention to tone and voice. Then, continually practice your own writing. With this advice in mind, I picked up Margaret Trudeau’s new book - The Time of Your Life: Choosing a vibrant, joyful future. She will be in Vancouver May 21st to speak at The Kettle Society’sMaking a Difference Luncheon and I thought I would try to better understand her in advance of the event.

Given the intended audience of the book is women over 50, and I am in my early twenties, I was surprised how often I could relate to Trudeau’s words. The following are three of my favourite ideas from the book: 

1) “The cognitive unconscious cannot tell the difference between a physical threat and a threat to the ego.” Ever notice that whether we are hurt physically or mentally we exhibit the same symptoms? We become short of breath, our heart rate elevates, and we become nauseated. Next time your ego is taking a hit, try and keep your rational brain in control by remembering how your brain is deciphering this ‘threat.’

2) “Leave aging gracefully to out grandmothers, it’s time to age proactively.” What we do in our young lives affects how we feel as we age. Exercise and nutrition can be used as a preventative practice for disease and injury. Eating right and exercising regularly when you are young is an investment in your body and will help you dramatically as you age.

3) “The term mental health has become synonymous not with health, but with illness.” There is a great deal of sigma that surrounds the issue of brain health. People fear being labeled as mentally ill and this fear often hinders them from seeking help. The fear and stigma can create a bigger barrier to a satisfying life than the illness itself, in many cases. Trudeau will cover this and more mind opening matters during her keynote speech at Kettle’s Making a Difference Luncheon.

After reading Trudeau’s book, I am excited to listen to her speech on May 21st. Want a little inspiration in your life? Join us at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver for insight into Trudeau’s struggle with overcoming a mental illness. Then after the event, have a copy of her latest book signed to take home and enjoy.

For tickets to Kettle’s Making a Difference Luncheon visit: http://www.thekettle.ca/2015-making-a-difference-luncheon/

Well, the results are in and we are closing the books on another year of organizing Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards. By now people have likely heard that Ask for Luigi was the event’s big winner with four awards, Hawskworth won Best Upscale, Vikram Vij won Chef of the Year, and Tojo’s and Zest tied (yes tied!) for best Upscale Japanese. This year marked the 13th year that I have organized the event. Vancouver magazine is my longest running client and, my two lovely children aside, this event is my proverbial baby. Every year people tell me it was the ‘best ever’ and I wonder how we are going to make it better still.

I have to say that our team does an awesome job of organizing this event and we are focused on nailing every last detail. But what made Tuesday’s event so memorable were the emotional moments on stage that demonstrate the passion that those in the restaurant industry have for what they do.

We saw Premier Crew award winner Rose Nguyen give an impactful speech saying that it was the “great moment of her life”. We heard the son of the Amay’s House’s owners praising his parents for coming to Canada with $20 and building a successful business. We saw Vikram Vij get overwhelmed as he thanked his grandfather for getting him started in his career. And we were even treated to a spontaneous singing of Happy Birthday by our entire crowd to Bartender of the Year winner, Lauren Mote.

event production, PR, vancouver, PR agency, pr company

These are the moments that we can't control, but that we aim for as we plan the event. We pore over the results as soon as they come in from the accountant, agonizing about which awards we are going to present on stage. We ask ourselves which categories saw exciting movement from the previous year. Who will likely be most surprised? Who hasn’t had a chance to shine on stage in recent years?

It’s hard to say exactly what makes one event more successful than another, but moving beyond the tactical details and trying to connect with guests on an emotional level is key.

I would like to thank everyone whose talents contributed to an amazing event. The entire team at Van mag. Mark Philps for his stellar videos (here, here, and here). CBC’s Gloria Macarenko and Stephen Quinn who nailed the tone of the event perfectly. Our amazing host venue, the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre. And the guys at PSAV who pulled an all-nighter to set up the event. And last, but not least, the fabulous women that I work with at Elettra. You rock.

Event: Vancouver magazine Restaurant Awards Date/Time:  Tuesday, April 21st 10:30am – 6pm

Elettra Communications is looking for student volunteers to assist with Vancouver’s premier restaurant industry event. This opportunity will appeal to students who have an interest in public relations, publishing, marketing, or event management.

Now in its 26th year, the Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards event is the biggest of its kind in North America. Twenty of the city’s top food critics form the judging panel and vote on the best dining experience in more than 40 categories. The event includes a reception and awards show. The annual extravaganza welcomes more than 900 restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, suppliers, and food and wine critics.

Elettra Communications is the producer of Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards. Elettra is a public relations firm that specializes in event management, media relations, and marketing consulting. www.elettra.ca

Duties:

Volunteers will assist with a range of activities including:

• Event set up
• Guest check-in
• Awards presenting/backstage coordination
• Coat check
• Event wrap-up 

 Benefit to you:

• Event coordination experience.
• Exposure to the behind-the-scenes workings of a large event.
• Opportunity to build contacts in the PR, marketing, and publishing industries.
• Lunch will be provided.

How to apply:

If you would like to volunteer for this opportunity, please contact leanne@elettra.ca

In your email please provide a brief introduction of yourself, and include a description of your current course of study, why you are interested in this position, and your contact information.

Spring Advertising hosted their annual Boink Day today to raise funds for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and people were eager to jump into action.

The Spring Advertising team was there showing off their pogo stick skills and encouraging people to join them in boinking for a good cause.

Despite the typical Rain-couver weather, passersby were happy to join in or donate to help the Food Bank.The team provided music, tips, and of course, pogo sticks to anyone interested in hopping on.

For every boink, Spring donates $0.10 to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and for those skilled enough to boink long enough, Spring offered treats from Happy Planet and Fatburger.

Included in the great turnout from today were visitors from Vancity Buzz and Breakfast Television. Check out what Vancity Buzz had to say about the event or watch our friends from Breakfast Television give boinking a try!

If you missed out on the boinking festivities today, it isn’t too late to help out. Visit the Boink Day website to donate.

pr, public relations, spring, boink day, Elettra, company, firm, media, vancouver

This Friday, March 20, Spring Advertising will be celebrating the first day of spring with their annual Boink Day, a public pogo stick challenge to raise funds for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society. They will be set up outside the Vancouver Art Gallery along Georgia Street, rain or shine, with their pogo sticks at the ready. Come down and challenge the team or boink on your own. For each pogo stick “boink”, Spring Advertising will donate $0.10 to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Every $1 that gets donated allows the Food Bank to buy $3 worth of nutritious fresh fruit, vegetables, canned goods, and eggs.

Feel free to bring your own pogo stick or use one on-site to celebrate the beginning of spring while helping a good cause. If boinking isn’t for you, you can bring a cash or non-perishable food donation down to the Art Gallery to show your support.

When: Friday March 20, 8:00am – 6:00pm

Where: Vancouver Art Gallery on the Georgia Street side

How much: Free of charge. All donations will come from Spring Advertising and are based on boinks.

Rain or shine, we hope to see you there!