The 2023 Chowder Challenge had some tough contenders from a plethora of qathet region restaurants, which donated their chowder for a fun and tasty fundraising event.
In the end and revealed the next day, The Chopping Block won the challenge, with Laughing Oyster and Brooks Secondary School’s Culinary Arts program chosen as runners-up. Northside Fire Department Association members, VIU students and volunteers all hustled to serve, prepare and plate in a temperature-hot Birch Tree Café on the evening of May 18.
There were two sittings of chowder tasting with participants choosing their favourite and casting a ballot. According to VIU, assistant chef instructor Kristine Morrow, “each chowder was assigned a number and guests got to taste all 10 chowders.”
A total of 58 ballots were cast. The tasting challenge was a fundraising event for Northside Fire Department Association and the VIU tiwšɛmawtxʷ campus Culinary Arts Program.
