PRESS RELEASE: Chef Mark Gray Goes for Gold

For Immediate Release

Halifax, February 3, 2017: Taste of Nova Scotia chef, Mark Gray, is representing Nova Scotia at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna, British Columbia. From February 3 to 4, 2017, Gray is one of eleven chefs from across Canada competing for the national title at the Gold Medal Plates finale.

“I am extremely excited to be representing Nova Scotia at this level. It has been three years of hard work to get to this point, so we do not want to disappoint,” says Gray, executive chef at Battery Park Beer Bar & Eatery. “We have been preparing since we won gold in Halifax…trialing dishes at Brooklyn Warehouse on Tuesday Tastings, countless hours of research and development of possible dishes for the mystery wine and black box competitions as well as perfecting my dish for the final event.”

The two-day competition involves three elements. Friday night, the chefs create a dish to pair with a mystery wine at an event for 500 people on a budget of $500. On Saturday morning at the black box competition, chefs have 60 minutes to produce 14 plates using seven black box ingredients. For the grand finale on Saturday night, chefs reproduce their dish and beverage from their regional Gold Medal Plates competition.

“My winning dish from the Halifax competition is a Tasting of Aaron Hiltz’s Goat Whey Fed, Berkshire Pork. It has been featured in a pâté, mousse and terrine with several accompanying garnishes,” says Gray. “For the pairing, I have created a beverage specifically for the competition and the dish itself…a fermented tea beverage (kombucha) that has had a second fermentation over wild Nova Scotia apples and French oak chips which will be seasoned with Ironworks Distillery Gin.”

“We are so proud to see Mark representing Nova Scotia and competing alongside other great Canadian chefs,” says Taste of Nova Scotia executive director, Emily Haynes. “We are fortunate to have his talent here in Nova Scotia…he truly takes pride in our province and our products. We’re all rooting for Mark as he goes for gold.”

Ted Grant, chair of the Taste of Nova Scotia board of directors, will be in Kelowna as a judge representing Nova Scotia at the competition. He is one of 13 judges for the Canadian Culinary Championships.

For more information about Taste of Nova Scotia and Battery Park Beer Bar & Eatery, visit www.tasteofnovascotia.com. For more information about Gold Medal Plates and the Canadian Culinary Championships, visit www.goldmedalplates.com.

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For more information please contact:

Christine White
Director of Communications & Events, Taste of Nova Scotia
Phone: (902) 492-9291, ext 115
Cell: (902) 880-2180
Email: Christine@tasteofnovascotia.com
Website: www.tasteofnovascotia.com

About Taste of Nova Scotia

Taste of Nova Scotia is a unique, province-wide marketing program, whose members are committed to offering the very best culinary experiences and products that Nova Scotia has to offer. The Taste of Nova Scotia membership base includes more than 185 quality food producers and processors, as well as a collection of the best restaurants in the province. www.tasteofnovascotia.com