More names for B.C. Hall of Fame

VANCOUVER—Eleven restaurant and foodservice industry names will be added to the British Columbia Restaurant Hall of Fame, as the organizers have done away with the formal sit down dinner.

Comedian Sinbad headlines the induction ceremony on September 27 at the River Rock Casino Resort.

“The quality (of inductees) is unparalleled and it continues to be an elite group year after year,” said Sharron Tulk, director of marketing with the British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association.

Warren Erhart, president and CEO of White Spot, Richard Jaffray, founder and president of Cactus Club and Harry Kambolis, owner of Raincity Grill, C and Nu have made it into the Active Restaurateur Category.

Frank Bonner and Wayne Holm, co-founders of Spectra Foods, and Xavier Hertzman, former executive chef of the Westin Bayshore Hotel are inductees in the Pioneer Category. Hertzman is being honoured posthumously.

Making it into the Friend of the Industry Category are Rhonda May, publisher of Cityfood Magazine, and Barbara-Jo McIntosh, owner of Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks.

This year, the Industry Award for Front of House goes to Frank Pabst, executive chef at Blue Water Café + Raw Bar in Vancouver, and Pino Posteraro, owner and executive chef at Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill and Enoteca.

Back of House Industry Award inductees for 2010 are Brian Hopkins, restaurant director at West and Robin Bourne, maitre d’ at The Empress Hotel in Victoria.

The evening will start off with an opening reception, giving attendees the chance to meet and greet. Various stations and tables will then be set up for dinner prepared by River Rock executive chef Sylvain Cuerrier. Following more mingling, attendees will return to the theatre for the awards ceremony, to be followed by a 45-minute performance by Sinbad.

A portion of the evening’s profits is going to Canucks for Kids and the B.C. Hospitality Foundation. Canucks for Kids supports children's health and wellness and grassroots hockey initiatives, and encourages education in British Columbia. Vancouver Canuck players assist the charity through a number of programs.

Vanoc, the organizing committee for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, is also being honoured with a tribute for providing a kick to the restaurant industry in February and March.

“It (the Olympic and Paralympic Games) was a really big boost in a tough year,” Tulk said.

More than 800 people are expected to attend the event, now in its sixth year.
Tickets are $225 each.