Chef Martin Ruiz Salvador Wins Gold Medal Plates 10th Anniversary Celebration
For Immediate Release
October 29, 2015
Press Release
Chef Martin Ruiz Salvador Wins Gold Medal Plates 10th Anniversary Celebration
Eight Nova Scotia Chefs Awarded Gold Medal Plates Emblem of Distinction
Culinary Award Winners
Gold: Chef Martin Ruiz Salvador from Fleur de Sel paired with 2013 Ancienne Chardonnay from Lightfoot & Wolfville
Silver: Chef Thomas Carey from Fresh Twenty One paired with 2013 Martock Select Late Harvest from Avondale Sky Winery
Bronze: Chef Ardon Mofford from Governors Pub & Eatery paired with 2014 Reserve Riesling from Domaine de Grande Pré
Best of Show Wine Award Winners
Gold: 2010 Prestige Brut Estate, Zero Dosage, L’Acadie Vineyards, Wolfville, NS
Silver: 2013 Ancienne Chardonnay, Lightfoot & Wolfville, Wolfville, NS
Bronze: 2011 Rosé Méthod Classique, Benjamin Bridge, Wolfville, NS
Halifax, NS (October 29, 2015) – Chef Martin Ruiz Salvador from Fleur de Sel in Lunenburg, once again proved his culinary prowess tonight taking home the gold award at the 10th anniversary celebration of Gold Medal Plates. Chef Martin went head-to-head with seven of Nova Scotia’s finest culinary masters at the prestigious culinary competition and will go on to compete at the Canadian Culinary Championships, the Gold Medal Plates Finale, in Kelowna on February 5 to 6, 2016.
Chef Martin took his third gold medal in Halifax with his dish, Rabbit and Snails:
Terrine Persillé – braised Nova Scotia rabbit shoulder & sea parsley terrine, bone marrow remoulade, house made brioche, sea lettuce.
Lapin & Escargot à la Bourguignonne – rabbit loin stuffed with sea snails, sea parsley & black garlic, house cured bacon, rabbit kidney, cep, white wine & mustard sauce
Cassoulet – leg of rabbit stuffed with rabbit ‘Toulouse’ sausage, saucisson sec & beans, rabbit lardons, beach peas, beach pea oil, Nova Scotia edamame, parsley root purée
Parfait – rabbit liver parfait, onion confit, honey, mustard seeds, poached MacIntosh apple, rabbit ‘chicaron’
Chef Martin’s dish was paired with the 2013 Ancienne Chardonnay from Lightfoot & Wolfville.
Chef Thomas Carey from Fresh Twenty One, rose to the occasion as well, taking the silver medal. Chef Thomas created a Toasted Peanut and Sweet Chili Pork Belly with white kimchi, puffed pork and ginger apricot purée paired with 2013 Martock Select Late Harvest from Avondale Sky Winery in Newport Station.
Taking the bronze medal was Chef Ardon Mofford from Governors Pub & Eatery in Sydney. His dish was Nova Scotia Pork Bellies and Louisbourg Candied Pumpkin Seared Scallops, butternut squash purée with smoked chorizo tomato gel, kale, chimichurri, pickled beets and micro greens paired with 2014 Reserve Riesling from Domaine de Grand Pré in Grand Pré.
“Our team worked very hard on this dish…we were here to win,” says Chef Martin. “This win means a lot to our Fleur de Sel team and we are excited to represent Nova Scotia in Kelowna next year.”
The other chefs competing in Halifax were: Bee Choo Char (The Prince George Hotel, Halifax), Mark Gray (The Brooklyn Warehouse, Halifax), Erwin Palo (Café 101, Dartmouth), Jeffrey MacNeil (Rime Restaurant + Wine Bar, Lunenburg) and David G. Haines (The Press Gang Restaurant and Oyster Bar, Halifax).
“It was an amazing evening, there was an incredible energy in Halifax and our strongest line-up of chefs here yet,” said national judge James Chatto. “Martin’s gold medal dish was technically impeccable. He prepared classic French dishes but with a completely original Nova Scotia twist.”
All competing chefs were awarded the Gold Medal Plates Emblem of Distinction, the gold standard in Canadian fine dining and a guarantee of excellence to all who enter their dining establishments. This distinction is offered only to chefs selected to compete at Gold Medal Plates dinners.
Judges for the Halifax competition were: Bill Spurr of The Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia Senior Judge), Alain Bossé (The Kilted Chef), Ted Grant (Manager of Hospitality Programming at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)), Amy Savoury (Sommelier, NSCC), Jason Lynch (Executive Chef, Le Caveau) and national head judge James Chatto. Also judging was Chef Renée Lavallée from The Canteen who won gold in Halifax last year.
Each dish was judged out of 100 points, based on visual presentation (20%), texture (20%), taste (30%), wine compatibility (10%), originality (10%) and wow factor (10%). Proceeds from this event will be going to the Canadian Olympic Foundation, supporting programs that further Canadian high performance athletes’ pursuit of excellence on the world stage – programs like Own The Podium and the COC’s Athlete Excellence Fund. Since 2004, Gold Medal Plates has generated over $9.5 million for Canada’s Olympic athletes.
“What really excites me about emceeing across the country is bringing the community into the Olympic movement,” said Curt Harnett, one-time Olympic Silver medalist and two-time Bronze medalist in Cycling. “It’s an experience to see the significant pride Canadians have for Olympians and how their financial contributions, through events like Gold Medal Plates, directly help fulfill athlete’s dreams.”
“My son is an athlete so I understand the dedication, commitment and funding it takes to send a Canadian to the podium on the world stage…Gold Medal Plates and the support from our community help make that journey easier and achievable for our Olympic athletes,” says Phil Otto, CEO of Revolve and co-chair for the Halifax event. “Tonight was an extraordinary evening of the best chefs, the best vineyards, the best athletes and best entertainers…a celebration of the very best of Canadian culture.”
For more information, visit the Gold Medal Plates website www.goldmedalplates.com.
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For further information contact:
Karen Blair Christine White
Co-Founder and Media Director Media and Communications
Gold Medal Plates – National Gold Medal Plates – Halifax
P: 416-778-6533 P: 902-880-2180
E: kblair@goldmedalplates.com E: Christine@tasteofnovascotia.com
Gold Medal Plates
Gold Medal Plates is the ultimate celebration of Canadian excellence in food, wine, athletic achievement and entertainment and has raised over 9.5 million for elite Canadian athletes. For more information, visit the Gold Medal Plates website www.goldmedalplates.com
Canadian Olympic Foundation –The Beneficiary of Halifax Gold Medal Plates 2015
The Canadian Olympic Foundation is a national charitable organization that generates support to meet the technical, scientific, medical and coaching needs of Canada’s athletes across all Olympic sports. Proceeds from Gold Medal Plates are given to the Canadian Olympic Foundation to support high performance programs such as Own the Podium. To learn more about the Foundation and the programs it funds, please visit www.olympicfoundation.ca.