Earth Day Press Release:

In celebration of Earth Day, the Chateau Victoria Hotel & Suites will be hosting the 1^st annual Earth Day celebration with South Park Elementary Family School. Please join in the festivities on Thursday, April 21^st, between 11am and 2pm at the Chateau Victoria Hotel and Suites to celebrate Earth Day in the community.

The 1^st annual Earth Day celebration will feature artwork from the children of South Park Elementary School, expressing what Earth Day means to them. Come by to view their creations and bring your appetite with you! The staff and management of the Chateau Victoria will be serving BBQ hotdogs including a vegetarian option.  The culinary team, led by Executive Chef Garrett Schack, has also created Earth Day Bull Kelp Relish to celebrate this green event.  A $3.00 donation is encouraged, and all donations will be given to the Earth Day Foundation.

Please join us on this special day that has been celebrated globally for over 40 years, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries to focus on environmental issues. Stop by, have some lunch, and celebrate Earth Day with Chateau Victoria and South Park Elementary Family School on Thursday, April 21, 2011, 740 Burdett Ave. 

For more information please contact Marion Ann Berry at 250-361-5664 or mberry@chateauvictoria.com

Reserve your table before its too late!

Fifteen wonderful Victoria area pubs and restaurants will dim the lights and dial up the ambiance to raise awareness about energy conservation and the simple actions that can add up to make a big difference!

Be sure to participate in Victoria’s first Candlelight Conservation Dinner on October 21, 2010. Download coupons here: Free Appetizer or Dessert or $5.00 Coupon.

Reserve you table at any of the following pubs and restaurants:

• Sips artisan bistro
• The O Bistro & Lounge
• Smoken Bones Cookshack
• Copper Rock Grill
• Vic’s Steakhouse & Bar
• Milestones Inner Harbour
• The Empress Room
• The Bengal Lounge
• The Reef
• SeaGrille
• Vista 18
• Wild Saffron Bistro
• Fire & Water Fish & Chop House
• Spinnakers Gastro
• Six Mile Pub

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B.C. Restaurants – 15 in Victoria – offer conservation by candlelight on Oct. 21 to mark Power Smart Month

VICTORIA – On Oct. 21, candlelight will set the mood not only for romance but also for conservation as more than 100 B.C. restaurants – including 15 in Victoria – turn off the lights and invite customers to dine exclusively by candlelight to raise awareness of energy efficiency and conservation.

BC Hydro’s Candlelight Conservation Dinner, now in its second year, is presented in partnership with Tourism Victoria, as part of BC Hydro’s Power Smart Month campaign. Last year 37 restaurants in the Lower Mainland participated; this year the number of restaurants showing their commitment to conservation has more than tripled.

“Wasting energy is just as ridiculous as excessive water use or not recycling and a candlelight dinner reminds us of two important things: we don’t need lights on to have a wonderful evening and incorporating efficient actions – like turning off all or even some of the lights – is a great way to help with the conservation effort,” said Lisa Coltart, executive director of Power Smart and Customer Care, BC Hydro. “Tourism Victoria and the participating restaurants are great partners in combining the appeal of a candlelight dinner with a reminder that a simple and seemingly small action like turning off lights can yield big conservation results.”

Team Power Smart members can download meal coupons from the Team Power Smart section of BC Hydro’s web site to get special dining deals such as two entrées for the price of one, a $5 gift certificate or a complimentary appetizer or dessert with the purchase of an entrée.

“Tourism Victoria certainly applauds this initiative by BC Hydro and salutes our restaurant members who are participating. This event demonstrates a common effort to show how we can all benefit from being vigilant and smart with our resources,” said Robert Gialloreto, President and CEO, Tourism Victoria. “We encourage everyone to join the lead of our great dining establishments and fortify this commitment to the environment, all while enjoying a terrific candlelight dinner.”

All British Columbians are encouraged to join Team Power Smart and set an electricity conservation target of 10 per cent. In addition to exclusive rewards, members receive access to tools and resources to help them meet their energy goals.

Each year BC Hydro hosts Power Smart Month in October to increase awareness about the benefits and ease of using energy efficiently at a time when electricity consumption begins to increase for the winter. During October, BC Hydro provides special Power Smart offers including increased rebates and incentives for the purchase of energy efficient products.
For more information including a full list of participating restaurants, visit bchydro.com/candlelight.

For more information, please contact:

Simi Heer, Media Relations, BC Hydro

p. 604 623 3963

w. bchydro.com/media

LifeCycles is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating awareness and initiating action around food, health, and urban sustainability in the Greater Victoria community. They work proactively to promote and create personal, shared and community gardens, research, and educational activities and youth skills development programs.

The LifeCycles Fruit Tree Project, volunteers and a couple of ladders are turning backyard fruit trees into a valuable source of food for the community. The Fruit Tree Project links people who have surplus produce in their yards, with people who have the willingness and ability to harvest it, to people and community groups that do not have access to fresh produce. Volunteers harvest fruit from private trees that would otherwise go to waste. Fresh cherries, plums, apples, pears and other fruit (or sometimes vegetables) are then distributed through Community Centers and Food Banks. Produce is generally picked from July through October. The FTP aims to match or exceed last year’s harvest of 30,000 pounds of fruit.

From small and simple to big, bold and breathtaking, the Truffles team continuously researches and creates new trends in food styles and flavours.  Truffles commitment to seasonal menus allow them to utilize the freshest, tastiest produce available, ensuring flavourful creations every time.  If you have an idea or something specific in mind, talk to Truffles and they will work with you to put together the ideal menu for your occasion.  It’s what they do.

When looking to supply fresh, locally produced food, Truffles Catering is an excellent option when planning an event and guests will experience high-quality, flavourful delicacies. The catering company is committed to using locally grown or raised produce where ever possible, are Ocean Wise certified, and are members of the Island Chef’s Collaborative. www.trufflescatering.net

The Hotel Grand Pacific is proud to implement its new Sustainable Wines program in The Mark and Pacific restaurants and in The Pacific Lounge, effective immediately.

Sustainable wines are the product of environmentally and socially responsible grape growing and wine-making within the winery. A green dot identifies wines on the Hotel’s wine list that marry quality with sustainability, making it easy for restaurant and lounge patrons to make the most responsible wine choices.

“We are delighted to introduce a new wine experience to our guests”, says Emory Haines, Director of Operations and Food and Beverage for the Hotel Grand Pacific. Haines and Restaurants Manager Dawn Kapcala personally selected wines for the Sustainable Wines program. “The wines are of excellent quality, which remains our first concern with any wine on our list, and are produced with a holistic approach to growing and food production that respects the environment”, Kapcala explains.

The Hotel Grand Pacific is determined to be at the forefront of culinary sustainability. The Sustainable Wines program complements both the hotel’s participation in the Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program, and emphasis on seasonal menus that source foods from within a 100-kilometre radius of the property.

Haines is committed to building a strong wine program at the hotel through education and experience. The Hotel Grand Pacific was instrumental in bringing world-class wine instruction to Vancouver Island, and has hosted delivery of the International Sommelier Guild programs at the Hotel since 2003. The hotel’s wine list has received prestigious awards from the BC Wine Institute, Wine Spectator magazine and the Vancouver Playhouse.