It’s graced Whistler’s Lost Lake and Pemberton’s North Arm Farm—now Vancouver’s Stanley Park will welcome Araxi Restaurant’s stunning 300-seat long table as Whistler Village’s “culinary cornerstone” takes its show on the road. Summer 2013’s impatiently anticipated Longtable Series brings the eatery, world-famous Executive Chef James Walt in tow, to new towns and city centers around BC—with fanfare unmatched by any other dinner party in the province.
Chef Walt, one of the locavore movement’s earliest proponents, has won copious awards for his singular ability to sculpt gastronomic masterpieces from raw ingredients both local and sustainable. Once appointed executive chef to the Canadian Embassy in Rome, he refocused his abundant talents on local fare while working at some of BC’s finest dining establishments. In true farm-to-table form, Walt’s Longtable Series menus showcase the very finest seasonal ingredients, hand-selected by the chef himself. These are paired with local wines (Mission Hill, Quails’ Gate, Le Vieux Pin, LaStella) and organic Pemberton Distillery spirits by Araxi’s venerated Wine Director Samantha Rahn, already named 2013’s Sommelier of the Year by the Vancouver International Wine Festival.
A ticket means four courses, wine, tax, gratuity and a before-dinner cocktail reception, plus the companionship of 299 other gourmand guests. New this year, Vancouver’s and Whistler’s events will include an exclusive on-site Farmers’ Market, letting guests meet the winemakers and farmers, taste the products and learn how Walt chooses his ingredients. North Arm’s event guests will enjoy a farm tour with proprietor Jordan Sturdy. A portion of all three events’ proceeds go back to the local food industry through The Chef’s Table Society of BC.
Saturday, July 27: Stanley Park, Vancouver || Saturday, August 3: Lost Lake, Whistler || Saturday, August 17: North Arm Farms, Pemberton || Cocktail reception at 3pm || Tickets: $175/person per event (all-inclusive). Call (604) 932-4540.
