December 2, 2009 - 5:31am
Chris Thomson wasn’t sure about
his career choice after he completed studies at Woodlands and John Barsby
secondary schools in Nanaimo.
“I took a few odd jobs like
laying wood floors but nothing really grabbed me.”
He took his mom’s advice
and enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at Vancouver Island University. In
January, 14 years after graduating and starting his apprenticeship, Thomson
will compete in Santiago, Chile for top honour and 12,000 Euros in the Global
Chefs Challenge.
“The competition is energizing.
It takes a lot of time and practice but it’s great for keeping up with trends
and working with other chefs,” said Thomson, executive sous-chef at The Banff
Centre.
Thomson, who earned Certified
Chef de Cuisine designation in 2004, is grateful for the culinary inspiration
that he received at VIU from instructors such as Alex Rennie and George Wagner.
“They really turned the light on
for me. Alex Rennie’s enthusiasm and passion for food rubbed off on me. He was
really the man who made me feel that it’s great to be in the kitchen.”
Instructor Debbie Shore said
many students at VIU’s Culinary Institute of Vancouver Island take part in regional,
national and international competitions while still in the program. “It’s a
chance to meet other chefs and put into practice what they’ve learned. There
are also those who groove on the pressure.”
Shore is impressed with
Thomson’s achievements in culinary competition, which he took up after
graduation. “It’s a huge deal. This is a world competition. It’s like the
Culinary Olympics.”
Thomson is preparing for the intensely competitive event
with the help of coaching from some of the top chefs in Western Canada
including Brad Horen, executive chef at the Victoria’s Laurel Point Inn and
James Holehouse, executive pastry chef at Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre.
To compete for the world title,
Thomson had to win a series of regional, national and international events
sanctioned by the World Association of Chefs Societies. He won the Western
Canadian title after scoring highest in competition with chefs from British
Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. At the national championships in Kelowna,
he scored another triumph in preparing a three-course meal for 24 people under
strict deadlines.
In September, he represented
Canada in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and topped competitors from the U.S., Brazil and
Chile to win the chefs challenge for North and South America. Thomson and
apprentice assistant Myles Fedun of Edmonton had to create a four-course dinner
for 12 people in five hours.
“The whole key to these
competitions is the timing. You have to practise and practise with your assistant,”
Thomson said.
The world title event will
feature top chefs from seven regions including the Americas, Asia, Pacific Rim,
Africa-Middle East, and north, central and southern Europe.
In the competition, chefs have
five hours to prepare the meal. The teams have already been given the basic
ingredient for each course – mushrooms for the first course, followed by sea
bass, beef cheeks and a dessert centred around passion fruit and dark
chocolate.
Judges will base their scoring
70 per cent on taste with the remainder assessed for cleanliness and how well
team members work together.
Thomson appreciates the support
of The Banff Centre. The educational institution in the Rocky Mountains has
provided the scheduling flexibility for Thomson to pursue his competitive zeal.
Thomson has treated Banff Centre guests to a series of chef’s table dinners as
he rehearses for competition.
Aside from his competitive
success, Thomson has built a solid resumé at Banff’s Rimrock Resort, Delta Bow
Valley in Calgary, Banff Park Lodge and Delta Lodge at Kananaskis.
-30-
For more information on the Culinary Institute of Vancouver
Island at VIU, contact program chair Craig Rogers, 250-740-6142 or craig.rogers@viu.ca
Tags: In the Community
