Two Canadore College Culinary Arts students took home gold from the fourth annual Battle of Ontario at the Decadence Gala last weekend.
This past Saturday, second-year Culinary Management students, Emily Badgerow from Grimsby, Ont. and Nicky Wabie-Jamieson fromNotre Dame Du Nord, Que, took first place at the Battle, presented by the Canadian Food and Wine Institute, after competing against four other pairs of students from colleges across Ontario.
“I’m really proud of Emily and Nicky, they created a very inspired menu for the event, and executed it beautifully,” said Chef Derek Lawday, professor and coordinator for the School of Culinary Arts. “This is the second time that our Canadore students win this competition in four years, which I feel is a testament to the breadth of quality that comes out of northern Ontario.”
The judging panel included Chef Avi Hollo, coach for Junior Culinary Team Canada; Olaf Mertens, Coach for Junior Culinary Team Canada; John Cirillo from the John Cirillo Cooking School and Consultant for Junior Culinary Team Canada; Judd Simpson, Chef for Canadian Parliament and Consultant for Junior Culinary Team Canada; and Craig Youdale, Dean, Canadian Food & Wine Institute and Manager of Junior Culinary Team Canada.
Throughout the evening, wines and beer created in the heart of the Niagara region were paired with dishes prepared by the students.
Winners Badgerow and Wabie-Jamieson prepared slow braised pork, tart cherry relish, julienne of cabbage on a soft roll and gaufrette potatoes.
In addition to their gold medals and associated bragging rights, the Canadore students won Le Creuset cookware, professional-grade knives by Mercer, and a bottle of Niagara region ice wine.
After graduation in May, both students plan to complete their degree in culinary studies at the Limerick Institute of Technology in Ireland.
Every year, Canadore hosts its own culinary competition for regional secondary students. This year’s Canadore’s Next Top Chef will take place on Saturday, April 2 at the College Drive Campus in North Bay, Ont.
