Announcing Canada's Great Kitchen Party! Qualifier For The Canadian Culinary Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

TORONTO – The creators of Gold Medal Plates announced today their new business strategy and vision – that of inspiring Canadian communities by celebrating excellence and providing young Canadians the opportunity to be extraordinary through sport, music and food.

“The celebration of Canadian excellence has always been at the core of our business,” said co-founder, Karen Blair. “Through our rebrand: Canada’s Great Kitchen Party’s regional culinary competitions and the national finale: The Canadian Culinary Championships, we will continue to provide a platform to celebrate and showcase Canada’s best in food, wine, sport and music including a new business strategy that will ensure financial support for not just one, but all three of these areas.”

CGKP announced the beneficiaries for each of its three key business areas as:

Sport: B2ten – Canada’s Great Kitchen party will support Canadian athletes through the purpose and legacy of B2ten. Select athletes from across the country are provided optimal training and preparation to help underpin their success when representing Canada on the international stage.

 “I am thrilled that Canada’s Great Kitchen Party and B2ten are joining forces. Their shared passion, relentless pursuit of excellence, and commitment to making a difference make it an inspiring collaboration!  Scott and I have had tremendous experiences at the culinary competitions and on international trips. We look forward to being involved with Canada’s Great Kitchen Party knowing that they are helping B2ten offer the same critical support we received to more athletes.” Tessa Virtue

Music: MusiCounts is Canada’s music education charity, affiliated with the JUNO Awards and supported by many of Canada’s top musicians. MusiCounts is keeping music alive in  schools and communities across Canada by putting musical instruments into the hands of children that need them most.

“It has been an absolute privilege to raise funds for Canada’s athletes over the last 12 years. I am thrilled to continue to support athletes through the new initiative and also thrilled that our efforts will now result in financial support going to MusiCounts - an organization near and dear to my heart.” Jim Cuddy

Food: Community Food Centres Canada - CFCC is an organization that brings people together to grow, cook, share, and advocate for good food for all. Support from Canada’s Great Kitchen Party will allow the children and youth they work with to gain the skills and confidence they need to become the next generation of food leaders through unforgettable mentorship sessions with our talented chefs.

“As a two-time Canadian Culinary Champion, I am impressed with the organization’s transition to Canada’s Great Kitchen Party. I am so pleased that there will be a contribution to the food pillar, in addition to sport and music. Canadian youth will be transformed through the support provided through the “Kitchen Mentors Program”.  As a Chef, this resonates very closely with me and I believe, with our entire Canadian Chefs’ community. Well done!” Marc Lepine, Atelier

 “CGKP is a business established with the objective of unique opportunities for Canadians to come together and experience the best in Canadian culture,” said Co-Founder Stephen Leckie. “As a social enterprise, we want to bring together a national community with a commitment to a better Canada. We look forward to continuing to provide quality experiences for CGKP guests and working with so many great people and companies across this country to achieve our vision of inspiring and impacting Canadian communities.”

Canada’s Great Kitchen Party will raise funds for its beneficiaries by staging regional and national culinary competitions as well as auctioning unique travel experiences to exciting destinations. All CGKP events and international trips will include exciting Canadian entertainers and high performance athletes from all facets of sport – all with the objective of supporting the great work of each of the chosen beneficiaries.

“Deloitte is pleased to support Canada’s Great Kitchen Party.  This event is aligned with Deloitte’s support for priority areas of high performance sport, youth, and education and the firm is committed to fostering leadership in these key areas,” said Mike Nethercott, partner, Future of Canada Centre & Chief Marketing Officer, Deloitte.

 

For interview requests or for more information:                                

Sylvie Bigras                                                    
Canada’s Great Kitchen Party – Media Contact           
613-298-1625                                       
[email protected]                   

 

                                                                             -30-

 

ABOUT CANADA’S GREAT KITCHEN PARTY

Canada’s Great Kitchen Party (CGKP) is a social enterprise dedicated to building a thriving Canada by celebrating excellence in Canadian communities and providing young Canadians the opportunity to be extraordinary through sport, music and food. We proudly contribute to the following three beneficiaries: B2ten, MusiCounts, Community Food Centres of Canada.

For more information, visit greatkitchenparty.com

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

Judy Giannou – Trip Buyer, CGKP St. John’s

“As a Newfoundlander, I know kitchen parties better than anyone, and am thrilled that Canada’s Great Kitchen Party is coming to St. John’s this fall. Our community loves supporting Canada’s best athletes, musicians and culinary leaders, and we are proud to be part of this amazing movement that celebrates excellence and impacts youth in each of these areas. Congratulations to the creators, and bring on the fun!"

Bruce Courtnall – Chair, CGKP Victoria

“As Chair of the British Columbia leg of the Canadian Culinary Championships for the past six years I am delighted to see this great legacy carried on with Canada’s Great Kitchen Party! I love the new pillars and beneficiaries around music, sport and culinary and know this will make it an even more powerful experience for all our guests. Can’t wait for our fall event!”

Alan Doyle – Musician and author

"I am as excited for the new Canada’s Great Kitchen Party as I was to help with GMP the first time close to a decade ago. As a Newfoundlander Kitchen Party has always meant fun with friends and there’ll be a lot of that this fall when the culinary and musical events roll across the country. As ever, all the good times are for great causes supporting charities in sports, music, and food. Can’t wait to get it all going. See you there."

Johnny Reid – Musician

“What if the kids don’t have the instruments in their hands to actually practice, to actually create? What if Wayne Gretzky’s dad never gave him a hockey stick, would we even know who Wayne Gretzky is?”  

Curt Harnett – Olympic medalist, Cycling

“It has been an extraordinary twelve years raising funds for Canada’s athletes through this amazing culinary competition and the associated auction adventures, and I look forward to working with Canada’s Great Kitchen Party to continue to support Canada’s inspiring athletes. I invite everyone to attend the Great Kitchen Party in your community, sure to be one of the premiere social events you will attend, where you will mingle with the best of the best in the sport, music and culinary scenes!”

Marnie McBean – Olympic medalist, Rowing

“I love the friends we make and the community we build on every trip I’ve done. Argentina, Chile, Tuscany and Mallorca have all provided extraordinary cycling and hiking adventures, where we pinch ourselves daily with how lucky we are to have great Canadian musicians hanging out and performing right among us.”

James Chatto – CGKP Senior Judge and Culinary Advisor

"The culinary community has always contributed so much to our events; now we can give back to it in a really creative and effective way. Helping young people understand food, in local communities across the country, is brilliant. Meanwhile, our parties just get better and better and our chefs' competitions more and more intense!”

Lorenzo Loseto – Chef, George Restaurant and Canadian Culinary Champion 2014

“I have been lucky enough to be in a position to help raise money for so many great causes during my career. To be able to cook for a cause is an amazing feeling. As a 12 year competing chef, to know that CCFC, an organization with direct ties to the Canadian culinary community is now a recipient, is amazing.”

David Lawrason – Canadian Wine Expert and CKGP National Wine Advisor

“Canadian wine is on an exciting trajectory and I am proud to have been recently awarded by the Canadian Vintners Association for my efforts to tell the story. The road to the Canadian Culinary Championships is a great way of putting Canadians coast-to-coast in touch with the rising quality of Canadian wine.”