Top local culinary experts heat things up at 49th annual BC Home + Garden Show

The full line-up of culinary talent hitting the Lilydale Cooking Stage includes:

Learn more about these talented chefs on the Lilydale Cooking Stage:

Maude Renaud-Brisson, independent wine consultant and founder of APÉROmode

Presenting: The Okanagan’s Passion Projects – Thursday, February 20 at 2 p.m. and Friday, February 21 at 7 p.m.

Born and raised in Quebec, Maude has called Vancouver home for the last decade. Her love of food, travel, and people has led her to explore many different roles in the wine industry, from sommelier at iconic restaurants such as Nightingale and Chambar, to her most recent role with Lifford Wine & Spirits importers. She has always believed in giving back to the industry she loves and is now an educator at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts for the WSET program.

With an unpretentious approach to wine, she recently founded APÉROmode, to expand the community of wine enthusiasts by making wine accessible through education and events. An original student of the International Sommeliers Guild, the world of wine has always been about exploring for Maude, so she is continuing her studies with the WSET Diploma program.

Drew DePatie of Lilydale, Mastro and San Daniele

Presenting:

Born and raised just outside of Calgary, Drew has been in the culinary industry for over 30 years. After receiving his formal training from SAIT tech and the Banff Springs Hotel, Drew went on to work as a chef at several of Calgary’s finer restaurants. In 1996 he began working with local producer organizations like Alberta Beef and Alberta Pork producers, developing recipes and programs to assist restaurants. Drew has worked with Sofina Foods for the last four years supporting Food Service Sales in Southern Alberta.

Bruno Feldeisen, CBC‘s The Great Canadian Baking Show

Presenting: Gourmet Desserts for the Home Chef – Thursday, February 20 at 5 p.m., Friday, February 21 at 4 p.m. and Sunday, February 23 at 2:30 p.m.

Bringing passion and energy together to craft unique cooking experiences, chef Bruno Feldeisen brings nearly three decades of culinary experience to his role as a judge on CBC‘s The Great Canadian Baking Show, now in its 3rd season. Born in the small French town of Clermont-Ferrand, he began his career as an apprentice at one of France’s most renowned chocolate shops in Moulin: Les Palets d’Or. Bruno has worked at a number of restaurants in Los Angeles, New York, and opened an American-French restaurant, Soléa, in San Francisco. He further expanded his horizons when he became a Pastry Chef Instructor at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, BC.

Feldeisen has been the recipient of awards such as Chocolatier Magazine’s Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America two years in a row, and was nominated twice for a James Beard Award as Outstanding Pastry Chef. Chef Feldeisen has also appeared on popular culinary television shows such as Chopped Canada, Sweet Genius and Donut Showdown, all shown on the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. He was also a finalist at the International Pastry Chef of the Year competition held in New York. Bruno is currently developing the culinary program of Opus Versante, Richmond B.C.’s newest boutique hotel slated to open in 2020.

Kurtis Kolt, private wine consultant

Presenting: B.C. Bubbles – Thursday, February 20 at 6 p.m.

Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based freelance wine consultant, competition judge, and writer with bylines in Vancouver Magazine, Decanter and Maclean’s, along with his weekly column in the Georgia Straight. Certified by London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Court of Master Sommeliers, his enthusiasm and experience have resulted in many high-profile opportunities, from appearances at New York’s James Beard House, to leading wine festival seminars and beyond. Catch him at KurtisKolt.com.

Hilary Brent, registered holistic nutritionist, of The Rooted Table

Presenting: Salted Chocolate Tahini Cups – Friday, February 21 at 3 p.m.

Hilary Brent is the proud founder of The Rooted Table – a Vancouver-based personal chef service focusing on healthy meal preparation and catering. Hilary grew up in Ontario before moving out west to chase the mountains and attend the Institute of Holistic Nutrition. After trying her hand at nutritional consulting, she quickly realized what she loved most about nutrition was the food itself. Pairing her love of cooking with her education in nutrition, Hilary decided to launch The Rooted Table as a way to nourish others with colourful, nourishing and delicious food. She specializes in making healthy food that tastes really, really good.

Karen Barnaby, chef of Goodly Foods

Presenting: Goodly Soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner! – Saturday, February 22 at 2:30 p.m.

Karen Barnaby is an award-winning chef, cookbook author, cooking teacher and Vancouver Sun columnist who currently works as a product development chef/consultant. After 40 years in the food industry she still loves to cook, which leads her down many rabbit holes of ancient and modern foods, techniques and cuisines.

Doug Stephen, owner and chef of Down Low Group of Restaurants

Presenting: Fried Chicken: A how-to for all the different styles! – Saturday, February 22 at 3:30 p.m.

Doug Stephen is the chef and owner of The DownLow Chicken Shack, DownLow Burgers as well as a partner in Big Day BBQ and the upcoming CatchWeight Food Truck. Having spent the majority of his career in fine(r) dining, he made the shift to the Casual Fast Service side of the industry recreating all of his favourite foods with a focus on top quality product and service.

Josef Driemel, chef of Fable Diner

Presenting: Celebrating Local – BC Salmon with a decadent potato foam – Saturday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m.

Chef Josef Driemel got his start in the culinary world in Calgary where at the age of 18, he landed his first job as a sandwich chef at a French brasserie. After Calgary, Chef Driemel honed his skills in kitchens across the country from Halifax to Sun Peaks before assuming the role of Chef at Fable Diner.

Ian McHale, executive chef of Wildebeest (Gooseneck Hospitality)

Presenting: A Trio of Tartares – Tuna, Elk/Venison and Beef – Sunday, February 23 at noon

Born and raised in Maryland, McHale first developed a passion for hospitality in 2010 while working at Mia Carolina Glyndon, a small mom-and-pop Italian restaurant in his hometown. After culinary school, he relocated across the pond to complete a 16-month stint at the acclaimed five star Merrion Hotel in Dublin, Ireland. He later took on the role of Senior Chef De Partie at the Michelin-starred Chapter One Restaurant where he further honed his skills working in a fast-paced kitchen. His hands-on experience helped him place in the final five at the Euro-Touques Young Chef of the Year Competition, Ireland’s premier culinary contest for talented young chefs under 26.

In May 2016, McHale relocated to Vancouver to take on an ambitious new challenge as Sous Chef at Wildebeest and was soon promoted to Chef De Cuisine before rising to the role of Executive Chef beginning in 2018. Ian McHale manages the day-to-day back-of-house operations at Wildebeest, fusing his straightforward, old-school approach with contemporary technique.

Quench your thirst and satisfy your taste buds with these must-see presenters all weekend long! The BC Home + Garden Show runs from Wednesday, February 19 at 4 p.m. to Sunday, February 23 at 6 p.m. at BC Place Stadium. The final Lilydale Cooking Stage schedule is slated for release later this month. For more information, or to buy tickets online and save $2, visit bchomeandgardenshow.com. Show logos and high-resolution photos are available here.

About the BC Home + Garden Show: The BC Home + Garden Show has been a staple in consumers’ calendars since 1971, attracting more than 54,000+ qualified visitors each winter. Produced by Marketplace Events, the show features high-interest exhibits, high-profile industry personalities and the latest home, garden and lifestyle trends. Marketplace Events produces 67 home shows in 34 markets that collectively attract 1.9 million attendees and another 3 million unique web visitors annually.

About Marketplace Events: Marketplace Events creates vibrant expositions connecting enthusiasts with experts, products and services in dynamic face-to-face environments. The company produces 51 consumer home shows in the US, 16 in Canada, five holiday shows, two bridal shows and one spring boutique. The 75 combined events in 34 markets currently attract 22,000 exhibitors, 1.9 million attendees and another 3 million unique web visitors annually. From 15 offices, the 170-person staff produces some of the most successful and longest-running shows in North America, including market-leading shows in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Indianapolis, Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal—some of which have thrived in their markets for more than 75 years. www.marketplaceevents.com