> Best Supplier Producer of the Year: Ponderosa Mushrooms

Voted on by members of The Chefs Table Society of British Columbia

Joe and Cathy Salvo cultivate two kinds of symbiotic  relationships in their business: the one wild mushrooms share with their life-sustaining terrestrial environments, and the loyal customer relationships that have seen their business flourish.

 Ponderosa's company philosophy? Bringing wild mushrooms to mainstream distribution, making them readily available and striving for consistent quality.

Ponderosa Mushrooms delivers its fabulous fungi onto the plates of fine restaurants across Western Canada and, not surprisingly, they are widely praised within the industry for their masterful touch with one of the most challenging members of the produce department. They've also recently moved to a new  Port Coquitlam facility designed exclusively around the intricacies of mushroom handling and hope to be the first specialty mushroom company to receive HACCP certification (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, a very stringent food safety program) for their quality standards. The company is also developing a line of specialty mushrooms to extend its chain of supply to the retail level.

The Salvos have met the frustrations of fungi wrangling head-on with tell-it-like-it-is sincerity and an extensive product knowledge echoed in our chefs comments. Even if Mother Nature isn't cooperating, Ponderosa Mushrooms customer service provides consistency. If my chanterelles are only a  out of 10 this week, I'll say so, says Salvo, I always deliver what I promise.