Is there a time of the year when being a foodie in Kelowna is especially great? Some would argue, right now is that time. Sure, we still have months to go before we are picking fruit off our abundant trees, and until the farmers’ market is jam-packed with produce, but consider this: we’ve just enjoyed a weekend of culinary extravagance that was the Canadian Culinary Championships, and now we have another special event coming up to celebrate the prowess of our local chefs, bakers, winemakers, distillers, brewers, and food mavens, Devour Kelowna.

The event is billed as a culinary showcase for social foodies, and as it promises, it will showcase food and drink pairings put together by the Okanagan’s finest chefs, mixologists, winemakers, and food purveyors. Defined as an evening of entertainment and indulgence for lovers of fine food and drink, Devour will put together a social evening where guests can watch the Okanagan’s best chefs in action, savour amazing bites, and discover a new favourite wine and sip on a cocktail you never could have imagined. If it sounds like a cocktail party, it really sort of is! In fact, guests are encouraged to get dressy this year.
Proceeds from the event go, in part, to supporting the initiatives of the Okanagan Chefs Association, a group which places high value on supporting and mentoring junior chefs, as well as providing bursaries which foster and encourage culinary education. It is fitting, then, that the gorgeous venue for the event on March 7 will itself be a shrine to empowerment through knowledge, the Okanagan College’s Centre for Learning.
Many presenters at Devour are members of the Okanagan Chefs Association, but by no means all of them. The event is extremely well attended by most everyone involved in the food and beverage service industry in the valley, so it is a true and vivid showcase of the spectacular offerings of the Okanagan.
There is a bit of competitiveness involved as well: judges who know their stuff when it comes to food and drink, and the public as a whole will rank and select their favourites from among the dishes and pairings presented.
On March 7, Devour’s website urges us to “Eat, Drink, & Be Social.” Well, foodie friends, what do you say that we do just that? For tickets (if there are still some left by the time this column runs) and further info visit Devour’s website.
This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.