| The Zajednicar June 28, 2000
Croatian-Canadian Fire Fighter David Veljacic's Cookbooks VANCOUVER, BC, Canada - David Veljacic is a captain on the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Service and a member of the Vancouver Fire Fighters Union Local 18, which terms itself "Vancouver's Bravest." He is stationed at the city's busiest firehall on Victoria Drive in the East End. In 1998 he was named Firefighter of the Year, an Award of Excellence, given by the Vancouver Junior Board of Trade/Jaycees. The official citation mentions his "dedication to the community, his family and his department." When he isn't fighting fires, David Veljacic is cooking. His community work has taken the form of charity fundraising and he has cooked dinners to raise money for many causes, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada, the British Columbia Children's Hospital, and the Toy Bank. David himself is a breast cancer survivor. David also enjoys competing. He has participated in many barbecue and cooking competitions every year in Canada and the U.S. and has won many awards doing so. His barbecue sauces, "The Fire Chief" and "Canuck Gold" are both National Barbecue Association winners. Every summer David and his wife, Pat, organize the Canadian Barbecue and Chill festival held at the Westminster Quay Public Market in New Westminster, BC. This is the largest barbecue and chill event on the West Coast, attracting 31,000 spectators and many competing cooks from across North America. Throughout all these activities, many people asked him why he didn't have a cookbook. After three years of hard work, he produced "The Fire Chief." This book includes 150 of David's favorite contemporary barbecue dishes, sauces and condiments. It has become a popular bestseller in both Canada and the U.S. The American 2000 National Barbecue Awards placed "The Fire Chief" second overall in the cookbook category for cookbooks over $15. His new book, "Hot Elements," features David's award-winning stove-top recipes, which he learned cooking the galley of his dad's fishing boat off the coast of British Columbia and in the kitchens of the various firehalls in Vancouver. Anyone interested in ordering David Veljacic's books or his two barbecue sauces should call 604-944-0325 or cell phone 604-868-2994, fax 604-945-8622 or e-mail canuckgold@telus.net or write to Patricia Veljacic at Canuck Gold $ Co., 11-2980-Mariner Way, Coquitlam, BC, Canada, V3C 4K1. J.C. CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE - http://www.thefirechef.bc.ca
|