Red Shores Racetrack & Casino is celebrating its very own executive chef, Andrew Smith who has been named the 2019 chef of the year by the PEI Association of Chefs and Cooks.

The award ceremony, originally planned for March of this year, was postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions and it was just recently announced that the Red Shores executive chef was the 2019 award winner.

Chef of the year is awarded annually to an individual that contributes to the success of the association and demonstrates dedication through their commitment to actively training within the profession. Chef Andrew was chosen by his peers through a voting process among the association’s membership.

“I want to congratulate Chef Andrew on behalf of our team, customers and suppliers,” said Sean Furlong, food and beverage manager at Red Shores. “Andrew continues to create exceptional culinary experiences for our guests. This award was voted by his peers so it’s a big deal and very deserving.”

Chef Andrew has been leading the incredible culinary team at Red Shores since 2012 and been an active member of the PEI Association of Chefs and Cooks throughout this period.

Andrew was very active within the community in 2019, participating in various culinary events, outreach initiatives, competitions and travel proudly representing both Red Shores and his home province of P.E.I. He also played a leading role in the highly successful Fall Flavours events at the Top of the Park restaurant at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino.

“Andrew leads our culinary team to create an everchanging and exciting dining experience for our guests,” said David MacKenzie, general manager of Red Shores Racetrack & Casino. “Being born and raised on P.E.I., Andrew is well-versed in Island flavours and has a special dedication to the P.E.I. food scene, which he demonstrates by engaging with our community to support local farmers, fishers and producers.”

Anyone who has spent any time in Prince Edward Island knows there is no shortage of incredible culinary experiences and professionals, which makes the entire Red Shores and Atlantic Lottery team even more proud of Chef Andrew and his incredible accomplishments.

“You can almost taste the amount of passion and dedication Andrew and his team put into every dish,” MacKenzie said. “We’re excited to celebrate Andrew’s accomplishments as 2019 chef of the year – he’s done a fantastic job in the eight years he’s been at Red Shores and our team is incredibly proud.”