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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Fortune Cooking Food Festival at Harbourfront Centre, Aug. 12-14

A tasty exploration of Pan-Asian cuisine and its influence across the globe


TORONTO, ON (July 19, 2011) - Harbourfront Centre, along with its lead summer partner, the Toronto Port Authority, presents the first of two food-focused festivals as part of the Hot Spot Summer festival and events season. The second annual Fortune Cooking Food Festival (Aug. 12-14) is a delicious exploration of Pan-Asian cuisine and its influence on food trends around the world.

Foodies can feast at Fortune Cooking! Scrumptious food demonstrations from some of Toronto's best Pan-Asian chefs include a Korean Barbecue Taco demo with Korean-Japanese food guru Sang Kim alongside Chef Jose Hadad of Frida Restaurant and Wine Bar; and a fast-paced teppanyaki-style dining experience with Chef Michael Tan of Fairmont Royal York's Benihana Japanese Steakhouse. Chef Sasi Meechai-Lim of Mengrai Thai Restaurant will also be on-site to defend her 2010 title at the second annual Longo's Iron Chef Competition!

Toronto gourmands looking for a hands-on Pan-Asian dining experience can enter Harbourfront Centre's Cooking Dinner with a Chef online contest. The public can enter online at harbourfrontcentre.com. On Aug. 5, three lucky families will be chosen to participate in an interactive food demo with one of our Fortune Cooking chefs at the festival.

Novice food aficionados can increase their knowledge of Asian cuisine at the Tutored Tasting: Exploring Asian Produce demo hosted by Andrew Chase (Food editor, Canadian Living, Homemaker's, Asian cuisine expert). From bitter melons to hairy melons, red amaranth to water convolvulus, Taiwan lettuce to mustard greens, Andrew Chase explores exotic Asian fruits and vegetables and how they are prepared in various Asian dishes.

While food is the focus of the Fortune Cooking festival, visitors can take a well-deserved digestion break at a number of music and dance performances (presented by OLG Slots at Woodbine), as well as film and family activities along Toronto's scenic downtown waterfront.

Performance highlights include a mesmerizing Yakudo drumming show that combines the spiritual rhythms of Taiko (drum) with martial arts and contemporary music. Taiwan's Chai Found Music Workshop will also be on-site performing contemporary classical music as well as traditional Chinese and Taiwanese chamber music.

Join us this summer as we explore 'Hot Spots' of intensity, artistic brilliance, connectivity, and regions of conflict that shape the impressions we have of ourselves and our world. This theme is programmed into each weekend festival to bring together rich artistic traditions from our own backyard and around the globe! It also presents a unique opportunity to experience top Canadian and international artists in a fun, family-friendly environment without ever leaving the city!

Hot spots may not always be comfortable, but they are conduits of change. Embrace change or defy it - it is ultimately up to you. This summer, Harbourfront Centre presents programming that asks: What's your hot spot?

For additional information and complete event listings, the public may visit harbourfrontcentre.com/summer or call the Information Hotline at 416-973-4000. Harbourfront Centre is located at 235 Queens Quay West in the heart of downtown Toronto's waterfront.

Full Event Listings by Genre:

Food
The Artful Knife of Teppanyaki
Friday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
A fast-paced performance of chopping and juggling creates an exciting teppanyaki-style dining experience for guests of all ages. Chef Michael Tan from the Fairmont Royal York's Benihana Japanese Steakhouse has been mastering his own teppanyaki cooking style for over 15 years and will demonstrate his cooking skills at the Fortune Cooking Food Festival.

Cooking Dinner with a Chef-Contest & Demo
Friday, Aug. 12, 6:30 p.m. (Marilyn Brewer Community Space)
The public can enter the Cooking Dinner with a Chef Contest online at harbourfrontcentre.com. On Aug. 5, three lucky families will be chosen to cook dinner with Chef Jonathan Cheung - a Red Seal trained chef and owner of Montréal's Appetite for Books culinary bookstore.

(Not) Just Desserts Market
Friday, Aug. 12, 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13, 12 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 14, 12 p.m. (Sculpture Court)
Festival-goers are invited to peruse and purchase an eclectic variety of Pan-Asian culinary offerings including sweets, sauces, cookbooks and more.

Japanese Food Demo with Chef Manh from Supermarket
Saturday, Aug. 13, 1 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace)
Classically trained Japanese Chef Manh (Supermarket Restaurant) has worked with some of the best Japanese chefs in the city. At Fortune Cooking, he will focus on Japanese-style dining and explore the unique tastes and textures of Japanese food.

Singapore Shoik: Hainanese Chicken Rice
Saturday, Aug. 13, 3 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace)
Chicken and rice is one of Singapore's national dishes. Chef Amy Line from Gourmet Garden Malaysian and Singaporean Cuisine will prepare this sweet, hot and spicy dish that is a delicious combination of steamed or roasted chicken served with fragrant rice, fresh minced chili, ginger paste and dark soya sauce on the side.

Pan-Asian Sweets
Saturday, Aug. 13, 3 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 14, 4 p.m. (Marilyn Brewer Community Space)
Satisfy your sweet tooth and your curiosity as local Asian dessert purveyors prepare delicious confections.

Korean Cuisine with John Lee - In partnership with Slow Food Toronto
Saturday, Aug. 13, 5 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace)
Chef John Lee leads an interactive exploration of Korean cuisine with local ingredients. Lee is the owner of Chippy's Fish & Chips Inc., former Executive Chef of the Hilton Garden Inn, an instructor at George Brown College's Chef School, and a freelance writer for Food Television Web, Dining Out, Good Food Revolution, City Bites and Toronto Life online magazine. With a strong focus on delivering complete food and beverage experiences, Lee's continuing goal is to showcase the ever-evolving nature of hospitality and its origins through an Asian lens.

Tutored Tasting: Exploring Asian Produce
Saturday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace)
Toronto markets offer Asian produce year-round, but in the summer months an impressive array of fresh local vegetables becomes available. From bitter melons to hairy melons, Andrew Chase (Food editor, Canadian Living, Homemaker's, Asian cuisine expert) explores different Asian vegetables and how they are enjoyed in various cuisines.

Longo's Iron Chef Competition
Semifinals: Saturday, Aug. 13, 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. (Brigantine Room)
Finals: Sunday, Aug. 14, 2 p.m. (Brigantine Room)
Skill and creativity combine as Chef Sasi Meechai-Lim from Mengrai Thai Restaurant defends her 2010 Longo's Iron Chef Title against Toronto's top contemporary Pan-Asian chefs. Her rivals include Chef Vanessa Yeung of Aphrodite Cooks, Chef Robin Pradhan of Rocky Raccoon Café, and Chef Sang Kim of Sushi Making For The Soul. The competition is judged by Asian cuisine expert Andrew Chase (Food Editor at Canadian Living and Homemaker's Magazine) and Chef Vincent Leung (Executive Chef, Senses).

Tasting Tables
Saturday, Aug. 13, 1 p.m. & Sunday, Aug.14, 1 p.m. (Brigantine Tent)
Fresh and locally-grown Asian and South Asian produce is available for tasting at this interactive food demonstration. Presented in partnership with Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

Malaysian Food Demo with Chef Howard Chew of Restoran Malaysia
Sunday, Aug. 14, 1 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace)
Chef Howard Chew explores exotic Malaysian cuisine and combines exciting flavours and culinary styles to create a unique gastronomic adventure.

Filipino Food Demo with Casa Manila
Sunday, Aug. 14, 3:15 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace)
Casa Manila demonstrates how to make delicious Filipino cuisine - a fascinating blend of Malaysian, Spanish, South-East Asian and Chinese flavours made with indigenous seafood, meat and poultry, vegetables and exotic spices found in the Philippines.

Korean BBQ Tacos
Sunday, Aug. 14, 5 p.m. (Lakeside Terrace)
Culinary innovation radiates as Korean-Japanese food guru Sang Kim and Chef Jose Hadad of Toronto's Frida Restaurant and Wine Bar join together to create Korean BBQ Tacos.

Music
Kollaboration 2011 Showcase
Saturday, Aug. 13, 5 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 14, 5:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Kollaboration is an annual event produced by young Asian and Pacific Islander professionals and students to celebrate the vast talents of their community. The Fortune Cooking Food festival showcases the top finalists from this year's Kollaboration competition including Ally Chan and Kevin Lam, Aron John, Pat Simeon and the winner I Rock with The ONE.

Silk and Bamboo: Chai Found Music Workshop
Saturday, Aug. 13, 8:30 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Taiwan's Chai Found Music Workshop are one of the foremost Sizhu (Chinese chamber music) ensembles in the world. At Fortune Cooking they perform contemporary classical music as well as traditional Chinese and Taiwanese music.

Yakudo
Saturday, August 13, 5:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Yakudo performances combine the spiritual sound of the Taiko (Japanese Drums) with martial arts, choreography and contemporary music. They are a Toronto based not-for-profit organization dedicated to sharing the Japanese culture through Taiko by teaching classes and conducting workshops and presentations. 

The Wickalows
Saturday, Aug. 13, 7:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
The Wickalows are composer/pianist Shin Kim and singer-songwriter Jillian Brady. Kim's arrangements are complimented by Brady's lyrical and vocal power to create their own blend of electronic and pop music.

Dance
Mi Young Kim Dance Company
Saturday, Aug. 13, 3:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Mi Young Kim is the artistic director and founder of the first professional Korean dance institution in Canada. They strive to honor Korean tradition while collaborating across cultures and generations.

Tai Chi and Wushu demonstrations by Ji Hong Tai Chi
Saturday, Aug. 13, 1:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Students and instructors from Ji Hong Tai Chi showcase the different forms of Tai Chi - including Yang-style Tai Chi, Chen-style Tai Chi and Tai Chi Sword. Former National team members from Wayland Li Martial Arts Centre also showcase Wushu as a high performance exhibition art.

Little Pear Garden Collective
Sunday, Aug. 14, 1:30 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Directed by artistic director Emily Cheung, Little Pear Garden Collective's mandate is to raise the profile of professional Chinese-Canadian artists through the presentation and production of high calibre artistic programming. Members of the collective include professional artists, cultural workers and community leaders.

Film
Singapore Shiok: 'Rice Rhapsody' (Mandarin with English subtitles)
Friday, Aug. 12, 9 p.m. (WestJet Stage)
Directed by Kenneth Bi, 'Rice Rhapsody' (2005) invites audiences into the kitchen of a Hainanese chicken rice restaurant. The doors open to a culinary culture that is multi-faceted and multi-layered between generations and cultures. Presented in partnership with Toronto Singapore Film Festival.

Family Activities
Tasty Little Journeys
Saturday, Aug. 13, 1 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 14, 1 p.m. (Boulevard Tent, HarbourKIDS Zone Tent, South Orchard Tent)
Kids embark on their very own Tasty Little Journeys, starting with an origami passport and ending with sushi desserts with Chef Jaime Ho. Each station offers a taste of Asian cultures from food to crafts to sports.

Chai Found Music Workshop
Sunday, Aug. 14, 3 p.m. (Redpath Stage)
Musicians from the Chai Found Music Workshop recreate animal and nature roars with their traditional Chinese instruments.

Ping Pong Demonstration with SPiN Toronto
Friday, Aug. 12, 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13, 1 p.m. & Sunday, Aug. 14, 1 p.m. (Boulevard Tent)
Ping Pong is one of Asia's most popular sports. Watch as ping pong professionals demonstrate their incredibly skillful and high-speed techniques at this interactive demo.

Lecture

A Photographer and Filmmaker's View of the Chinese Restaurant
Saturday, Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m. (Marilyn Brewer Community Space)
Toronto-based photographer and artist Morris Lum's New Cultural Topographic: The Chinese Restaurant is a photographic collection of Chinese restaurants in the GTA and Ontario. Through the exploration of the architecture, each photograph examines the uniqueness and individuality of Chinese restaurants. At this lecture and discussion, Lum will explore the importance of the Chinese restaurant as a means of socialization, culture and unification. In addition to his photographs, Lum will be showing excerpts from his upcoming film.

SEASON-LONG EVENTS:

SoundClash presented by NOW Magazine, Harbourfront Centre's Music Award
The summer's hottest music competition happens at Harbourfront Centre with $10,000 in cash prizes up for grabs! Toronto's hottest artists and bands take centre stage to compete for the SoundClash music award. A panel of music critics, bloggers, artists and industry reps selected the following five artists out of 250 submissions: Young Empires, Kids & Explosions, Miles Jones, The Worst Pop Band Ever and Saidah Baba Talibah. Each artist and/or band will play the WestJet Stage this July to compete for three cash prizes and a variety of giveaways. The winner will be determined by a combination of jury selections and public votes. harbourfrontcentre.com/soundclash
Longo's Free Flicks
Tuesdays at dusk (approximately 9 p.m.), July 5 through Aug. 9 (WestJet Stage)
Join us outdoors by the lake for a screening of six different films, each highlighting the experience of living in a different city! Come explore Toronto, New York, Paris, New Delhi and Toyko and vote on the final film selection (Venice, Toronto or Cairo).

Hot off the Grill
Come and enjoy the flavour of the season as our festivals put a spotlight on grilled foods from around the globe. Whether you prefer your grill from the Deep South or the Far East, a whole summer's worth of food demonstrations is waiting for you!

Longo's Friday Picnics
Fridays, July through August, between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. (Ann Tindal Park)
Buy a sandwich, a snack, or an internationally inspired meal at the World Café and then enjoy it sitting on the Ann Tindal Park, or pack your cooler with your favorite feast! Live entertainment will vary each week.

HarbourKIDS
Sundays, 3 p.m. (locations vary)
A hot summer series devoted to young people and families, HarbourKIDS presents a hot lineup of artists and activities that will move, shake-up and entertain. 

Dancing on the Pier
Thursdays, June 23 to Sept. 1 (Various locations on the waterfront)
Explore culturally hot dance trends and movements from across the globe that will heat up the Harbourfront Centre site and its surroundings! The waterfront will be filled with sizzling flavors, movement and sounds from the best choreographers, social dance clubs and DJs to heat up the boardwalk!

World Café
Open weekends, June 24 to Oct.10
World Café offers a variety of international cuisine prepared by a rotating selection of popular Toronto restaurants and caterers. Come check out our new location and patio seating area.

International Marketplace
Open weekends, May 28 to Oct. 2
Shop for delightful gifts and treasures from around the globe!

Canoe Rides on the Natrel® Pond
Daily, May to October ($4 for 15 minutes)
Our famous canoe rides will be available at the Natrel Pond all summer long! Take a break and enjoy a fun float beside our picturesque boardwalk.

ABOUT HOT SPOT SUMMER 2011
Hot spots may not always be comfortable, but they are conduits of change. Embrace change or defy it - it is ultimately up to you. This summer, Harbourfront Centre presents programming that asks: What’s your hot spot? 

ABOUT HARBOURFRONT CENTRE
Harbourfront Centre is an innovative, non-profit cultural organization which provides internationally renowned programming in the arts, culture, education and recreation, all within a collection of distinctive venues on a 10-acre site in the heart of Toronto's downtown waterfront. For more information visit harbourfrontcentre.com.

ABOUT TORONTO PORT AUTHORITY
The Toronto Port Authority, Harbourfront Centre's lead summer partner, owns and operates the Port of Toronto, the Billy Bishop Airport, and the Outer Harbour Marina. It is committed to building a waterfront community that is vibrant and enjoyable for Torontonians and visitors, by working with partners to create a clean, green, prosperous water's edge. For more information visit torontoport.com.

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