2021 Cooks the Books
2021 Taste Canada Cooks the Books
Presented by Canola Eat Well
Cooks the Books is a cooking competition that invites Canadian culinary students from across the nation to compete for the title of Canada’s Best New Student Chefs.
Theme for 2021 Competition
Due to Covid-19 travel and gathering restrictions, the 2021 competition was a submission-based competition. Teams were each made up of two full-time culinary students from a dedicated Canadian culinary program.
Each team created their own unique dish following the Cooks the Books criteria with a “Canadian Focus with Global Influence” theme to celebrate the foods grown and produced in Canada and our unique diversity. A recipe is made up of so much more than just the ingredients used to create a dish. The techniques, equipment and presentation all play a role in the final experience. Students were challenged to think of how Canadian ingredients can be transformed into an ethnically diverse and interesting recipe using global influences.
Recipes were to consider the seasonality of the Canadian ingredients i.e. asparagus is not available all year long, therefore should not appear in a Fall/Winter themed recipe. This year we asked that 60% of all ingredients called for in each recipe, be grown, produced and/or raised in Canada. Global flavours, techniques, traditions and influence were also used to honour the Canadian foods featured in the recipe.
Students were able to use this amazing resource to discern the fruits and vegetables available in September/October in Canada: What’s in Season section of the Canadian Food Focus website.
Winners
GOLD WINNERS
École des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal
William Besner and Jean-François Perron
SILVER WINNERS
Fleming College
Thi Quynh Mai Dong (Haley) and Tamara Travner
Prizes
SILVER & GOLD
Each of the students on the two winning teams will receive an F. Dick Red Spirit Chef Knife, Cut Book and AMT Fry Pan compliments of Food Supplies Inc.
GOLD
The GOLD winning team will also receive a $3000 CAD bursary to aid with the expenses of their culinary education and the title of Taste Canada’s Best New Student Chefs!
Meet the Competition
Meet the Teams
Assiniboine Community College
Shaomei Zhou and Emiri Kamanaka
Centennial College Team One a.k.a. Team #LoveCdnBeef
Sammantha McIlvenna and Meet Patel
Their Dish: Middle Eastern Forest Roulade “Beef-e-Baharat”
Centennial College Team Two
Molly White and Geno Bornea
Conestoga College
Jessie Olsen and Carlos Daniel Castrillon
Their Dish: Honey Glazed Duck Breast with Kabocha Squash, Goat Cheese Strudel and Apple Vinaigrette
École des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal
William Besner and Jean-François Perron
Their Dish: Pâté chinois (Shepherd’s Pie)
Fanshawe College
Kaitlyn Jackson and Bernarvio Knowles
Fleming College
Thi Quynh Mai Dong (Haley) and Tamara Travner
Their Dish: Duet of Duck with Spiced Grape Gastrique and a Foie Gras & Morel Mushroom Bread Pudding
Thistletown High School
Monique Thompson and Thomas Goodwin
Their Dish: Autumn Braised boneless Oxtail Stew
Thank You to Our Partners
Educational Workshops
Taste Canada is proud to offer students a valuable educational experience in collaboration with Canola Eat Well. The 2021 workshop was developed to offer students an opportunity to learn from industry experts who share insights to enhance students’ competition experience, as well as supplement their culinary education.
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