February 9, 2010 - 7:07am
Culinary Arts
students from the Cowichan campus of Vancouver Island University will be in the
midst of festivities for the Winter Olympics as they undertake a three-week
challenge at Whistler’s Bearfoot Bistro.
On Thursday, Feb. 11, Culinary Arts instructor Allan
Aikman and 10 students will head to the Host Mountain Resort for not only the
once-in-a-lifetime Olympic experience, but also to learn from esteemed Bearfoot
Bistro Executive Chef, and VIU Culinary Arts Program graduate, Melissa Craig.
Under the guidance of Chef Craig, the students will support the food operations
at the Bearfoot Bistro, and will receive accommodation and meals in return.
Craig and Aikman began
discussing the possibility of student involvement during the Games last summer.
The unique work-experience project was confirmed in late January and students
eagerly signed on.
“This is a great opportunity. It’s
the highest-calibre dining you can get in one of the top-rated restaurants in
Western Canada,” Aikman said. “Students will be partnered with experienced chefs
in a multicultural environment.”
“They’ll get direct hands-on
experience and a feel for the Olympic atmosphere.”
Aikman is not surprised that
former student Craig has risen to lofty heights in the culinary world since she
graduated from the Cowichan campus in 1998.
“I knew she was going
places,” Aikman said.
Craig soon made her mark winning
the National Apprentice Competition at the age of 20, becoming the first woman
to receive the honour. She completed her apprenticeship at Sooke Harbour House
where she honed her skills in West Coast
cuisine. In 2008, she placed first in the Gold Medal Plates’ Canadian Culinary
Championships.
Craig normally oversees a
team of 20 in the show kitchen of the Bearfoot Bistro. The restaurant is
usually open for dinner only but is expanding service to breakfast and lunch to
meet demand during the Winter Games.
The culinary team can expect
high expectations with diners paying $48 for a breakfast buffet, $88 for a
three-course lunch and $198 for a five-course dinner tasting menu. Among the
menu items: banana
bread french toast with cardamom white chocolate cream and maple
walnuts, wild
arctic caribou loin ‘rossini’ potato
röesti, Québec foie gras with périgord truffl e vinaigrette and Vancouver Island black cod
with B.C. spot prawns, tom yum, kaffir lime
and shimiji mushroom.
Craig is looking
forward to working with the students. “While the students will benefit from the
practical experience gained in this fast-paced environment, our kitchen brigade
will certainly benefit from their assistance as we prepare to host the many
different events, catering functions, and the dining room at this very busy
time.”
“I feel proud to
be able to offer this kind of hands-on experience at one of the busiest times
at the Bearfoot Bistro. It will make for a real memorable time for the students,”
Craig said.
Craig appreciates her training at the Cowichan campus. “Looking back on my time
in the Culinary Arts Program, it fostered my passion for food and gave me the
hands-on experience I needed to launch my career.”
VIU President Ralph Nilson praised Craig for making
a unique contribution to the learning experience of the Cowichan students.
“As Canada’s West Coast university, our graduates
are adding value to communities on the Island and the Lower Mainland. Melissa’s
outstanding culinary skills will no doubt impress visitors from around the
world who have the good fortune to dine at Bearfoot Bistro,” Nilson said.
“We’re grateful that she is giving VIU students
exposure to the challenges and excitement of a world-class event.”
Aikman,
who attended events at the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary, said the three weeks
in Whistler will provide students with a rare and affordable learning
opportunity.
“It’s
probably the last time we’ll see the Winter Olympics in Western Canada for a
long time. It’s something they’ll be able to tell their grandchildren about.”
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For more information on Culinary Arts
programs at VIU, visit: viu.ca/culinary
For more information on Bearfoot Bistro, visit:
bearfootbistro.com
Tags: In the Community
