Back for its fourth year, the 2013 Vancouver Aquarium Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown promises to be a tasty event, with 13 Toronto Ocean Wise chefs competing head to head with their original, ocean-friendly seafood chowders, paired with beer.

This year’s competition is taking place on Tuesday, November 19 at 7 p.m. at a new venue – the industrial-chic Fermenting Cellar in the Historic Distillery District. Tickets are $50, and are going fast – you can purchase yours at vanaqua.org/chowdown.

As you may know, Ocean Wise is Vancouver Aquarium’s national sustainable seafood initiative, which works with restaurant, retail, and supplier partners throughout Canada to provide sustainable seafood options to consumers, marked with an Ocean Wise symbol. The annual Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown (which is also taking place this year in Vancouver and Calgary) is the program’s largest fundraiser, dedicated to raising awareness and support for ocean conservation. Overfishing is the biggest threat facing our oceans today, with 90 per cent of larger fish species already gone from our oceans.

Participating Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown chefs are calling attention to this issue through their menu options, and at this event, are inviting consumers to taste how delicious ocean-friendly seafood chowder can be. Below is the line-up of Ocean Wise chefs contending for the winning title in this year’s competition:

  • Chef Charlotte Langley | Catch Seafood Restaurant
  • Chef Stuart Cameron | Starfish Oyster Bed and Grill
  • Chef Leanne English | Sodexo Canada
  • Chef Doug Neigel | Trattoria Mercatto
  • Chef Koichi Fujioka | Hapa Izakaya
  • Chef Maxine Knight | The Healthy Butcher
  • Chef Sonia Potichnyj | John & Sons Oyster House
  • Chef Travis Cropley | Pure Spirits Oyster House
  • Chef Felipe Faccioli | Fishbar
  • Chef Siobhan Dolan | The Sweet Potato
  • Chef Thomas Heitz | Port
  • Chef Joshua Dyer | EPIC, Fairmont Royal York
  • Chef Michael Wilson | Luma

Although considered a friendly cook-off, the annual event is marked by stiff competition, as top Toronto chefs compete for the votes of the high-profile judges’ panel that will select the 2013 Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown Champion. Event guests are invited to sample all 13 mouth-watering chowders paired with beer, and cast their vote for the People’s Choice winner.

Join the movement for sustainable seafood, and be sure you don’t miss out on this year’s event! Tickets are available at vanaqua.org/chowdown.