Malaspina chef heading to Paris with Team Canada

Bill Clay, chef instructor in Malaspina University-College’s world renowned Culinary Arts program, is heading to Paris with Team Canada.

Clay and his team mates won a silver medal in Mexico City while competing in the Louis Lesaffre Cup qualifying round for the World Cup Baking competition.

Even though the team didn't win gold and the right to compete, they received a special invitation from the president of the Europain organization for an all expenses paid trip to Paris to demonstrate their bread making skills during the first day of the Europain Show in May 2008.

"It's very exciting and a great honour," said Clay, who will travel to Paris with top national chefs, Tracey Muzzolini of Saskatoon, and Didier Julien of Halifax, and their coach, Chef Mario Fortin of Montreal. “Team Canada’s goal is not only to demonstrate our craft but to prove that we're as good as the teams competing in the World Baking Cup competition."

At the qualifying round, Team Canada finished second with 232 points, 12 points behind Mexico, with a total possible score of 300. Judges were from Spain, Sweden and France. Team Canada will replace Mexico in the World Cup Baking competition if the winning Mexican team is unable to compete.

“We believe we would have brought home the gold medal if we had more experience baking at high altitudes,” said Clay. “We were working 8,500 feet (2591 metres) above sea level, which affected the moisture content of our final product. Our bread was drier than normal.”

However, Clay’s artistic bread showpiece “was the most beautiful and the most detailed piece at the competition,” according to Fortin. “Bill Clay was recognised as a great professional,” he said.  Team Canada was also recognized for having the best team spirit and most professional preparation techniques.

Team Canada created their award-winning masterpiece from scratch in eight hours showing the importance of bread in Canada. Clay’s elaborate artistic creation included a First Nations face, a canoe, Canadian flag, wood burning Forno Bravo oven, a large maple leaf, wheat and a scythe,  a train and trestle and grain elevator - all made entirely from bread.

The World Baking Cup, held every three years, is an internationally renowned event created in 1992.  In 2008, three-person teams from various countries will compete in a number of disciplines, including baguette and specialty bread, Viennoiserie (breakfast pastries), and artistic baking.

Clay was trained in Malaspina’s Culinary Arts program in 1988 under the tutelage of now retired Chefs George Wagner, John Hannon, Hubert Scheck and Alex Rennie. His culinary career included stints at several high-end resort hotels before he rejoined his mentors as a chef instructor at Malaspina in 2003.