The Westin Bear Mountain Golf Resort & Spa, Victoria received two Chef's Choice Awards and the Grand Prize Award at the 3rd annual Chef Challenge in support of Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation. This year’s "Savories Sweets and Sips – A Taste Bud Tango" awarded Westin Bear Mountain’s Thomas Yesdresyski, sous chef, Beth Ross, 1st cook and CJ Mclauchlin third year apprentice in the categories of Chef Choice for Sweet for their Amarula Espresso cheesecake with triple chocolate truffle, and Chefs Choice for Savory for their Malbec brazed short rib in a pinenut orange & arugula seared polenta. This was the third consecutive year that The Westin took home top honours for Best Overall Grand Prize.

"We are very proud of the depth of talent in our kitchens," said Francis Parkinson, General Manager of the Westin Bear Mountain. "These types of competitions allow us to bring to the community a sense of what they will experience when they come to dine and stay with us at the Westin Bear Mountain. With almost four decades of experience in hotel industry with the Fairmont chain, I assure you that the quality and selection of food and wine experiences that we are offering at the Westin Bear Mountain proudly holds its own with the best in the world. On behalf of all of us at Bear Mountain, congratulations to all competing chefs at the event and to our young up and coming chefs – We are proud of you, and proud to share your sumptuous talents with our guests."

More than a dozen of the Island's top chefs competed for a variety of prizes last week including People’s Choice. All competing chefs were challenged to create a fabulous appetizer paired with the Argentina winery Bodega Norton’s Wine Spectator ninety-point winner, Reserva Malbec, and/or a sumptuous dessert using South Africa's Amarula Cream as one of the ingredients. One hundred seventy people attended to help raise almost $12,000.00 in support of Victoria Elder Care Foundation.