Whistler's Cornucopia Demonstrates Area's Diversity
Whistler's Cornucopia Demonstrates Area's Diversity
Whistler is a small town with less than 10,000 people, but the fantastic ski resort located there has put the region on the map. Yet winter sports aren't the only reason to head to Whistler, as the town's annual Cornucopia festival recently demonstrated.
The National Post says that while it's true that skiing "built the town," the culinary offerings have really come into their own, making Whistler a gastronomic destination as well. Famed chef Gordon Ramsay recently told the Toronto Star that he wanted to retire in Whistler, splitting his time between cooking and skiing.
Given the offerings on display at Cornucopia, it's easy to see why. The town has attracted a number of top Canadian chefs, like Melissa Craig, proprietor of the Bearfoot Bistro. The Bistro recently opened the Belvedere Ice Room, a traditional ice bar where patrons put on a parka and sample 50 different flavors of vodka from around the world.
Whistler's location doesn't mean that the chefs are importing their ingredients, either. The restaurant Aura at the Nita Lake lodge currently supplies 40 percent of its own produce via a rooftop garden, with the owner hoping to increase that figure to 80 percent in the near future.
Cornucopia may have passed, but the restaurants who had displays at the show are open year-round. Travelers may also want to plan next year's Canadian Rockies vacation around the 2011 Cornucopia.
The National Post says that while it's true that skiing "built the town," the culinary offerings have really come into their own, making Whistler a gastronomic destination as well. Famed chef Gordon Ramsay recently told the Toronto Star that he wanted to retire in Whistler, splitting his time between cooking and skiing.
Given the offerings on display at Cornucopia, it's easy to see why. The town has attracted a number of top Canadian chefs, like Melissa Craig, proprietor of the Bearfoot Bistro. The Bistro recently opened the Belvedere Ice Room, a traditional ice bar where patrons put on a parka and sample 50 different flavors of vodka from around the world.
Whistler's location doesn't mean that the chefs are importing their ingredients, either. The restaurant Aura at the Nita Lake lodge currently supplies 40 percent of its own produce via a rooftop garden, with the owner hoping to increase that figure to 80 percent in the near future.
Cornucopia may have passed, but the restaurants who had displays at the show are open year-round. Travelers may also want to plan next year's Canadian Rockies vacation around the 2011 Cornucopia.
Posted on Monday, Nov 22, 2010 by Justin Marlowe
