The Vancouver International Wine Festival‘s featured lunch event, PICA Kitchen Party, took place this past weekend. Attendees took a wine and food journey through the kitchens of the Pacific Culinary Institute, featuring international wines matched with a small bite prepared by some of Vancouver’s top chefs, members of Chefs’ Table Society of BC. Each kitchen highlighted a wine-and-food pairing from a different region, with the chef and winery principal sharing insights on what makes this pairing perfect. Here’s a look at some of the delicious wine and food pairings for the event.
Disclosure: I attended the event as media.
A selection of cheeses
Station #1
Heritage Asian Eatery (Chef Felix Zhou) presented Geoduck Two Ways featuring Canadian Geoduck (raw and smoked) with crispy furakake rice and scallion sauce. Wine pairing was Sileni Estates Straits Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016.
Station #2
La Mezcaleria (Chef Mariana Gabilondo) presented Cocoa Butter Pork Belly with black cherry mole and fresh blue corn tortilla. Wine pairing was Alpha Box & Dice Rebel Rebel Montepulciano 2015.
Station #3
Fable Restaurant (Chef Trevor Bird) presented Lamb Agnoletti paired with Michael David Winery Petite Petit 2015.
Station #4
Chef Julian Bond of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts presented Side Stripe Shrimp with roasted rhubarb and fennel salad. This was paired with J Vineyards & Winery Sonoma County Cuvée 20 NV.
Station #5
Yuwa Japanese Cuisine (Chef Masahiro Omori) presented an Aburi WIld Sockey Salmon Sushi paired with Famille JM Cazes L’Ostal Cazes Rosé 2016.
Station #6
España (Chef Neil Taylor) presented Bandada (warm salted cod and potato puree served with salmon caviar, grilled sourdough, piquillo pepper and red onion salad). This was paired with Charles Smith Wines Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2015.
Station #7
Tableau Bar Bistro (Chef Tret Jordan) presented Smoked Eel with duck liver, leeks, potato, and green apple. The wine pairing was La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2016.
Station #8
Rabbit’s Foot Culinary (Chef Tobias Grignon) presented a Boudin Noir (rich chicken broth, shallot puree, chicken skin cracker, and herb salad). The wine pairing was Vins Jean-Luc Colombo Côtes du Rhône Les Abeilles Blanc 2016.
