News Releases

Food Network Chef Christine Cushing, host of Christine Cushing: Cook with Me was crowned the winner of the first BMO Mutual Funds Fall Harvest Cook-off today at Yonge-Dundas Square in Toronto. Competing against fellow Food Network Chef Robert Rainford, host of License to Grill, the chefs developed three dishes in sixty minutes on an outdoor grill using pumpkin as the special ingredient. A panel of judges, led by BMO Mutual Fund's Linda Knight, taste-tested and evaluated each of the chefs' creations to determine the winner of the competition.

Spectators and passers-by assisted in making the event a success by cheering on their favourite chef, and were invited to donate food items on-site to the Daily Bread Food Bank.  While the scores were being tallied, Ms. Knight, on behalf of BMO Mutual Funds, presented a $5,000 cheque to the Daily Bread Food Bank, to help with their annual Thanksgiving food drive.

During the cook-off, Ms. Knight talked to the audience about how investing for your retirement can be as simple as fall harvest gardening.

“The fall harvest is a time when Canadians reap the rewards of their labour by pulling the final fruits from their gardens.  It's also a time to prepare the garden for another productive bounty next spring. If you use some of the same tried and true gardening techniques for your investments, your long-term savings – or harvest – could also grow,” said Ms. Knight.

BMO Mutual Funds is a member of BMO Financial Group and part of the organization's Private Client Group. The Private Client Group provides integrated wealth management services in Canada and the United States and had total assets under management and administration and term investments of $280.1 billion as at July 31, 2006.

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/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on the CNW Photo Network