Roberto Arciaga of Renaissance Hotel wins Fetzer 
Great Beginnings Gold Award
Herons at Fairmont Waterfront chef wins People’s Choice Award

Vancouver, BC (March 4, 2006) – The 28th Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is 
pleased to announce that Roberto Arciaga, chef at the Coal Harbour Bar at the Renaissance 
Vancouver Hotel Harbourside, won the judges’ choice Gold Award at the Fetzer Great 
Beginnings Wine and Appetizer Challenge on March 1. The ninth annual Great Beginnings 
competition is one of 52 events at the festival. Arciaga’s winning dish was Short Rib Kaldereta 
with Arroz de Achuete.

The 350 attendees at the sold-out competition chose Geoff Hopgood’s dish of Braised Lamb 
Belly, Foie Gras Stuffed Croquette, Fetzer Zinfandel and Date Jus with Toasted Mustard-
Seed Froth as their favourite. He wins the People’s Choice Award. Hopgood is chef at Herons 
Restaurant at The Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver.

The competition, which saw 10 chef finalists and one student chef finalist vying to see who had 
done the best job of creating an original appetizer to pair with Fetzer Vineyards’ Valley Oaks 
Zinfandel, took place at The Fairmont Waterfront. The Gold Award winner receives a trip for 
two to the California home of Fetzer Vineyards in Mendocino County to spend time with 
executive chef John Ash.

Judges chose the finalists from a field of 30 entrants representing restaurants from around 
British Columbia. Judging took place at Dubrulle’s in early February. The judging panel includes 
Soren Fakstorp (chef instructor at The Art Institute of Vancouver – Dubrulle Culinary Arts); 
Seann Halingten (wine guide at BC Liquor Stores in Richmond and wine writer with Richmond 
News); Kenji Hodgson (author, cofounder of halfaglass.com and wine writer for The Province 
newspaper); Judith Lane (food writer at The Georgia Straight, Vancouver Lifestyles and 
others); Rhonda May (editor of CityFood magazine); Tim Pawsey (wine and food writer at, 
among others, the Zagat Survey; Vancouver Courier, North Shore News, Wine Access and 
Northwest Palate); Bruce Stephen (wine writer with Vancouver Lifestyles and 
diningoutguide.com); and David Scholefield ( expert palate-at-large; coordinator and writer of 
the Wine Awards at Vancouver magazine).

There are three other Fetzer Great Beginnings Wine & Appetizer Challenge events in Canada. 

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is a fundraiser for the Playhouse 
Theatre Company and is sponsored by Chubb Insurance Company of Canada.

 
 
 
 
 			 

Media contact:
Betty Verkuil – 604-988-9502
media@playhousewinefest.com