Culinary Caper Continues to Build a World Class Culinary Team

Culinary Capers Catering and Special Events, recently voted as the top event caterer in Beijing, has appointed Heinz Helmut Klenner as Executive Chef.  Mr. Klenner began his hospitality career in Austria and then travelled internationally to gain valuable experience in Malaysia, Dubai, Serbia, United States, Switzerland, Germany and Austria.  Prior to joining Culinary Capers Beijing, Heinz spent twelve years with five-star international luxury hotel groups.  Among the many accomplishments while advancing his career, was the appointment to an Executive Chef position with Hyatt International.

In his new role with Culinary Capers Beijing, he will be responsible for the operation and administration of the culinary team.  With many years of kitchen experience and eight years as an Executive Chef, Mr. Klenner has acquired the extensive knowledge and skills which will allow him to competently lead the kitchen team and contribute to the future growth and success of the company.

Culinary Capers Beijing Honoured As The Best Event Caterer in Beijing

Culinary Capers Beijing was awarded the 2011 Best Event Caterer Award at the Miracle Workers Awards Gala organized by China BT MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) Magazine. The award presentation took place at a special Gala Dinner on December, 19th in Beijing.

The Best Event Caterer Award title recognizes Culinary Capers Beijing for the world-class signature style and delicious cutting-edge cuisine that has earned an international reputation in the meeting, incentive, and conference and exhibition industry.  Award winners were chosen in an online poll of mainland China region subscribers to China BT MICE Magazine.  Complete results will be published in the January, 2012 issue of the magazine.  Culinary Capers Beijing was previously awarded an international Special Event Gala Award for Best Catered Event for a luncheon on the Great Wall at the 2010 Special Event Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

“We are very honoured to be recognized as the Best Event Caterer in Beijing by China BT MICE Magazine, the leading media voice in the meeting and incentive industry in China.  We consider this award to be an affirmation of the strength of the Culinary Capers Beijing brand and there is no better recognition than by the readers of the magazine who are among the most knowledgeable, experienced and committed professionals in the Chinese event industry.  We look forward to working with the MICE market to develop further great opportunities in the future.” said Billy Kawaja, President and Chief Executive Chef of Culinary Capers Beijing.

Culinary Capers Beijing Supports Project Pengyou 100,000 Strong Initiative Gala 2011

Demonstrating its commitment to foster a positive generation of stewardship for US - China relations, Culinary Capers Beijing is a participant in the Project Pengyou 100,000 Strong Initiative Gala dinner on December 10, 2011.

Project Pengyou is a global community of Americans who have lived and studied in China.  The 100,000 Strong Initiative aims to significantly increase the number of Americans who have the opportunity to study in China while emphasizing the strategic importance of relations between the US and China.  The Initiative is designed to aid educational institutions and private non-profits and Culinary Capers has been chosen as the caterer for this prestigious event.  US Ambassador Gary Locke (a Director of 100,000 Strong Initiative), high level executives of Fortune 500 companies and philanthropic foundations support the 2011 Gala will enjoy the high quality cuisine and professional service delivered by Culinary Capers Beijing.

“Culinary Capers Beijing remains committed to operating in a socially responsible manner while being the market leader in the Chinese catering industry.  Operating in a sustainable manner, our aim is to always deliver a flawless experience that is detail-orientated from start to finish and ensures that the event is unique and stylish to meet the high standards of our clientele.” said Billy Kawaja, President and Executive Chef of Culinary Capers Beijing.

Culinary Capers’ Beijing Operation Moves into Great New Space

Culinary Capers Beijing has moved into an exciting new location in the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA), the largest gallery in the 798 Art District.

The 798 Art District is the largest art district in Beijing and is comprised of a collection of modern Chinese art galleries, event spaces and cultural shops in refurbished Bauhaus-inspired factory buildings.

In addition to being the exclusive caterer for the UCCA galleries, Culinary Capers Beijing has also opened SWITCH!, which offers the same fresh modern cuisine that has allowed Culinary Capers to garner an international reputation, only in a restaurant setting.

The open restaurant kitchen is overseen by President and Executive Chef Billy Kawaja and features signature dishes such as our SWITCH! salad, duck confit dip; crispy mac ‘n cheese croquettes; and warm cinnamon donuts with mascarpone and fruit compote, all served with a playful twist.

In addition, SWITCH! serves Chef Billy K’s signature brunch menus on the weekend and can also be rented as an event space. Event clients have included American Airlines, Microsoft, and private receptions.

The catering operation of Culinary Capers Beijing has created events for Adidas, Merrill Lynch, Walmart, clients of Jack Morton Worldwide and the embassies of Australia, the United States, Canada, the Dutch Republic, Mexico, and a host of private clients.

Debra Lykkemark, the CEO of Culinary Capers, had the following observations, “We are very excited about the opportunity for growth in the Beijing market and we see the location of our catering and restaurant at UCCA as a key factor in driving both the growth of our business in China and the strength of our international brand.”

Go to Switch!

November 24, 2010 News Release pdf

Culinary Capers Beijing Receives Event and Catering Awards

In March Culinary Capers Beijing took home a 2009 CATIE Award (Catered Arts Through Innovative Excellence). An exclusive plated luncheon on the Great Wall of China was the winner for Signature Caterer for Best Event.

The CATIE Awards were presented on March 8th by the International Caterers Association at the 2010 Catersource Conference and Trade Show in Las Vegas which was attended by over 4,000 industry professionals. The Awards recognize the achievements of caterers from around the world.

Top International Special Events Award
for Culinary Capers Beijing

Culinary Capers Beijing was a winner at The Special Event 2010 Gala Awards at the annual Special Event Conference and Trade Show in New Orleans. Company President and Executive Chef Billy Kawaja and CEO Debra Lykkemark accepted the Gala Award for Best Off-Premise Catered Event at the gala ceremony on January 15th.

Special event professionals from throughout the world gathered in New Orleans for the international Gala Awards ceremony, honoring the finest work in special events.

Culinary Capers Beijing’s winning entry for Best Off-Premise Catered Event was for a plated luncheon on the Great Wall of China. The spectacular setting featured a 120 foot long table set on a privately reserved area of the Great Wall. The four-course menu showcased a contemporary Chinese fusion menu. The event was part of an exclusive land excursion tour that CMEatSEA, renowned for delivering world class experiences, hosted for 120 international doctors.

“We are extremely honoured to receive such a prestigious award in our first year in business,” said Billy Kawaja. “This is an award shared by all of the Culinary Capers Catering family. It’s a true testament to the commitment and hard work from my team in Beijing and for the continual guidance and support from our Vancouver team.”

Culinary Capers Beijing
Caters on the Great Wall

On April 15th, Culinary Capers Beijing (a division of Culinary Capers Catering) served an amazing, four-course luncheon on the Great Wall of China for 120 guests. The event was part of an exclusive land excursion tour that CME at Sea, a division of Cruise Connections Canada, hosted for 120 international doctors.

Guests arrived and were greeted by the thundering beat of Chinese Lion Drummers that accompanied a traditional lion dance which culminated in the dancers leading the way to the dining table. The spectacular setting featured a 120 foot long table set on a privately reserved area of the Great Wall.

The amazing four course menu showcased a contemporary Chinese fusion menu. For the first course, servers poured long pepper duck consommé tableside from tea pots around a duck confit and scallop mousse; the next offering was a 20 component Asian salad presented on a gold Great Wall designed serving dish over smoking dry ice; the entrée was a duet of grilled beef tenderloin and jumbo prawns with sticky rice cake and grilled asparagus; followed by a delectable dessert trio of warm toffee spice cake, roasted apple flan and candied ginger ice cream.

The guests were ecstatic. In the words of Debra Lykkemark, president of Culinary Capers Catering, “I have never seen so many smiling faces or had so many compliments at an event.  The guests gave Executive Chef Billy Kawaja and his talented kitchen team a standing ovation, then they thanked us by doing the wave and telling our client that they wanted us to do all the events for their cruise next year! This was a truly amazing experience that I hope we can repeat many times for our clients.”

Top International Awards
for Culinary Capers Catering

Culinary Capers Catering was the recipient of the International Achievement in Catering Excellence (ACE) Award at the annual catersource conference in Las Vegas. Company president Debra Lykkemark accepted the ACE award at the opening general session of catering industry professionals on Monday, February 23, 2009 at the Las Vegas Hilton.

The catersource ACE Award recognizes companies that have shown leadership and noteworthy achievement in the catering industry through culinary, business, community and professional development. “We are extremely proud to be honoured with the prestigious ACE Award,” said Debra Lykkemark, president of Culinary Capers. “When I opened the company 23 years ago, we set out to be one of the top caterers. To be recognized by my peers in the international catering community for our hard work is extremely gratifying and a tribute to our entire team.”

Culinary Capers also took home three awards at the 2008 CATIE Awards (Catered Arts through Innovative Excellence). The CATIE Awards are presented by the International Caterers Association, another highlight of the 2009 catersource Conference and Tradeshow, an international event attended by over 4,000 catering industry professionals. The awards are designed to recognize the achievements of caterers from around the world.

The winning entries were in the following three categories: Best Plated Menu for a spectacular six-course plated lunch focused on seasonal ingredients in Whistler, BC for 330 guests (click here to view menu in pdf); Best Hors d’oeuvre for a foie gras parfait with spiced apple brioche and cardamom croquant, created for an exclusive event for Louis Vuitton; and Best Celebration Cake for a birthday cake, inspired by Jimmy Choo designer shoes, for an ultra-stylish birthday soiree.

Culinary Capers Creates a Taste of BC for Beijing

Winning the job to host the world as the official caterer for the British Columbia Canada Pavilion in Beijing was a true win-win for Culinary Capers Catering. Not only was it a chance to share the best of home-grown BC ingredients and cuisine from May through September with officials, Olympic athletes and business owners who visit the Pavilion, Culinary Capers shared the spotlight and their knowledge with a team of students and teachers from Vancouver Community College who were a part of our catering team.

Culinary Capers flew a total of 24 VCC students and six staff to Beijing and provided accommodation. The students were an active part of the Pavilion’s kitchen and serving staff while earning credits for their school program.

“The students grew their skills in a highly important and unusual environment in the Pavilion, and Culinary Capers helped to grow our cooking and catering field”, said Debra Lykkemark, president of Culinary Capers. “This is a great example of how British Columbia Canada Pavilion and the Province worked to create legacies for BC.”

Culinary Capers showcased the best of BC food, beer and wine for many business delegations and special events at the Pavilion. “Food can make or break an event, so we were honoured to be chosen to cater for the thousands of guests to the Pavilion. We wowed them and left a lasting impression of our cuisine and BC produce,” said Debra. “It’s always been part of our practice to use local produce whenever possible, but to showcase our delicious, high-quality foods to the world is very exciting.”