NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ont. — Junior Culinary Team Canada is welcoming its closest rivals to its home base at Niagara College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus.
From Jan. 7 to 10, the college’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute (CFWI) will host the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Culinary Youth Team U.S.A. The visit will provide opportunities for both national junior teams to practice for the Culinary Olympics, formally known as the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) Culinary Olympics. Held every four years in Erfurt, Germany, the international competition is considered the pinnacle of culinary excellence, where the best chefs from around the globe compete for gold medal standing.
The visit will culminate with a gala feast of champions at the NOTL Campus on Jan. 9. The dinner is expected to draw several dignitaries, including Bruce Heyman, U.S. ambassador to Canada. Guests will enjoy a six-course meal prepared by the two teams. Each team will be responsible for preparing alternate courses. Both teams will also prepare cold and hot hors d’oeuvres for the reception.
“This is an amazing opportunity to see the top cook apprentices in North America all in one kitchen for one event. The amount of young talent is unprecedented and it’s an honour to have them all here on campus,” said CFWI dean Craig Youdale who manages Junior Culinary Team Canada. “This is the Olympic year now and this is the perfect way to start our conditioning for the Olympics this fall.”
