The secret star of the Canadian Culinary championships isn香蕉视频直播檛 a visiting chef or highly lauded food writer.
It香蕉视频直播檚 Okanagan College.
James Chatto, head judge of the Gold Plates competition that was held in Kelowna last weekend, called the college the organizing comitttee香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渁ce in the hole香蕉视频直播 and a significant factor in the decision to extend the contract for the competition in Kelowna another five years.
香蕉视频直播淲e knew coming in here that the college was going to be a huge resource,香蕉视频直播 said Chatto, as the judges and participants rolled into town.
香蕉视频直播淲e rely on the students and the instructors for a great many things we do.香蕉视频直播
Assisting Canada香蕉视频直播檚 Top 11 chefs in all they do is a significant burden to bear for students who are just embarking on their careers.
But it香蕉视频直播檚 one they rise to over and over again.
OC culinary manager, chef Bernard Casavant, has been leading the students to the heart of the competition for the last two years, and he said it香蕉视频直播檚 not just competing chefs who are benefiting from the relationship.
香蕉视频直播淪ome of the students (heading into the competition) didn香蕉视频直播檛 understand why they were being asked to do this, but (Friday) night, they worked until 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m. and the next day they rushed early in saying, 香蕉视频直播楾hat was unbelievable,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈 he said.
香蕉视频直播淭hey weren香蕉视频直播檛 dragging themselves in, they were energized.香蕉视频直播
And why wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 you be? he said.
These competing chefs represent the best in Canadian cuisine.
It香蕉视频直播檚 not only students who come out of the experience changed. Kelowna, argued OC president Jim Hamilton, benefits greatly.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a great opportunity for the people who are visiting and who live here, to see how important an event this is香蕉视频直播nd it香蕉视频直播檚 wonderful for the community because it really puts Kelowna even more on the map than it already is as a centre of wine and tourism,香蕉视频直播 he said.
It香蕉视频直播檚 also creating an impetus to change the existing facilities.
香蕉视频直播淎n event of this magnitude adds credibility to the argument some of us are making that this is the new stage and the new phase of what needs to be here in the valley,香蕉视频直播 he said.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e run a few new programs and we continue to put a lot of emphasis on (culinary arts). The biggest challenge for us now is one of place.香蕉视频直播
Pointing to the facility being used by the competing chefs for the black box competition, Hamilton said that things are getting a bit crowded and that香蕉视频直播檚 an issue he and others are taking seriously.
香蕉视频直播淭his morning I was involved in a meeting where we looked at what does that next step look like? and how do we make it happen?香蕉视频直播 he said.
They already know it will take money and a physical space, but what, how and when it comes together remains to be seen.
What香蕉视频直播檚 clear is that Hamilton envisions something on a far grander scale than what currently exists.
香蕉视频直播淲e have the numbers in students and we have industry partners who want us to step it up to international standards,香蕉视频直播 he said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut we香蕉视频直播檙e moving slowly because we don香蕉视频直播檛 want to build something that香蕉视频直播檚 good enough. We want to build something that香蕉视频直播檚 par with what香蕉视频直播檚 happening in the industry and the community香蕉视频直播t香蕉视频直播檚 going to be a big project.香蕉视频直播