Canada's best chefs come to Malaspina

Malaspina University-College will host Culinary Team Canada’s final practice on Monday, May 7, before they compete against the rest of the world at the 2007 American Culinary Classic (ACC) in Chicago, May 19 – 22.

“This event is a great opportunity for people in our community and our students to see some of the world’s best chefs,” said Debbie Shore, chair of the Culinary Arts program at Malaspina. “We’re proud to host such an exciting event.”

Local diners will have the opportunity to eat from the same menu that ACC judges will sample when deciding the champion team. The final practice at Malaspina will act as a dress rehearsal for the ACC event, with Team Canada preparing their best dishes to show off the finest in Canadian cuisine.

Teams from the Bahamas, the Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, the United States and Wales will also compete in this year’s ACC event in Chicago. These six member teams will compete in hot and cold food categories and will be evaluated on creativity, blending of flavour, presentation, timing and technique.

The ACC is owned and produced by the National Restaurant Association in cooperation with the American Culinary Federation and sanctioned by the World Association of Cooks Societies (WACS). Team Canada’s creations will be reviewed by a panel of international judges specifically selected for the event. The contest is open to national culinary teams in countries recognized by the WACS.

Team Canada’s members include team manager John Carlo Felicella (Vancouver Community College), team captain Tobias MacDonald (La Belle Auberge Restaurant, Ladner), David Bakker (Toronto Marriott Bloor Yorkville), Poyan Danesh (the Marriott Pinnacle, Vancouver), Cameron Huley (St. Charles Golf and Country Club, Winnipeg) and Arthur Chen (Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver).

This ACC final practice is one of many great events the Malaspina Culinary Arts program has recently hosted, including the Knorr BC Junior Chef Challenge that took place on April 22.

“When we bring events like this to Malaspina, it gives students in the Culinary Arts program an opportunity to see world class chefs in action,” said Shore. “Experiences like these are incredibly valuable.”

The American Culinary Classic is recognized as one of the premier world culinary competitions in conjunction with the Western Hemisphere’s largest foodservice and hospitality industry event -- the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.

Tickets for the ACC practice dinner have sold out, but a waitlist will be taken for any future culinary events at Malaspina. Donations to help the team travel to Chicago will be gratefully accepted.

For more information, contact Malaspina’s Culinary Arts program at (250) 740-6289 or shored@viu.ca