Malaspina University-College Culinary Art student earns $1000 scholarship

Endless enthusiasm, effort and work ethic earned Malaspina University-College Culinary Arts student Jennifer Cline a $1000 scholarship from the Canadian Restaurant and Food Services Association.

She was nominated for the annual award by the chef-instructors for the program, who selected her because of her ability to maintain her coursework, work shifts in the campus cafeteria, and enter culinary competitions.

“I like a challenge,” Cline said. “When I do something, I go full-hearted into it.”

Cline and fellow student Lauren McConnell competed in a national junior chef competition in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Ottawa, narrowly missing the opportunity to represent Canada in the World Culinary Olympics. Judges later told the team that their food was excellent, but they lost out to the first place team because two of their dishes were three minutes late.

Cline said the team had a schedule but slipped behind while preparing the complex, four-course entry. They had to cook lobster, chicken, and manage the precise blending of ground fish and cream to create a halibut mousse.

“A few minutes here and a few minutes there catches up on you,” Cline said.

For Cline, a highlight of the competition was their complex multi-layered dessert, which started with lemon custard painted onto a plate and a meringue base. The second layer was a blueberry-lemon frozen mousse with a lemon ice centre, which was topped with a caramel shortbread cup holding sauteed pears.

Cline also competed in a Culinary Salon competition in Kelowna. Both competitions required extra hours of preparation and practice, in addition to their regular coursework. Cline works part-time at Tim Horton’s on Bowen Road.

Cline said she enrolled in Culinary Arts because she wants a career that allows her to travel and because she is interested in the art of food preparation. Prior to taking the course, she said her culinary expertise was limited to muffins and cookies.

“It was definitely really hard at first,” she said. “I’ve learned so much. I’ve become more confident in my skills.”

Now 19, she has lived in Nanaimo for nine years and graduated from Nanaimo Christian School. She graduates from the Culinary Arts program October 10 and already has a job at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. She and classmate Emily Sager were offered jobs by the head chef after completing their work experience at the Chateau.