Student chef cooks up winning recipe

Aspiring chef Jeremy Webber has clearly demonstrated his ‘pear’ excellence.

Webber, a student in Vancouver Island University’s Culinary Arts program, is off to Toronto May 3 to partake in a national cooking competition and cook up his winning recipe featuring pears as the main ingredient.

“I’m really, really excited and nervous at the same time,” said Webber, who came to VIU from Nelson, BC.

Webber and other Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island (CIVI) students submitted recipes to a BC recipe competition sponsored by the US Pear Bureau. The top recipe chosen was Webber’s Grilled Pear and Ginger Souffle with Brandy Pear Chips and honey lemon crème an glaise.

His prize is the chance to represent VIU in Toronto cooking off against three other Canadian finalists. The grand prize winner of the national competition will receive $2,500. Webber still pockets $1,000 even if he doesn’t win.

For the past two years, educator Wendy Barett for the US Pear Bureau has traveled across Canada teaching students about the different varieties of pears and how they are best served.

“She encouraged our students to submit their ideas and original recipes to the contest,” explained Debbie Shore, program coordinator for VIU’s Culinary Arts program.

Webber gave the contest some thought and started experimenting. “I tried a few things out and discovered that grilling the pear gave it an amazing flavor,” he said.  “I decided to puree the grilled pear with the ginger to give it a completely different flavor and texture, and it worked out really well.”

Webber wasn’t the only CIVI student to submit a winning pear recipe. Students Honey Barclay and Nancy Dionne placed 2nd and 4th respectively out of all the BC recipes submitted.

Webber is no stranger to competition. Only six months into the VIU program, he won a silver medal at EAT BC’s Hot Food competition in Vancouver.

He graduates in September, but before then, hopes to complete a summer co-operative education work placement at the Hilton hotel chain in Amsterdam. “I’m waiting to hear back whether I’ve been accepted,” he said. “I’ve been working towards this (cooking in Amsterdam) since the beginning of the year. It’s my goal and I really believe it will happen.”

Webber credits the support from VIU’s chef instructors for his budding culinary talents and success. “VIU offers an amazing program,” he said.  “The instructors know so much and really care about how well students perform in their courses. I’m very glad I chose to study here.”