Something’s cooking in the West End and there are lots of items on the menu.
At the Western Technical Institute in Bloor West Village, students in the Hospitality and Tourism program are cooking up a storm, and people are noticing.
In March, Grade 12 student Georgia Andrews won a Skills Canada cooking competition for her school. The victory earned her a spot in the regional finals at Humber College during April.
Although she had no expectations of winning the competition, Andrews said the enjoyment she gets from cooking kept her confident and relaxed.
“I wasn’t nervous about it,” she told Metro. “I was calm because it’s something I like doing.”
The menu Andrews had to create to take home the gold consisted of Risotto Milanese, Supreme/Frenched Breast of Chicken stuffed with Duxelle, Pan Gravy, Maple Glazed Carrots, Green Beans Amandine, Parsnip Puree and the chef’s choice of dessert utilizing Choux Paste.
What makes the victory so impressive, says program head John Kilmartin, is that Western Tech’s kitchen facilities are relatively simple compared to perennial champion Danforth College and Technical Institute.
In the last four years, however, the program has grown rapidly from three courses to 19. They also have a co-op program where students work in the kitchens of places like the Old Mill and the Drake Hotel. With the popularity, Kilmartin hopes more resources become available.
“Kids are wanting to move to a healthier lifestyle,” he says to explain the rise in popularity. “They want to put away the junk food. Here, they get to eat what they make.”
Instructor Lisa Marie De Rosa explains that along with receiving the necessary education to get them into college, the high school students also get to learn a valuable life skill. She says some of her students live on their own and knowing how to cook is very important.
