Culinary students serve up big win at Toronto food show

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Fanshawe's second-year culinary management students didn't bite off more than they could chew at the Canadian Restaurant Foodservice Association Culinary Salon in Toronto on March 7 — they cooked up top dishes, and came home with five gold medals , including one grand gold, and three silver.

The competition was a salon, meaning that the participants served up cold versions of dishes that are traditionally served hot. "It's a tremendous amount of work," explained Chef Scott Baechler, who trained the students for the competition. "It usually takes a day of work per plate."

The students dished out everything from hot press lobster and glazed pork belly to a duo of crab terrine and crab salad, served with a watermelon shot, and beyond.

Altogether, seven second-year culinary management students competed in the challenge, assisted by 12 first-year students. The firstyear students acted as "commies" — assistant chefs — while the secondyears acted as executive chefs, giving orders and making decisions.

Assisting the second-year students in preparation for the show is a prerequisite for first-years to participate the following year, said Baechler. "The skill set is so high, it's not something you can pick up. It's the best way to get them trained and ready for the whole thing."

The students have been training for over a year for the competition, coached by Chefs Baechler and Roland Hofner, both professors at Fanshawe.

"As far as I know, this is the most culinary medals that Fanshawe as a division has ever taken in the history of the school," said Baechler.