Meet the Judges

Joie Alvaro Kent is a columnist for Montecristo magazine; her work also appears in Vancouver magazine, the Eating & Drinking Guide, and Best Places Vancouver. She is also a judge for the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

Murray Bancroft is the culinary director for Western Living magazine and consults with a roster of international clients as a research chef and food stylist.

Christina Burridge is the drink editor for Vancouver magazine and the executive director of the B.C. Seafood Alliance.

Sid Cross, cofounder of the Chefs’ Table Society of BC, keeps busy educating, advising, and judging at many wine and food events including the Canadian Culinary Championships.

Bill Jones is a chef, author, and food consultant based on Deerholme Farm in the Cowichan Valley. Jones is an editor for Islandchef.ca.

DJ Kearney is a sommelier instructor for the International Sommelier Guild, a chef, and a wine writer for Wine Access magazine. She is the head judge of this magazine’s International Wine Awards competition.

Qubic Lam is a freelance writer and a wine columnist for Sing Tao Daily and Evergreen News, and a consulting editor and columnist for Wine Trend magazine in China.

Deana Lancaster is the food and wine editor for the North Shore News and Look magazine, and a contributor to the Eating & Drinking Guide and Sunset magazine.

Lee Man is a freelance food writer; his work has appeared in Vancouver magazine, Eat magazine, the Vancouver edition of Time Out, and Best Places Vancouver. He’s also a founding judge of the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

Brendon Mathews is a freelance food writer with expertise in Chinese cuisine and a judge for the Chinese Restaurant Awards.

Barbara-jo McIntosh is an author, a former restaurateur, and the owner of the bookstore Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks.

Neal McLennan is the food and travel editor at Western Living and a contributor to Cooking Light, enRoute, and Seattle magazines.

Jason McRobbie is a freelance writer and videographer with an interest in regional cooking.

Andrew Morrison is the editor of Scout magazine, restaurant critic at WE, writing instructor at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, and a contributor to Vancouver magazine.

Tim Pawsey covers food and wine for the Vancouver Courier, North Shore News, and Where Vancouver, co-edits Zagat’s Vancouver survey, and blogs at HiredBelly.com.

David Scholefield is a global wine expert and consultant. He is also vice-president of strategy for Liquid Art Fine Wines.

Shelora Sheldan is the Victoria city editor for Western Living magazine and contributes to Northwest Palate, Best Places Vancouver, Eat, and various in-flight magazines.

Mia Stainsby is the indefatigable restaurant critic and food writer for the Vancouver Sun.

Stephen Wong is a food and wine writer and consultant, cookbook author, and founding chair and judge of the Chinese Restaurant Awards.