If anyone in Bruce Courtnall’s orbit was seeing red on Thursday night, it didn’t mean they were angry.
Quite the opposite. National pride was the dominant mood at the Victoria Conference Centre during the 2014 Gold Medal Plates competition.
“Showing your red tonight is the plan. It’s for Canada,” said the event chairman, whose red-checked shirt was almost as eye-catching as the luxurious gold-coloured BMW M4 coupe on display.
Olympic gold-medallist rower Adam Kreek was among 21 Olympians in a crowd of 545 athletes, chefs, judges, wine reps and supporters at the $350-a-ticket Canadian Olympic Foundation fundraiser.
It was one of several culinary fundraisers held in Canadian cities where top regional chefs compete for gold, silver and bronze medals by creating innovative dishes paired with Canadian beverages. Since 2004, Gold Medal Plates has generated $8.2 million for the charitable organization.
“It’s nice to have a returning touchstone in Victoria bringing the ideals of the Olympic movement up in our collective consciousness even when the games aren’t happening,” the rower said.
“It’s a chance to recognize all the values disseminated through society because these young people are working so hard in their areas. I’m a firm believer that if an athlete learns to follow the rules of sport in the rink, in the pool or on the water they tend to follow those rules growing up.”
Olympic medallist figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir turned heads before owning the podium as masters of ceremonies. Other medallists included triathlete Simon Whitfield, curling champion Julie Skinner and husband-and-wife rowing champions Buffy and Barney Williams.
We wondered whether the couple’s competitive spirit endures on the homefront with their three children.
“The reality is she’s the real athlete,” deadpanned Barney. “Happy wife, happy life.”
“We still are [competitive] on the tennis courts,” laughed Buffy. “But not like back in the day.”
They were inspired by her father Claire (The Honest Milkman) Alexander, a hard-working amateur hockey player, who was a milkman and glazier before joining the NHL at age 29.
“He loves the amateur side,” she said. “He remembers that in his day when he played hockey it was about the heart, not the big bucks.”
Before guests entered the Celebration Room for entertainment by Barenaked Ladies frontman Ed Robertson, Juno nominee Danny Michel, Dustin Bentall and Daniel Lapp, they mingled and enjoyed culinary delights, B.C. wines and Saanichton’s Pippins organic sea cider.
Chef Kristian Eligh of Vancouver’s Hawksworth Restaurant won the gold for his confit pork neck, granny smith apple, puffed Avonlea cheddar and mache paired with Meyer Family Vineyards 2012 Chardonnay. He will go to Kelowna in February to compete in the Canadian Culinary Championships.
Chef Wesley Young of Wildebeest took home the silver, and Sonora Resort’s Terry Pichor collected the bronze.
Red Fish Blue Fish co-founder Kunal Ghose had another reason to celebrate Thursday. It marked the three-month anniversary of his hot new Fort Street “tartinerie” Fishhook.
“I don’t own a pair of dress shoes,” the one-time shotputter quipped, explaining why he was wearing stylish white sneakers.
Meanwhile, business development manager Greg O’Halloran pitched Platinum Club memberships for the Future Olympians Fund at the bar serving caipirinha, Brazil’s national drink.
“What a great way to introduce the 2016 Olympics in Rio,” said the retired professional baseball catcher tasked with raising $4 million to help the next generation of athletes. For a tax-deductible donation of $100,000, perks include a seven-day VIP Olympics experience in Rio with ambassadors Ed Robertston, Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy, Barney Bentall and Canadian Olympians.
“Too many of our young athletes can’t afford to keep going,” O’Halloran lamented. “As a father and an Olympian [1988] I hate to see kids who don’t get that opportunity because they can’t afford it.”