High-profile local chefs Vikram Vij, of Vij’s and Rangoli restaurants, and Karen Barnaby, of the Fish House in Stanley Park, are part of a panel of experts the City of Vancouver has enlisted to review applications for the municipality’s expanded street food program.
“The quality of the people we have on this panel just shows what a huge interest there is in street food in Vancouver,” Vancouver councillor Heather Deal said.
The expanded program extends the city’s street vending by 20 locations and encourages vendors to offer greater food diversity, more nutrition and more local foods in their offerings.
Besides Vij and Barnaby, the panel evaluating the food cart applications will include a variety of food industry and business experts, including nutritionist Miel Richtscheid, Vancouver Farmers Market Society executive director Tara McDonald, Downtown Business Improvement Association executive director Charles Gauthier, Vancouver Economic Development Commission policy analyst Juvarya Warsi, BC Restaurant and Food Services Association president and CEO Ian Tostensen, and food bloggers James Tabbert and Amy Eagan.
“Our street food program has been a huge hit and I’m excited we’re expanding it this year,” Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said in a press release issued yesterday, along with the list of panellists.
“This expansion will provide even more opportunities for local businesses as well as the suppliers, farmers and farmers’ markets who help bring these menus and flavours to Vancouver streets.”