Chef Lorenzo Loseto Wins Gold Medal Plates Toronto

Culinary Award Winners
Gold: Lorenzo Loseto (George Restaurant)
Silver: Tyler Shedden (Café Boulud)
Bronze: Victor Barry (Splendido)

Best of Show Wine Award Winners
2^nd Runner-up - Tied

• KEW Vineyards - Old Vines Riesling 2010, Niagara, Ontario
• Tawse Winery - Sketches 2011, Niagara, Ontario

1^st Runner-up - Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery - Vintage 2010 Estate Pinot Noir

Best of Show: Stratus Vineyards - Stratus Red 2010, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2013 /CNW/ - Lorenzo Loseto of George Restaurant proved his culinary prowess on October 30, 2013, taking home the gold award at the Toronto 2013 Gold Medal Plates competition held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto. Loseto went head-to-head with nine of Toronto's finest at the prestigious culinary competition and will go on to compete at the Canadian Culinary Championships, the Gold Medal Plates Finale, in Kelowna on February 7 and 8, 2014. 

Lorenzo Loseto took the gold medal with the Ahi Tuna, Jasmine Carrot & Pear. This was paired with a KEW Vineyards, Old Vines Riesling 2010, from Niagara, Ontario.

Tyler Shedden of Café Boulud, rose to the occasion as well, taking the silver medal. Shedden created Wild Quebec Hare "a la Royale" (B.C. Quince, Chestnuts, Porcini Mushrooms and Civet Sauce) paired with Stratus Vineyards, Stratus Red 2010, from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

Taking the bronze medal was Victor Barry of Splendido. His dish was Matsutake Mushroom and Burgundy Black Truffle Salad paired with Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery, Vintage 2010 Estate Pinot Noir, from Beamsville, Ontario.

"The atmosphere tonight was amazing. It was a charged room and I loved the enthusiasm from the chefs and the crowd in Toronto," said national judge James Chatto. "Pork, fish, poultry, meat, vegetables and wine…so many local ingredients were utilized in the chefs' dishes, some even came from their own backyards."

In the wine category, the Best of Show Awards went to Stratus Vineyards - Stratus Red 2010, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario (Gold). Silver was awarded to Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery - Vintage 2010 Estate Pinot Noir. Two wines were tied for Bronze - KEW Vineyards - Old Vines Riesling 2010, Niagara, Ontario and Tawse Winery - Sketches 2011, Niagara, Ontario

Music for the evening was provided by Canadian legend Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo and an all-star cast of Canadian entertainers including Tom Cochrane, Barney Bentall, Anne Lindsay and comedian Ron James. 

Gold Medal Plates is the ultimate celebration of Canadian excellence in food, wine, athletic achievement and entertainment. In addition to the finest food and excellent music, guests had the opportunity to mingle with 25 celebrated Olympians such as Marnie McBean (rowing), Adam van Koeverden (Canoe/Kayak - Flatwater), Rosanna MacLennan (trampoline) and Carlton Chambers (athletics).

"The money raised at Gold Medal Plates helps divert funding through all facets of Canadian sport… nutrition, research and development, sports psychology, coaching and access to new equipment so Canada can compete on a world level," said three-time Gold Medalist, Jennifer Botterill.

Scot Martin, co-chair of the event, said," I think it improves our community to bring events like Gold Medal Plates to Toronto.  What gets me pumped up about events like this is that we are building opportunities for local athletes who are on the road to Olympic medals and that's the greatest gift we can give these competitors." 

Proceeds from Gold Medal Plates go to the Canadian Olympic Foundation, supporting programs that further Canadian high performance athletes' pursuit of excellence on the world stage - programs like Own The Podium and the COC's Athlete Excellence Fund. Since 2004, Gold Medal Plates has generated over $7.4 million for Canada's Olympic athletes. 

Judges for the Toronto competition were: James Chatto, Head Judge & National Culinary Advisor,    Sasha Chapman, Christine Cushing, Anita Stewart, John Higgins, Chef Marc St.-Jacques. Each dish was judged out of 100 points, based on visual presentation (20%), texture (20%), taste (30%), wine compatibility (10%), originality (10%) and wow factor (10%).

Gold Medal Plates Halifax also featured a silent auction as well as a live auction, with spectacular getaways with Olympians and Canadian entertainers to destinations such as British Virgin Islands, Tuscany, Provence, South Africa, Scotland and Kelowna for the Canadian Gold Medal Plates finals - the Canadian Culinary Championship. 

For more information, visit the Gold Medal Plates website www.goldmedalplates.com. 

About Canadian Olympic Foundation - The Beneficiary of Gold Medal Plates
The Canadian Olympic Foundation is a national charitable organization that generates support to meet the technical, scientific, medical and coaching needs of Canada's athletes across all Olympic sports. Proceeds from Gold Medal Plates are given to the Canadian Olympic Foundation to support high performance programs such as Own the Podium. To learn more about the Foundation and the programs it funds, please visit www.olympicfoundation.ca.

SOURCE: Gold Medal Plates Inc.