First, if you’re looking for the contest, click here.
Second, if you’re looking for a list of restaurants that are hosting Tsunami-relief fund raisers the week of Jan. 10-14th, click here.
Now for the ‘This Just In’. Here is a press release regarding the first round of fundraising that took place on Thursday, Jan. 6th. Kudos to all the management and staff and diners at all the restaurants!
RESTAURANTS
FOR RELIEF
RAISES MORE THAN
$12,000
“It was such an incredible experience,” says Wild Rice co-owner Andrew Wong of last night’s Restaurants for Relief.“When all the cheques came in this afternoon, we were thrilled to see the total grow to $12,300.That represents 25 per cent of food sales for the evening.On behalf of the group we have donated all the cheques to the Canadian Red Cross’s Tsunami Relief Fund.What’s even better is that we understand that the Canadian government will match the funds, so that means our group of 14 restaurants has added more than $24,000 to the relief effort.”
“In addition to raising some serious money, the best part was the tremendous support shown by everyone to the project,” says Wong’s partner Tom Poirier.“Most of these restaurants are smaller, moderately priced places.Everyone pulled together with enthusiasm and dedication.For instance, the folks at the Banana Leaf even sold gift certificates to patrons in order to increase the average food bill.“
“We want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this possible – the 14 restaurant participants and their staffs, the media for getting the word out so quickly and thoroughly and most of all the public, who braved the snowy conditions and bad roads.It’s been a very gratifying experience.One we’ll never forget,” says Wong.
First, if you’re looking for the Contest Page, click here.
Second, it’s been very heartening to see how many
Vancouver
restaurants have been stepping up to the plate (pardon the pun) to help raise funds for Tsunami Relief. Thanks to all of you who dined out on Thursday. The good news is that you have more chances to help out while you dine next week. I’m pasting all the press releases I’ve received about restaurants making donations the week of Jan. 10-14. Please read through them for all the details and dine out for Tsunami Relief!
————————————————————-
The Thai House Restaurant Group as well as other restaurants in its group, Urban Thai Bistro, Chili House Thai Bistro and Samba Brazilian Steakhouse announced today that 60% of all food revenues earned by its restaurants in the evenings of January 10 and 11, 2005 will go to charities that are assisting in relief efforts in parts of South East Asia affected by the Tsunamis and Earthquake.
While we are miles away from the devastation, we are nevertheless impacted by the human costs of the disaster. This is our small way of helping the people of
Thailand
and other countries that have suffered tremendous losses due to this tragedy.
Being able to eat a hot meal and sleep in a warm bed never seemed so much of a blessing to Vancouverites as it does these days. Those in the restaurant business work hard, yet are rewarded on a daily basis and of course never go hungry. A blessing we sometimes take for granted…
Joining in the efforts to raise money for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami victims in
Asia
, the following ten restaurants businesses are raising funds in various ways in the upcoming weeks.
Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar, Gyu Japanese Teppanyaki, i-cafe, MIX The Bakery, Northern Delicacy, Northern Dynasty and Tropika Malaysian & Indonesian Restaurants
Tropika Canada Group
The Tropika Canada Group of restaurants, which includes four Tropika restaurants specializing in Malaysian & Indonesian cuisine as well as Gyu Japanese Teppanyaki, i-cafe, Northern Delicacy and Northern Dynasty will be donating all profits and partial sales from their eight restaurants on Wednesday, January 12th to World Vision in support of the victims of the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Asia. Tropika-Canada Group Managing Partner Louis Kong says they feel particularly blessed that with the many Malay and Indonesian staff at Tropika Restaurants, particularly in their kitchens, they have had no direct losses. But many staff are still awaiting news of family members and Louis and his family are very saddened for the nation of people they work so closely with. They, along with Gyu Teppanyaki, Northern Delicacy, Northern Dynasty and i-cafe will be holding a joint-fundraiser at all locations at both lunch and dinner on January 12th. Staff are expected to donate most of their tips as well that night.
MIX The Bakery
Owned by newcomer to the city, Rose Conception, Mix is a small bakery on West 10th. As a new business they don’t have a lot of resources themselves and a large donation is not feasible, but their young staff came up with a great idea. Come by and purchase a raffle ticket between now (January 6th) and January 17th and you could win complimentary (free!) homemade bread every week for a year or the dessert of the month every month for year! Every week, from
January 24th 2005
to
January 24th 2006
you could be dropping in to choose a fresh made loaf of your choice or each month a delectable dessert. Raffle tickets $5.00, available at MIX The Bakery 100% of proceeds from the raffle draw will go to The Canadian Red Cross.
And sweeter still….
Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar
Brix invites you and your family to drop in for dessert, perhaps after a walk in Yaletown, a meal at home or even dinner at a local supporting restaurant. Two dollars from every dessert sold at Brix from Friday, January 10th to Friday, January 21st will be donated to The Canadian Red Cross.
Special Night at Memphis Blues to Help the Asian Tsunami Relief Fund On Tuesday, January 11, 2005please join the owners of Memphis Blues Barbeque House to raise funds for the Red Cross’ Asian Tsunami Relief Fund. The restaurants will be donating 25% of all sales for this day to the fund. Employees of the two locations will be donating their tips to the fund.
Owner
Park
Heffelfinger has travelled extensively in the regions affected by the devastating tsunami, and he and co-owner George Siu feel compelled to help out the fund as quickly as possible. They would like to challenge other restaurants in the city to match or exceed their contribution.
Memphis Blues Barbeque House are located at 1465 West Broadway, near Granville, and
1342 Commercial Drive
, near
Kitchener Street
. No reservations are accepted, and the stores will be open from
It started as a fun question to ask my interview subjects last year when I was finishing off our sessions. Now that I put together some of the answers for this week’s Food For Thought segment, I want to hear more.
Yes, I know lots of you are starting ‘diets’. But is there just one food that you would never give up? The answers in the column ranged from cheese, to beef, to potatoes, to pork, to something as specific as bacon. My vote goes to chocolate, in all of its exquisite variations.
What’s your must-have food? Click on the ‘Comments’ link at the bottom of this post and type in your answer and why. I’ll choose one entry at random to receive a great cookbook by James Chatto and Lucy Waverman called, A Matter of Taste. It’s a $50 value, and even if you don’t win, I recommend it as a valuable addition to any cookbook shelf. I made the veal tenderloin wrapped in sage and prosciutto for New Year’s, and I’m still swooning. Contest deadline is Wednesday, January 12th at 6pm Pacific Time.
Provence Mediterranean Grill and Provence Marinaside have now joined the Restaurants for Relief tsunami relief fundraising effort this coming Thursday in Vancouver. See my previous posting for more info and contact listings for all of the restaurants participating.
Provence Marinaside will really kick things off this Thursday morning as the restaurant will host the CBC’s Early Edition radio program for a live broadcast. Host Rick Cluff will be joined by Canada Now host Ian Hanomansing(known to some of his fans as Ian Handsome-Man-Thing).
All kidding aside, the program will introduce you to people from the communities hardest hit by the tsunami. Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and India will all be respresented. Rick will also speak to some people who survived the tsunami and to relief workers struggling to restore hope to devastated regions.
The broadcast begins at 6am, so why not plan your breakfast around an exciting live radio broadcast?
There are few people in the world who haven’t been affected by the cataclysmic events in Southeast Asia. Vancouver has a rich South Asian heritage, and it’s only fitting that citizens here are pitching in to help. This Thursday a group of restaurants is donating 25 percent of their lunch and dinner food receipts to the Red Cross. So make Thursday your day to go out for dinner and patronize the places listed in the following press release. Filling your belly will help provide food and shelter for those less fortunate.
WILD RICE SPEARHEADS RESTAURANTS FOR RELIEF
(Vancouver, BC) – “We just wanted to do something to help,” says Wild Rice co-owner Andrew Wong of his and partner Tom Poirier’s decision to raise money for the Tsunami Relief Fund.“We decided that the easiest way for us to help was to donate a portion of our receipts to the Canadian Red Cross,” says Poirier.“From there it was a matter of ‘who else can we include?’We called a few friends and colleagues and quickly came up with nine other restaurants willing to participate. Everyone we called was enthusiastic about the idea and eager to get involved.”
Thursday, January 6, 2005 has been designated Restaurants for Relief day by the 12 participants with their donating 25% of their total food bills to disaster relief.“Thursday is generally a busy day in restaurants, so we are hoping to raise a significant amount, “ says Wong.The donation applies to the food portion of both lunch and dinner checks. “We’ll consolidate the donations and deliver it to the Red Cross on the next day.”
For one participant, Montri Rattanraj of Montri’s Thai Restaurant, the event has a special meaning.He had been visiting family in the south of Thailand and had only just left the country a few hours before the tsunami hit.Thankfully none of his family was affected by the disaster but he has friends and colleagues working in many of the resort hotels that have been destroyed.
Participants are:
Banana Leaf820 W. Broadway604.731.6333
Banana Leaf on Denman1096 Denman Street604.683.3333
Bistro Pastis2153 W.4th Avenue 604.731.5020
Fiction3162 W. Broadway604.736.7576
Lucy Mae Brown862 Richards St.604.899.9199
Montri’s Thai Restaurant3629 W. Broadway604.738.9888
Hi all, just wanted to pass this along from Judy Ahola at the Metropolitan Hotel in downtown Vancouver. She still has a few tickets left for what promises to be an exciting meal. Ticket info at the bottom of this post:
Diva at the Met’s upcoming Friends of James Beard Dinner on Thursday, November 18th is almost here. It’s a first for Vancouver and we’re delighted to have Canada’s finest chefs come together for one special evening in Diva to benefit The James Beard Foundation and Vancouver Community College’s Culinary Arts program.
Executive Chef Ray Henry of Diva at the Met will lead the following outstanding brigade of talent:
Christine Cushing from Food Network Canada’s Christine Cushing Live Normand Laprise from Montreal’s Restaurant Toque! Claudio Aprile from Toronto’s Senses Restaurant Robert Clark from C Restaurant Rodney Butters from Kelowna’s Fresco Restaurant Neal Noble from Toronto’s Metropolitan Hotels/Senses Bakery and Restaurant Thomas Haas from Vancouver’s own Diva at the Met
Who ever said that too many cooks spoil the broth? Sit down for a multicourse tasting dinner menu and you’ve experienced the best from Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver (menu attached). Tickets are available at $250 per person, inclusive of taxes and gratuities and can be purchased by calling Chandra Woodhouse at 604.643.7255.
A silent auction of luxury items will be available for bidding throughout the evening and gift bags filled with culinary treats are in store for all attending guests.
