Parks and Recreation manager Carol Sheridan engages the crowd to determine who is the ‘top dog’ chef at Uncork the Sun in Oliver Community Park on Thursday. Chef Jeff Van Geest (left) from Miradoro Restaurant encourages the cheers before winning the title. At right is chef Liam McNulty from Nk’Mip Cellars anticipating a win. Photo by Lyonel Doherty
It was a close call, but chef Jeff Van Geest from Miradoro Restaurant was crowned “top dog” at Uncork the Sun in Oliver on Thursday.
Van Geest went up against chef Liam McNulty from Nk’Mip Cellars in the gourmet hot dog contest in Oliver Community Park.
Both chefs were kept hopping as they served long lineups of people waiting to try McNulty’s “Hickory Dickory Dog” and Van Geest’s “Legend of the 47 Ronin.”
After some uproarious cheering, Van Geest walked away with the title.
Uncork the Sun saw 31 different wineries represented. Tony Munday, executive director of the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association, was so busy pouring wine that he hardly had time to take part in the other activities.
“It went really well. It was great to see so many people dancing.”
Munday noted that big name blues band “Brickhouse” was definitely the highlight of the evening. “They were fantastic.”
Munday said wine lovers were excited to try so many different wines in one location without having to drive anywhere.
Carol Sheridan, manager of Oliver Parks and Recreation, estimated that 250 people attended the event. “I thought the event went very well and we were really encouraged by the turnout for the first one.”
Sheridan said the highlight for her was the chefs cooking up their signature hotdogs and seeing so many people up dancing to Brickhouse.
“We learned a lot from last night and definitely plan to host Uncork the Sun again in 2015, bigger and better!”
