Malaspina Culinary Arts students to feed athletes at Canada Winter Games

Ten lucky Malaspina University-College Culinary Arts students are heading to Whitehorse, Yukon, in February to feed the more than 1,900 athletes, coaches and support staff attending the 2007 Canada Winter Games.

Last week Malaspina chef instructors chose the team of ten students who will be working at the Games from February 22 to March 10.

“It will be a lot of work,” said chef instructor Ken Harper. “It takes three days for the food truck to get up there, so one mistake in ordering the food can be a problem.”

While there will be some convenience products supplied, Harper warned the crew that this will be a challenging and diverse situation for them. Team Malaspina will work alongside culinary arts students from Prince George, Terrace and Kamloops to produce three meals a day for the more than 1,900 athletes, coaches and support staff.

They’ll also be contending with extremely cold weather and short Arctic days.

"We are very excited to have been asked to participate in this event," said Chef Debbie Shore, who will be joining Harper and Chef Michael Pelletier on the trip.

"While we will be providing a lot of food to these elite Canadian athletes, the students will also be getting some of the northern experience, including dog sledding."   

Team Malaspina includes Malaspina Culinary Arts students Tomoe Bannon, Lance Blake, James Braa, Michele Chailler, Sarah Cubbage, Kate Hiebert, Elizabeth J. Ireland, Ian Murphy, Gary Patrick and Brittney Vaux.

Every four years, the Province of British Columbia assembles a team of elite athletes, coaches, managers and mission staff to represent the province at Canada’s premier multi-sport and cultural events: the Canada Winter Games, Canada Summer Games and the Western Canada Summer Games. For the first time, the Canada Winter Games will be held in Whitehorse, Yukon, February 24 to March 10, 2007, and will showcase the frontier spirit, cultures and traditions of people in the North.