Plenty to celebrate with Taste of Nova Scotia

Five businesses were recognized with Taste of Nova Scotia Awards during Devour! The Food Film Fest in Wolfville on Oct. 21.

The annual awards recognize and celebrate the culinary leaders in Nova Scotia, the people and products that are at the heart of Nova Scotia’s culinary experiences and successes.

Emily Haynes, executive director of Taste of Nova Scotia, acknowledged the last 19 months have been challenging, but added there was plenty to celebrate.

“We have internationally recognized chefs and restaurants, an award-winning wine industry, thriving fisheries, diverse agricultural products, a booming craft beverage industry, endless coastline, rolling farmland, and to top it all off, we have the best people,” she said.

“It’s those people who shape the culinary fabric of our province that we’re here to celebrate.”

Nova Scotia Community

College instructor and sommelier, Amy Savoury, who presented the service award, lauded two generations of an Acadian family in Saulnierville and the staff of La Cuisine Robicheau for passing on to customers the stories behind the plates and going above and beyond.

Taste of Nova Scotia Awards were presented Oct. 21.

• Producer of the year – Van Dyk’s by Nature, Caledonia.

• Server of the year –

The team at La Cuisine Robicheau, Saulnierville.

• Restaurant of the year – The Biscuit Eater Café & Books, Mahone Bay.

• Product of the year – Tatamagouche Ice Creamery.

• Gary MacDonald Culinary Ambassador Award – Hanspeter Stutz.

Deputy agriculture minister Loretta Robichaud presented Daniel Curren of Tatamagouche Ice Creamery with the product of the year award for “being the essence of small batch manufacturing.”

Hanspeter Stutz of Grand

Pre was awarded the Gary MacDonald Culinary Ambassador Award for his many contributions to Nova Scotia wine, the Magic Winery Bus and Fundy Drinks.

Stutz was lauded for being a visionary and a leader in the Nova Scotia wine industry, as well as his sage advice and power of persuasion.

Nominations for the awards were received until July.

The nominations were brought to a judges’ panel and then approved by the Taste of Nova Scotia board of directors.

They are the only provincewide awards that celebrate restaurants, servers, food and beverage producers, exporters, and industry leaders.

The award program began in 1989, was suspended for a time and relaunched in 2007.

For more information about Taste of Nova Scotia visit www.tasteofnovascotia. com.