David Rocco
Host of Food Network's David Rocco's Dolce Vita

Executive producer, producer, bestselling author, and celebrity chef David Rocco is probably best known as the host of Food Network series “David Rocco’s Dolce Vita”.
With a little help from the gorgeous backdrop of Italy and the local foodies, David Rocco has been bringing his relaxed and inspired approach to the kitchen, cooking beautiful, simple, and rustic dishes that anyone can master. His focus is casual Italian cooking that makes the cuisine one of the healthiest and, arguably, most popular in the world.
Now David is on the move again, with “David Rocco’s Amalfi Getaway”, a 6 part series exploring the food of one of the most beautiful and inspiring places on the planet—Italy’s Amalfi coast – and can be seen later this year on Food Network.
Last autumn marked the release of David’s follow up to his best selling cookbook “David Rocco’s Dolce Vita”. Like its predecessor “Made In Italy”, distributed by HarperCollins Canada, is meant to inspire. It’s filled with gorgeous photography and simple, yet sophisticated recipes that are, as David says ‘perfect for an experienced cook—but easy enough for most beginning cooks’.

David will be signing copies of his new book, available for purchase at the show

David has made regular appearances as a guest judge on season 9 and 10 of Iron Chef. He worked along side of Gordon Ramsey in inaugural Chef’s Challenge for a Cure, which raised $1.2 million for breast and ovarian cancer research at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. He has also worked with Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Government of Ontario in programs aimed at teaching people how to cook using the healthy principals of the Mediterranean diet.
Currently David and his wife and business partner Nina, live in Toronto with their twin daughters Emma and Giorgia, and their newborn son Dante.

www.davidrocco.com

Bob Blumer
Host of World's Weirdest Restaurants, Wednesdays at 9pm & 9:30pm ET/PT on Food Network

Bob Blumer—gastronaut

Culinary adventurer, chef, artist and seven time Guinness World Record holder Bob Blumer is the creator and host of the award-winning Food Network shows Glutton for Punishment and Surreal Gourmet. His newest show World’s Weirdest Restaurants can be seen on Wednesdays at 9pm & 9:30pm on Food Network.
In World’s Weirdest Restaurants, the passionate and indefatigable gastronaut circles the globe in his quest to find the world’s weirdest and wackiest restaurants. Some of his discoveries include a Japanese isakaya where Macaque monkeys serve beer, a New York City pop-up where patrons dine in the nude, and Modern Toilet in Taipei where curry is served in miniature porcelain toilet bowls.
On Surreal Gourmet and in his books, Bob transforms ordinary ingredients into wow-inspiring dishes through simple cooking methods and whimsical presentations. Along with his iconic Toastermobile, they have become his culinary trademark. Blumer’s artful approach to cooking, confidence-inspiring instructions, and contagious enthusiasm endear him to a loyal following in North America, Asia, and Europe—territories where he travels regularly.

Bob's latest book, Glutton For Pleasure, will be available for purchase at the show.
Bob will be signing copies of his latest book on Friday only at the show

Chef Rob Feenie
Canada’s First Iron Chef America Winner
Food Concept Architect for Cactus Club Restaurants

The driving culinary force behind Cactus Restaurants Ltd., the award-winning collection of twenty one casual fine dining restaurants in BC and Alberta, Rob Feenie is also one of Canada’s most recognized and celebrated chefs.

At Cactus Restaurants, Chef Feenie leads the culinary team, blending his talent for creating elegant, globally inspired cuisine with his passion for simple dishes using fresh, local ingredients. During Chef Feenie’s tenure, the restaurant group has been named “Best Casual Chain” for four straight years at the annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant awards, a reflection of the influence he has had on the evolution of Cactus’ menu selections and its commitment to sourcing the best fresh, local and sustainable products wherever possible.

Now open; English Bay Cactus Club

Growing up in Burnaby, BC, Chef Feenie first developed a curiosity for international cuisine over countless traditional family dinners at his Japanese neighbours’ home. This early experience was followed by a high school exchange program where he was first introduced to European chefs and techniques. At 20, Chef Feenie attended the Dubrulle Culinary Institute in Vancouver and upon graduating, became a Sous-chef in some of Western Canada’s top restaurants, notably Le Crocodile, Cherry Stone Cove in Vancouver, and The Rim Rock Café in Whistler.

While at Le Crocodile he began a series of work and educational trips, or stages, throughout Europe and North America, starting in Alsace with Chef Emile Jung at Au Crocodile and Chef Antoine Westermann at Le Buerehiesel, both Michelin three-star rated restaurants. In North America he worked with Chef Charlie Trotter, at Trotter's Restaurant in Chicago, and Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at Jean-Georges in New York.

In 1995 Chef Feenie opened the internationally celebrated Lumière Restaurant in Vancouver, followed by Lumière Tasting Bar and then Feenie's, a more casual Canadian Bistro, next door to Lumière, in 2003. Throughout his career, Chef Feenie has secured international culinary recognition, including: the coveted Relais Gourmand and Traditions et Qualitè designations, in addition to the Mobil Travel Guide four-stars designation and the AAA Five Diamond Award. In 2009 and 2011, Chef Feenie also won the Vancouver Gold Medal Plates competition.

Chef Feenie has published three cookbooks: Rob Feenie Cooks at Lumière, Lumière Light, and Feenie’s and will be publishing a fourth cookbook in 2012. He also starred on New Classics with Chef Rob Feenie on Food Network for five seasons. In 2005 Feenie became the first Canadian to win on the popular television show Iron Chef America by defeating Chef Masaharu Morimoto.

Annabelle Waugh
Food Director at Canadian Living Magazine

Annabelle Waugh has been working in Canada’s top test kitchens for more than a decade. After graduating from chef school at George Brown College in Toronto, she rounded out her skills at several restaurants, both as a line cook and as a pastry chef. Eventually, she landed her first job in editorial – as a recipe developer and tester in The Canadian Living Test Kitchen. After nearly six years of honing her cooking and food writing skills at Canadian Living, Annabelle left to pursue a freelance career, working for several different publications as a recipe developer, editor and on-set television food consultant. She returned to Canadian Living as Food Director in 2010.

Annabelle is extremely proud to work with The Canadian Living Test Kitchen team. Together, they create and test thousands of recipes every year to ensure that they turn out as perfectly in readers’ homes as they do in the Test Kitchen. These food specialists pride themselves on developing approachable and delicious recipes using everyday ingredients and the most common cooking equipment found in households across Canada.

CanadianLiving creates the country's most-trusted recipes for a number of outlets, not just its monthly magazine and quarterly special issues. The Test Kitchen also provides content for canadianliving.com, which boasts more than 1 million unique visitors per month; CBC's hit TV show Best Recipes Ever; the ever-popular Canadian Living Food Blog; and a handy how-to video channel. To top it off,they have a popular book publishing division, which creates up to four cookbooks a year. In 2012, they’ve already released two books: The One-Dish Collection and The Complete Preserving Book. This summer, Canadian Living will be launching a new edition of their national bestseller The Barbecue Collection, updated withmore than 100 brand-new recipes created especially for the edition.

Dale MacKay
Executive Chef, Proprietor

Before opening ensemble restaurant & bar and eTap
restaurants in Vancouver in 2011, Top Chef Canada
Winner Dale MacKay worked kitchen front lines and
opened restaurants for top chefs Gordon Ramsay and
Daniel Boulud. For the unassuming, overachieving
MacKay, ensemble represents the culmination of his
life’s work. Hard work.

click here for more on Dale MacKay

The Glowball Collection Presents:

Saturday 10:30am:
Ryan Gauthier, Corporate Area Chef, The Glowbal Collection

Ryan Gauthier, our Corporate Area Chef, has had the opportunity to work with such notable chefs as Robert Byford, Tim Muellbauer, Kathleen O’Connor, and Bryan Fowke, and the training he received from each one has proven invaluable. He is passionate about his career and knows he is following his true calling. “Being able to have a job in which you make people feel good is very rewarding and I hope guests enjoy their meals as much as I enjoy creating them.”

Sunday 2:30pm:
Jason Labahn, Chef de Cuisine, Black+Blue

Chef de Cuisine Chef Jason Labahn comes to us with an impressive resume, working in some of the best restaurants across United States, opening many of the top steak houses in Las Vegas. “I feel blessed to be able to cook in these surroundings and have accesses to some of the best products in the world,” says Chef Labahn on moving to the West Coast of Canada. “The opportunity to be a part of Emad’s vision for the Glowbal Group is very exciting. The opening of the new Black+Blue steakhouse was a great way to introduce myself into the Glowbal family.”


Friday 4:30pm:
Alfred Contiga, Executive Chef, Society

Executive Chef, Alfred Contiga oversees the creation and execution of SOCIETY’s menu mantra of ‘re-imagined comfort food.’ Alfred relishes the opportunity to continually surprise guests with the restaurant’s dynamic fare – big on taste with plenty of playful twists. From mac n’ cheese balls peppered with jalapeno, to lobster shepard’s pie and fully-loaded kobe beef burgers topped with fried eggs – with Alfred at the helm, it is certain that no one in SOCIETY will leave hung

Nathalie Plamondon-Thomas
Sales Manager
Western Canada for La Maison Orphee

Nathalie Plamondon-Thomas, Sales Manager, Western Canada for La Maison Orphee. Canadian Master Oil Maker established in 1983, first craft oil mill located in eastern Canada, offering the largest selection of cold-pressed unrefined oil on the Canadian market. Maison Orphee sought out the best terroirs in North America and Europe to bring consumers gourmet oils, mustards and vinegars that blend excellence, flavor and nutritional quality together with the discovery of new culinary horizons. Nathalie is also a Nutrition and Wellness Specialist, Published author of the book: When You’re Hungry, You gotta Eat.

Patrick Dore
Executive Concept Chef
Frankie's Italian Kitchen & Bar.

Returning to Vancouver in 2009 marked the completion of a circle for
Patrick. After leaving Vancouver he has been working in some of the
finer hotels and restaurants on both the West and East coasts of the
United States and the Caribbean for the Four Seasons, Fairmont and the
Kimpton Hotel Group.

Upon returning to Vancouver he most recently headed up the
kitchen as Executive Chef at The Fairmont Waterfront and after a brief sabbatical is excited to dive back into Vancouver's dynamic restaurant scene as Executive Concept Chef for Frankie's Italian Kitchen & Bar.

Wendy Boys
Pasatry Chef, Chocolatier, Owner - Cocolico
Van Houtte Ambassador

Wendy Boys is one of Vancouver's most celebrated and sought-after pastry chefs and chocolatiers. Following her life-long love for chocolate and the pastry arts, Wendy has worked with world-renowned chocolatiers and designed dessert programs for some of Canada’s top restaurants. She is also the proud owner of Cocolico, a Vancouver-based dessert company specializing in small-batch, hand-crafted chocolates and dessert sauces.

In 2012, Wendy partnered with Van Houtte, Canadian master coffee roaster, as their BC ambassador. As a passionate coffee and chocolate lover, Wendy knows they make the perfect pairing and has teamed up with Van Houtte to help Canadians truly savour their coffee experience with decadent chocolate-based recipe ideas and pairings as for individual coffee profiles - find out yours this weekend!

View the EAT! Vancouver 2012 Festival stage schedule, posted here.:

Click here to see Stage Schedules

For your convenience, a complimentary festival guide is provided at the show with the stage schedule included.

Presented by: