It’s not every day that you can help support our oceans with your spoon, but this November 21, you have the savoury chance to do just that. This year’s third annual 2012 Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown competition at the Fairmont Royal York will feature 13 top Ocean Wise chefs competing head-to-head with their original ocean-friendly seafood chowders, paired with craft beer. Guests can sample these delicious chowder-beer pairings and vote for their favourite – not a bad way to support seafood conservation, if you ask me!

Tickets to this once-a-year event are available here for $45+HST, and all proceeds support Ocean Wise, a national seafood conservation initiative of the Vancouver Aquarium. Tickets are going quickly, so be sure to snag yours early.

The chef line-up has been announced, and it’s looking delectable:

  • Chef Albert Ponzo | Le Select Bistro
  • Chef Patrick McMurray | Starfish Oyster Bed and Grill
  • Chef Shaun Edmonstone | Bruce Wine Bar
  • Chef David Kokai | Loic Gourmet
  • Chef Morgan Wilson | Trios Bistro at the Toronto Downtown Marriott Eaton Centre
  • Chef Amira Becarevic | EPIC at the Fairmont Royal York
  • Chef Takayuki Sato | Hapa Izakaya
  • Chef Kristin Donovan | Hooked
  • Chef Frank Byrne | Fishbar
  • Chef Thomas Heitz | Port Restaurant
  • Chef Richard Baksh| Earls Kitchen and Bar
  • Chef Alexandra Gaponovitch | Calphalon Culinary Centre
  • Chef Stacey Blois | Western University Canada

Although guests will vote for the winner of the People’s Choice Award, the winning title of 2012 Ocean Wise Chowder Chowdown champion will be decided by a celebrity panel of judges that includes:

  • Anthony Walsh | Corporate Executive Chef/Partner, Oliver and Bonacini Restaurants
  • Carl Heinrich | Partner/Executive Chef, Richmond Station & Top Chef Canada Season 2 Winner
  • Rebecca LeHeup | Executive Director, Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance
  • Jamie Kennedy | Owner/Executive Chef, Jamie Kennedy Kitchens
  • Micah Donovan | The Food Jammers

We’ll see you there, hopefully with your spoon in hand and your appetite primed!