2023 Cooks the Books
2023 Taste Canada Cooks the Books
Presented by Canadian Beef
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 named by Taste Canada Awards.
Special thanks to our partners for producing the 2023 Taste Canada Cooks the Books video:
Videographers: Niagara College; BRTF – Broadcasting, Radio, TV and Film
Editor: Jeff Reynolds
Music: Patrick Patrikios – The Awakening Music Provided By audio storage
Congratulations to Durham College for winning Gold and SAIT for winning the Silver medals at the 2023 student cooking competition presented by Canadian Beef!
Cooks the Books Competition
The 2023 competition took place on Sunday, October 29th, 2023 at Cirillo’s Academy in Toronto.
Each team, made up of two full-time culinary students, from a dedicated Canadian culinary program competed for a Gold or Silver prize and the title of Canada’s Best New Student Chef named by Taste Canada Awards.
Each team created their own unique dish following the Cooks the Books criteria based on the 2023 theme: New Canadian Flavours Rooted in Tradition.
Drawing inspiration from their own cultural cuisines, heritages and traditions, students were challenged to develop a unique recipe using a variety of Canadian ingredients, branded partner products and a unique cut of Canadian Beef.
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Special thanks to Rohan Laylor of Phat Dog Visuals for capturing the photos from the 2023 Taste Canada Cooks the Books Student Cooking Competition presented by Canadian Beef.Explore. Inspire. Cook.
Students selected their choice of beef cut to work with by exploring the Canadian Beef Information Gateway. The Gateway is a web-based platform that offers information on over 70 beef cuts, including cut descriptions and nutritional information, how-to-cook recommendations, over 300 recipe videos, and more.
Recipes must also consider the seasonality of fresh Canadian ingredients so this year, 60% of all ingredients called for in each recipe must be grown, produced and/or raised in Canada. Global flavours, techniques, traditions, and influences may be used to honour the Canadian foods featured in the recipe. Students will reference the What’s in Season section of the Canadian Food Focus website for a complete list of fresh fruits and vegetables available in October/November in Canada.
Students will also include California Prunes into their recipes, along with a dash or two of Tabasco® sauce and a variety of Club House for Chefs herbs and spices.
Meet the Competition
Registration for Cooks the Books is still open! Email Sabrina Falone, Event Director (sabrina@sfcreative.ca) to learn more about how your school can compete in this exciting event!
What’s at Stake
Not only are students battling it out for the title of Taste Canada’s Best New Student Chef but they’re also competing for the amazing prizes that have been generously donated by our sponsors and industry partners.
All students will receive a Canada Beef Wood Carving Board, gift card to The Keg, a Chef Works embroidered apron and a one-year membership to Culinary Federation Canada. Plus, kitchen swag from Canadian Food Focus, Club House for Chefs, Tabasco®, Indigo and F.Dick Knives.
The two winning teams will also receive: F.Dick Red Spirit 7” Santoku Knife and Cut Book, Profboard Pro-Series 270 Cutting Boards, AMT Frying Pan and a $150 Chef Works Gift Certificate.
The Silver winning team will also take home a Kitchen Aid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender and 7 Speed Cordless Hand Mixer! The students on the Gold winning team will each receive the iconic Kitchen Aid Artisan® Series 5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer!!
The Gold Winners will also receive the Taste Canada Trophy to display at their college for the next year AND a $3,000 Educational Bursary!
Good luck to the all the student chefs competing in this year’s Taste Canada Cooks the Books Student Cooking Competition presented by Canadian Beef!
Educational Farm Tour
This year, Cooks the Books participants are invited to a special and delicious day at the farm. The field-to-table experiential learning opportunity will be hosted by Taste Canada, Canadian Food Focus and Canada Beef on Monday, October 30th, 2023. Students will partake in a unique experience at an award-winning, grass-fed cattle farm just outside Toronto.
Farm owner and recipient of the Ontario Environmental Stewardship Award, Sandra Voss, will share how Canadian beef farmers and ranchers play a significant role in preserving and protecting the environment by working with their herds as stewards of the land. Attending guests of this exclusive farm tour will also be treated to a very special meal, prepared by Grill Master sisters, Maddie & Kiki. The goal is to support culinary students’ classroom education with real life experiences that will inspire them to support local, as well as ignite their curiosity about Canada’s diverse agricultural practices.
Educational Resource Hub
The Taste Canada Cooks the Books Educational Resource Hub for Canadian Culinary Students and Food Professionals is loaded with valuable information. Learn about food trends, agricultural practices, food writing, nutrition and more from Taste Canada’s partners and notable industry experts.
Thank You to Our Partners & Judges
