They sliced, they diced — and by lunchtime, they had whipped up three-course meals that could stand up at some of Edmonton’s finest restaurants.
About 50 students from 17 high schools around the region participated the annual High School Culinary Challenge at NAIT on Saturday.
The quality of the dishes competitors create has gotten better over the years, said Simon Smotkowicz, who chairs the contest.
A student puts the finishing touches on a chocolate mousse dessert. (Roberta Bell/CBC)
He attributes the improvement not only to the institutional knowledge acquired by the teachers and chefs who have been coaching the students along, but also to the increasing popularity of the Food Network, a TV channel dedicated to food.
“It’s much more trendier, much more alluring,” Smotkowicz said. It’s also much more accessible.
“Fifty years ago, you had to buy a book or you learned from the guy next to you,” Smotkowicz said. “Today, you just take your computer, you Google.”
‘It brings us all together’
For some of the students, the appeal is in the tradition.
Max Rebarge has long been passionate about cooking.
The 17-year-old Grade 12 student at St. Joseph High School has wanted to pursue it as a career since emigrating from Ukraine as a child.
“We focus on foods in our houses and homes,” he said, adding there’s a cultural element as well. “It’s just a big part of being together as a family.”
Adria Butterwick expressed a similar sentiment.
Adria Butterwick dices mint leaves Saturday during the High School Culinary Challenge at NAIT. (Roberta Bell/CBC)
She might want to own a pastry shop or a bakery one day and has long had the support of both her maternal and paternal grandmother.
“To my family, I think it kind of brings us all together,” said Butterwick, 16, a student at St. Xavier High School. “We pass on recipes to each other.”
Peter Keith competed in the challenge in 2008 and 2009 when he was a student at Paul Kane High School in St. Albert. This year, he was one of the judges.
Judge Peter Keith scores the main courses during the High School Culinary Challenge Saturday at NAIT. (Roberta Bell/CBC)
“It’s actually a pretty natural transition. I think when you’re judging from the perspective of someone who has competed, you’re able to really differentiate the competitors based on some important criteria,” he said.
The students were given the menu two months in advance to prepare. It consisted of a first course of spinach and cheese ravioli, a poached salmon main and chocolate mousse for dessert.
They’re being judged on taste, presentation — and like in a restaurant, whether the food is hot.
The winners of the High School Culinary Challenge will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Shaw Conference Centre on March 6.