Founded in 2003, the goal of Gold Medal Plates is to raise substantial funds for Canada’s high performance athletes, while celebrating Canadian excellence. Since 2004, Gold Medal Plates has received tremendous support and accolades all across Canada, and generated a combined net total of over $7.4 million for Canada’s Olympic athletes! Gold Medal Plates is supported by corporate partners and individuals from across Canada who are committed to Canadian Excellence and supporting Canadian athletes.

• Halifax – Thursday Oct 17
• Edmonton – Thursday Oct 24
• Winnipeg – Friday Oct 25
• Toronto – Wednesday October 30
• Regina – Friday November 1
• Calgary – Saturday November 2
• Victoria – Thursday November 7
• Saskatoon – Friday November 8
• St Johns – Thursday November 14
• Ottawa – Monday November 18
• Montreal – tbd

1) Celebrate Canadian excellence in food, wine, athletic achievement and entertainment.

2) Continue to develop the finest culinary competition in Canada and feature the best chefs and Canadian wines, beers and spirits in the country.

3)Build on the momentum of the Canadian patriotism experienced during the incredible successful Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and “Go for Gold in Sochi”.

4) Demonstrate to our Canadian Olympic athletes that Canadians are committed to their development, passionate about their journey, and proud to have them represent us on the world stage.

5) Raise funds for the Canadian Olympic Foundation to support Canadian Olympic athletes.

Click Here for Beneficiary Information

In February, the top 8-10 chefs from each city or region are selected by a national and regional panel of judges and they then compete in the fall for the honour of being the regional Gold Medal Plates champion. During the Gold Medal Plates project over 100+ competing chefs create their ultimate dish and pair it with a premier Canadian wine, spirit or beer.

A team of food and wine critics from each region work with national critics to determine the top three winning creations and then a gold, silver and bronze medal winning chef is crowned. To be invited to compete is a notch in the belt. To win the gold is a major achievement! The gold medal winning chef goes on to compete at the Gold Medal Plates Finale – The Canadian Culinary Championship – in Kelowna, British Columbia to be crowned the top chef in Canada is a career changer.

To get a list of Competing Chefs in a given city, link to that city and select “Competing Chefs”

Click Here for Canadian Culinary Champions 2006-2012

 

The celebration of Canadian wine, beer and spirits has become an integral part of the success of Gold Medal Plates. The wine, beer and spirits that are presented to the more than 5000 Gold Medal Plates guests gets more comprehensive and more fascinating each year. Gold Medal Plates is now the largest program in Canada to feature and highlight excellent Canadian wines.

The generosity of the Canadian industry is impressive and in 2012 a record seventy winemakers, brewers, and distillers donated tens of thousands of dollars worth of their products…and most donated their premium labels! At the VIP, guests get to sample unique product. During the culinary competition, the chefs pair their dish with their chosen wine, beer or spirit. And during the entertainment portion of the evening, guests are treated to some incredible labels. Guests go away educated and impressed with the caliber of Canadian wine, beer and spirits.

The 2012 wine, beer and spirit donors

At each event, Canadian Olympic athletes host corporate tables and share their remarkable stories as featured speakers. Gold Medal Plates was founded with the belief that the stories of Canadian Olympic athletes deserve to be heard and that the athletes deserve to know and experience how much Canadians care about their journey. At any Gold Medal Plates event there are from 8-48 athletes. They mingle with the guests, they sit at corporate tables, but more importantly, they get to enjoy a good meal and they get to experience the guests emotional and financial support.

In 2012, over 220 athletes were in attendance. Featured speakers have included Marnie McBean (Olympic Triple Gold and Bronze Medallist), Alexandre Bilodeau (Olympic Gold Medallist), Catriona Le May Doan (Olympic Double Gold and Bronze Medallist) Jennifer Heil (Olympic Gold and Silver Medallist), Alexandre Despatie (Olympic Double Silver Medallist) and many more.

Click Here for a Gallery of Athletes

Jim Cuddy, lead singer of Blue Rodeo is the Gold Medal Plates national entertainment advisor. He invites incredible Canadian talent to share the stage with him. Gold Medal Plates is known for its intimate and unique combinations of Canadian talent.

It’s a rare treat to hear Jim Cuddy and Ed Robertson banter and then sing together on stage or to hear the amazing voices of Barney Bentall and Colin James together. Gold Medal Plates entertainment has included Jim Cuddy, Barney Bentall, Ed Robertson, Alan Doyle, Anne Lindsay, Colin James and Kathleen Edwards.

Click Here for a list of Celebrity Supporters.

Gold Medal Plates incorporates some very unique international experiences that are auctioned off at every event. Guests have the opportunity to travel to a desirable international destination, interact with Canadian Olympic athletes and enjoy amazing Canadian entertainment.

Each year over 500 Canadians from across the country embark on travel experiences like they have never experienced before. Gold Medal Plates has gained a reputation of creating week-long adventures that combine great food, wine, entertainment and activity …whether it by cycling in Tuscany, hiking in Chile, walking from pub to pub in England or sailing in Croatia.

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