CanadianBakin Fundraiser at Rare

[Kerry Beal]

All was quiet on eG the other day and I found myself looking at the calendar section. My eye was drawn to an entry for 'CanadianBakin Fundraiser' being held at Rare in Vancouver.

Here's a quote from the calendar entry for October 29th. I don't know how to attach a link to the calendar.

The main event will be the meal. Eight courses cooked by five of Vancouver’s best chefs. The menu will consist of only products grown within a 100 miles of Vancouver (…a little stretch for the Okanagan and Caribou region) and picked, harvested or produced within 24 hours of the event. The Chefs will be pulling an all-nighter getting ready for the 50 guests.

A chance for some fine dining, for a good cause, surrounded by fellow eG'ers called out to me. I want to have dinner at Rare. I ran to my own calendar to see if there was a chance I could fly out to Vancouver for this event and quickly realized that was not possible.

I was intrigued by the limitations set, how difficult would it be to make a meal for 50, from products close to home and picked or produced within a day of the event. Then I realized, these are eG chefs, I can ask them. Hell, I can attend this party vicariously by asking these chefs to take me along with them as they plan, select for and put together this feast.

So here is the request - Chef Fowkes, Chef Wyles, Tim Keller and any other chefs or eG folks involved in this endeavor, what are you going to make? How are you going to work within the procurement area? What do you expect to find fresh on the 29th?

Can you take us all along with you for the next 17 days?

[nwyles]

I will pop in and out over the next 17 days and try and fill you in on what we are up to. The next seventeen days are a dining event here called the Taste of Yaletown, so I will be a wee bit busy ( this is a good thing ).

We are happy that the event sold out in about 24 hours. It takes the pressure off of putting on a show and no one comes. Nice to see an outpouring of support.

Anyhoo.................

I have to go and strain the veal stock and get the foccacia going for a busy evening.

Cheers

Neil

[Kerry Beal]

Thanks Neil, I'll look forward to your reports. Hopefully Chef Fowke will be able to join us as well.

I wonder if there is a manager who can link us to the calendar so everyone can read the details behind this event.

Edited October 14, 2006 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Abra]

Here you go. Fundraiser calendar announcement. Anyone can link to anything, don't need no managers.

I hadn't heard about Tina, but that is a really tough break for her, and I'm so glad that eG is rallying around her!

[Kerry Beal]

Here you go.  Fundraiser calendar announcement.  Anyone can link to anything, don't need no managers.

I hadn't heard about Tina, but that is a really tough break for her, and I'm so glad that eG is rallying around her!

←

Thanks Abra, I couldn't find the spot where I usually link to things. Something new to learn.

[Pam R]

I too am looking forward to hearing about the plans for the fundraiser. The logistics of having all of the chefs sharing a kitchen and doing the prep when they have their own restaurants to run should be interesting.

Neil, forget about your busy restaurant! Tell us how you're making this all work.

<host mode>

Let's try to keep this discussion focused on the how-to's of putting on this event.

I'm sure I speak for many of us in sending Tina our best, but the best way to send your good wishes is through the PM system.

Thanks,

Pam

</host mode>

[nwyles]

Sorry it has been so long between posts.

Tina Bacon was in the Hamilton Street Grill last night. It was great to see her. we did a photo shoot with Claudia Kwan ( claudiak on eGullet ). Claudia is a local news reporter, and was going to use these shots in one of the local papers.

The restaurant was slammed last night, and pretty much has been for the last little while so any time I have away from the line has been for sleeping. Brian Fowke was in after his restaurant finished it's service but we both have been too exhausted to get into great details about what we are specificcaly going to do.

Conversation goes like this........

Amuse bouche ?

Yeah

How about ...

great, with the drizzle of.....

Oh yeah, perfect.........

HEY, CAN WE GET TWO BEERS OVER HERE. WE ARE DOING SOME INTENSE PLANNING !!

Some of my staff have volunteered to help out. They are a little surprised that we are doing this. I have not discussed it with them but were quick to jump in.

"wow, Neil that is really nice. I guess you are not a ass kicking prick all of the time" .is my interpretation of their facial expression !!!

We will have to get down to the short strokes of sauces and accompaniments this week. we are planning a shopping trip to the Granville Island Market to pick up some of the bits and pieces to go with the locally procured ingredients. I will ask Daddy -A ( Arne ) to come along and perhaps snap a few shot of us getting dinner.

Got to go and feed the kids.

Ciao

Neil

Edited October 22, 2006 by nwyles (log)

[nwyles]

It is a mad frenzy of activity.

The Chef lineup is as follows.

Brian Fowke ( Chef Fowke ) Rare restaurant

Neil Wyles ( nwyles ) Hamilton Street Grill

Sean Heather ( seanheather ) Salt, The Irish Heather, Salty Tounge, Shebeen Whiskey Bar, Pepper and so many other things I can't keep track

Colin Johnson ( transfattyacid ) Parkside

and Robert Belcham, formerly chef at C restaurant and now about to open his own called Fuel. Rob is a bit of a lurker................not for long !

Auction items are coming in at a good clip. When someone else types up a list, I will post it here.

Local news piece this Friday morning and a photo op on Sunday while we are picking up the bits and pieces for the dinner. Brian has a 100 mile rule for Rare and we have to respect that and are using it as a guide when getting supplies for the dinner.

Cheers

Neil

[Pam R]

Thanks for the post Neil. I can't wait to hear the menu - but I can wait until you have some time (even after the dinner).

Good luck and take pictures!

[Kerry Beal]

Sounds like it is shaping up nicely. Can't wait for the next installment.

[nwyles]

The local news has picked up this story and run with it.

Tina Bacon is all over the place. TV, radio, newspapers..............you name it.

For those of you who read this outside of our market, here is something else that has happened but Tina seems to be getting equall press.

We just had the first conjoined twins ever born in BC born by C section today, and still Tina Bacon is all over the place.

I had someone come up to me today and ask if this was a hoax as the list of circustances about Tina seemed to be too unreal to actually happen to a real person. I assured them that it was the real deal, and I thought they were going to cry.

The dinner at Rare and egullet.org are mentioned quite a few times as well.

[Kerry Beal]

The local news has picked up this story and run with it.

Tina Bacon is all over the place. TV, radio, newspapers..............you name it.

For those of you who read this outside of our market, here is something else that has happened but Tina seems to be getting equall press.

We just had the first conjoined twins ever born in BC born by C section today, and still Tina Bacon is all over the place.

I had someone come up to me today and ask if this was a hoax as the list of circustances about Tina seemed to be too unreal to actually happen to a real person. I assured them that it was the real deal, and I thought they were going to cry.

The dinner at Rare and egullet.org are mentioned quite a few times as well.

←

Neil, this is great news for the fundraising efforts. The dinner is coming up fast, you guys must be feeling the pressure with everything having to be done at the last minute.

[nwyles]

I just met with Brian Fowke ( Brian just won an Enroute " Best New Restaurant Award in Canada" as I was there !!!! ...............I told him Canada was not a big country so not to get a swelled head )

Things are heating up so much I thought my head was going to explode...................................

then I had a beer and all was well.

Another update Friday.

Neil

[Pam R]

Neil, I caught a segment on your local news tonight - but the twins did get top billing

Is the menu set? Or will we have to wait until after the fundraiser for details?

[Pam R]

woops. cross posting. I'll wait 'til Friday! Thanks.

[nwyles]

Neil,  I caught a segment on your local news tonight - but the twins did get top billing

Is the menu set?  Or will we have to wait until after the fundraiser for details?

←

As they should.

One of the local Downtown papers had Tina as the front page and the conjoined twins as a secondary story.

As a side note, Tina looks great. It is going to be a tough sell to get people to open their wallets at a silent auction for someone who looks so good.

I am sourcing out a pegleg, an eye patch and a Captain Hook hook for Tina so we can drum up more $$$.

The menu is set, but not in stone. We have the broad strokes ( eg: I am serving Blue Goose Organic Beef Tenderloin with Dungeness crab mashed. The vegetable is still up in the air as it will depend what I find on Granville Island on Sunday morning. We will see which shellfish looks the best and go with it as well as other fish. Sean Heather is bringing in some local cheeses as he is now the largest single cheese buyer ( restaurant, not retailer ) in the city. Colin Johnson from Parkside will see what comes off of the vegetable sellers cart before he decides what he is going to do. We know it is a ravioli, but the rest will be decided later.

Not only will we be madly prepping on Sunday, but someone is going to have to print up the menus etc. for the evening on the spot.

[BCinBC]

Tina and Chefs Fowke and NWyles were on Global news this morning, yes she is looking very good and seems to be in great spirits! I bet the Rare website is bogged down with hits today, and a lot of people are going away disappointed that the event is sold out. It's a veritable all-star line-up!

[CanadianBakin']

It feels strange replying to something for myself but it would also feel strange not saying something so here I am.

First, thank-you so much to all the egullet people involved. It's amazing to be part of such a caring and generous online community. Prior to this being planned I had never met any egulleters in person so this came as a total suprise. Neil called to ask if it was ok to host a dinner in my honour but it was already in the works.

They say I look good but it's amazing what a wig, a prosthetic and some good make-up can do. Plus I think pregnancy always makes people look good. Just wait till I start the scary chemo in January, I'll probably have a hard time just getting out of bed.

Neil wasn't kidding about being busy!!! I don't know how the chefs are going to pull this off with all the other events that are taking place in their respective restaurants right now. It will be interesting to get the final report and see pictures from the event.

And last but not least, Neil mentioned upthread that he would post a link to the auction list and I know there's no way he's going to get that done. It's also the website for Chef Fowke's restaurant which has just won an award.

That's all from me. Thank you just doesn't seem enough but there's not much else I can do.

edited to add: I know of other things that are on auction that aren't on this list so I suspect they are saving these for ticket holders only.

Edited October 29, 2006 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[*Deborah*]

Tina, as someone who's helping these guys out in a very small way, I want to add that yes, they're working hard as can be, and I think it's great, too! and I think everyone who is pitching in (and there are a lot of people!) is just happy that there is something that we can do to (hopefully) make things a little easier for you.

:hug:

[transfattyacid]

Tina, you have me speechless. Lost for words in fact.

I`m not quite sure what to say, so please forgive my clumsiness.

I`m not a doctor, when i heard about what you were going through (a week or so after i had the pleasure of cooking for you at work ) i wished that i was a medical man so that i could help. You would get my undivided attention if that were the case.

But i `m a mere cook, and as luck would have it there is a way for me, and countless others to help you and your family out, the only way we know how.

I`m truely humbled to be a part of this.

best wishes

Colin

[Kerry Beal]

It feels strange replying to something for myself but it would also feel strange not saying something so here I am.   

First, thank-you so much to all the egullet people involved. It's amazing to be part of such a caring and generous online community. Prior to this being planned I had never met any egulleters in person so this came as a total suprise. Neil called to ask if it was ok to host a dinner in my honour but it was already in the works.

They say I look good but it's amazing what a wig, a prosthetic and some good make-up can do. Plus I think pregnancy always makes people look good. Just wait till I start the scary chemo in January, I'll probably have a hard time just getting out of bed.

Neil wasn't kidding about being busy!!! I don't know how the chefs are going to pull this off with all the other events that are taking place in their respective restaurants right now. It will be interesting to get the final report and see pictures from the event.

And last but not least, Neil mentioned upthread that he would post a link to the auction list and I know there's no way he's going to get that done. It's also the website for Chef Fowke's restaurant which has just won an award.

That's all from me. Thank you just doesn't seem enough but there's not much else I can do.

←

Tina,

Thanks for adding the link to the auction. It is fabulous to see the items for offer. The one pound of coffee seemed out of place until I read info about the price per pound. I hadn't realized it was an online auction, which would mean that those of us unable to attend the dinner still have a chance to bid. I might just get dinner at Rare someday after all.

[nwyles]

some of the auction items are up on the www.rarevancouver.com website.

These is lots that is not listed : back vintages of cool wines etc.

the email is auction@rarevancouver.com

closing time for email bids is 9:00 PST

if you send an email later today, someone will send you a complete list of the other items we have up for bid.

cheers

Neil

[Mooshmouse]

I've just returned from a day of volunteering and coordinating the crew of non-kitchen people who gave up their Sunday for the privilege of helping out with such a worthy cause.

Dinner service is just about to commence, and I wanted to remind everyone that the Live Auction is currently up and running. Bids will be accepted for another two hours until 9:00 pm PST.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who put in their time and effort. Tina, though we've never met in person, my family's thought, prayers and love are with you.

Edited October 30, 2006 by Mooshmouse (log)

[Kerry Beal]

some of the auction items are up on the www.rarevancouver.com website.

These is lots that is not listed : back vintages of cool wines etc.

the email is auction@rarevancouver.com

closing time for email bids is 9:00 PST

if you send an email later today, someone will send you a complete list of the other items we have up for bid.

cheers

Neil

←

I sent an email, but just got referred back to www.rarevancouver.com and I can't see how that is set up to accept bids. Also I can't get a list of other items.

[Mooshmouse]

Kerry, look at the right-hand side of the text on Rare's webpage and you'll see a scroll bar. If you keep scrolling down, you'll see a list of items up for auction. Bids should be e-mailed to auction@rarevancouver.com.

Other items available for auction that aren't listed on the Rare website include... whoops... I didn't realize that I couldn't include specifics on grape-centric auction items. PM me if you're interested and I can provide you with the details. Though I don't have minimum dollar figures, online bids are also being accepted for these items.

Edited because I put my foot in my mouth/keyboard

Edited October 30, 2006 by Mooshmouse (log)