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Directly from the Tourism Vancouver + Whistler Press Release:

WIN A “TOP CHEF” GETAWAY IN VANCOUVER AND WHISTLER

Sweepstakes offers chance to experience British Columbia like the Top Chef: Texas finalists

Vancouver and Whistler, BC (March 13, 2012): From sourcing ingredients at Granville Island Public Market to preparing a dish in Whistler’s PEAK 2 PEAK gondola, the four chefs who avoided the chopping block during Top Chef: Texas and flew to British Columbia to compete in the season finale discovered why Vancouver and Whistler are two of the world’s top culinary travel destinations. Now it could be your turn.

In celebration of the delicious experiences showcased during the Vancouver and Whistler episodes of Top Chef: Texas, Tourism Vancouver and Tourism Whistler are giving one lucky winner (and their guest) the opportunity to eat, sleep and play like a “Top Chef”.

Enter the sweepstakes at www.tourismvancouver.com/topchef for your chance to win.

The Vancouver and Whistler Top Chef Getaway sweepstakes includes:

• Roundtrip airfare to Vancouver (for two) from any major airport in North America
• Two nights’ deluxe accommodation at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
• Private culinary tour of Granville Island Public Market
• $150 gift card to COAST or Black+Blue restaurants
• Roundtrip ground transportation from Vancouver to Whistler
• Two nights’ deluxe accommodation at The Fairmont Chateau Whistler
• Biathlon experience courtesy of Whistler Sport Legacies
• Two one-day lift tickets for Whistler Blackcomb with a lunch certificate at Christine’s restaurant
• $100 dinner certificate to an award-winning Whistler restaurant

The prize mirrors the actual places and activities that Top Chef: Texas contestants experienced while filming in Vancouver and Whistler.

The Whistler episode opened with the four remaining contestants driving up the stunning Sea to Sky Highway and featured The Fairmont Chateau Whistler, the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola (gondola cabins served as kitchens in the Quickfire challenge), Whistler Olympic Park and the Whistler Conference Centre. At the end of the episode, chef-testant Beverly Kim was eliminated.

In Vancouver, the final three contestants – Lindsay Autry, Sarah Grueneberg and Paul Qui – went head-to-head in a Quickfire challenge at Chinatown’s Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie, shopped for ingredients at Granville Island Public Market, and turned up the heat during the “Fire and Ice” themed Elimination Challenge at the historic Salt Building (located at the site of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games athletes’ village). The Rocky Mountaineer train and station were locations for the “stew room” and Judges’ Table. In the last episode, the finalists took over neighbouring restaurants Black+Blue and COAST for a culinary showdown that saw Paul Qui come out on top to capture the title of Top Chef.

Now in its ninth season, Emmy-award winning Top Chef has been recognized as the No. 1 food show on US cable. Top Chef airs in more than 20 countries with each episode repeating an average of 12 times. Season nine featured some of the biggest names in food, music and entertainment, including actress Charlize Theron, comedian Pee-wee Herman, Iron Chef Cat Cora and singer Patti LaBelle.

This is the first time the US version of Top Chef has filmed in Canada, an opportunity that was facilitated by the Canadian Tourism Commission, Tourism British Columbia, Tourism Vancouver, Tourism Whistler and Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.