TORONTO — Student chefs at Toronto’s George Brown College (GBC) recently tested their culinary mettle by creating a signature soup featuring the L.J. Minor line of bases and concentrates. The 2014 Minor’s Soup of the World competition, held this month at GBC, and co-hosted by Nestlé Professional, united 11 culinary students from first- and second-year programs, giving them a taste of what it’s like to create a recipe and execute it for a jury.
The first-and second-year culinary students were given a series of food products and a line of stocks and bases. They were asked to create an original soup and prepare it under the watchful glare of two judging panels: one comprised of faculty grading students for cleanliness and poise in the kitchen, the other consisting of industry experts judging on the taste and presentation of the dishes. Contestants had 30 minutes to prepare their dish.
After chopping, dicing and cooking their way to creativity, the jury determined three winners for each category of students. Tuba Tunc, placed first in the second-year category of students for her Turkish Yogurt Soup, while second place went to Jae Pil Cho for his Spinach Tofu Ball Soup; Luis Felipe Gonzalez placed third for his Vuelve La Vida Soup. Among the first-year students, first-place honours went to Marc Cajimat for his tasty Italian Wedding Soup; Hayley Turnbull placed second for her creative Chipotle Seafood Minestrone and third place went to Samantha Lamano for her velvety and rich Mushroom Soup. The People’s Choice Award was presented to Tuba Tunc (pictured, middle) for her Turkish Yogurt Soup.
The winners won cash prizes, ranging from $100 for fifth place to $1,000 for first place.
The industry-led judging committee was comprised of Rosanna Caira, editor/publisher of Kostuch Media and Alison Fryer of the Cookbook Store in Toronto.
