Canada Beef has been proud to partner with Taste Canada as the Educational Awareness Partner for the Cooks the Books student chef competition since 2018. As part of this commitment, Canada Beef has offered several guest lecture series, resources and experiences to participating schools as a way to enrich discussions about agriculture’s environmental impacts, food production systems, nutrition, meat science and more.

The “Graded For Greatness” workshop, presented by Chef Mathieu Paré from the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence, offered 2024 Taste Canada Cooks the Books student chefs an overview of beef grading in Canada. Chef Mathieu details how beef is graded, why it matters to chefs, and the best uses for each grade.

Live from the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence, Cooks the Books students and industry, took part in a unique virtual learning experience. Guests watched a cut-by-cut demonstration of three Canadian beef sub-primals by Chef Mathieu Paré, Executive Director of the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence. Colleges were invited to procure the same sub-primals as Chef Mathieu so they could ‘Cut Along’ with him to get a true sense of the techniques. Watch the full video to learn about the Canada Beef Advantage and how to order, butcher and prepare these opportunity cuts.

A very important protein, beef has a remarkable (often untold) nutrition story. Canada Beef’s staff of registered dietitians have put together a fun video of fact not fiction about the role of beef in a healthy life. Beef belongs on Canadian tables, along with other wholesome foods grown and raised right here.

Brought to you by ThinkBeef.ca (a Canada Beef initiative) and Taste Canada, the 360 Steak Challenge is an opportunity to build on the learning gained from Taste Canada Cooks the Books student cooking competition. 

The unique challenge in this assignment: Students are challenged to conceptualize a steak dish that must be optimized for the diner and operator as a takeout experience, taking into consideration the containers, cutlery, accompaniments, and packaging. 

Each team will receive a complimentary takeout steak dinner which they’re to use as inspiration when developing their own creative concept on how to optimize a steak menu item for take out while still embodying the same high-quality, value and service as an in-dining meal. 

Congratulations to Joshua Massie and Emily Eyre from Fleming College for their winning submission featuring rib eye steak with stuffed mushrooms served over potato rosti and herb butter.

Guardians of the Grasslands is a short film presented to participating Cooks the Books schools in 2020 (pre-pandemic) by Story Brokers Media House film-maker Ben Wilson. Guardians of the Grasslands, considers the question: Is what we thought was a problem really a solution? This 12-minute award winning short film explores the current state of one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems, the Great Plains grasslands, and the role agriculture can play as an important ecosystem service to promote its survival. As filmmakers who live in the Prairies, Ben and creative partner Sarah Wray, felt compelled to tell the story of the Canadian grasslands’ ecosystem because of what’s at stake for all Canadians and for the future of our planet.

Too Close to Home Who plays an important role in helping to manage wildfire risk? Canadian cows and ranchers step up! Watch the new short documentary film “Too Close to Home” by the same filmmakers of “Guardians of the Grasslands”, Sarah Wray and Ben Wilson from Story Brokers Media House.

Cows on the Planet; this series of over 10 podcasts features in-depth interviews with researchers, scientists and other experts to look at the science behind a range of topics from the role of cattle in managing food waste, to the fat in the meat that we eat. Guest speakers are hosted by University of Lethbridge beef researcher Dr. Kim Stanford, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge principal scientist Dr. Tim McAllister. These podcasts present the science behind complex topics about agriculture and growing food in a format that is both thought provoking and entertaining. Podcasts are available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple podcasts and more.

The Ground Beef Tool Kit is the first-ever comprehensive education resource about Canada’s favourite meat–ground beef–covering off nutrition facts, environmental impact considerations and more.  Order or download your free copy here.

On the Same Side of the Fence, as presented to participating Cooks the Books schools in 2019, Dr. Christian Artuso, as the Manitoba Director for Birds Canada at the time, (now with Environment and Climate Change Canada) presented the consideration that environmental and agricultural concerns could be on the same side of the fence. In this condensed version of the full lecture (and also in illustrative video shorts), Dr. Artuso makes the case that perhaps it’s time to re-think our approach to ethical eating based on the Canadian prairie experience where environmental experts seek out agriculture partners to secure, maintain and protect fragile ecosystems.

For more resources, recipes and information follow on social or visit www.canadabeef.ca

Taste Canada Recipe Development and Food Photography Workshop

In the Taste Canada Recipe Development Workshop, presented by Canola Eat Well, watch along as an expert recipe developer (Jennifer MacKenzie, P.H.Ec.) and food photographer (Cindy Bekkedam, RD) share their tips, for students registered in Cooks the Books and anyone diving into recipe development can sharpen their competitive edge to develop recipes with precision and take photos that look good enough to eat!

2021 Cooks the Books Zoom Workshop with Canola Eat Well

Student chefs taking part in the LIVE Q & A Zoom event for the 2021 Taste Canada Cooks the Books Student Cooking Competition, presented by Canola Eat Well. Competitors were able to have their recipe development and competition questions answered by talented industry experts, including: Jennifer MacKenzie, P.H.Ec., Cookbook Author and Editor, Lynn Weaver, RD, P.H.Ec., Promotions Manager SaskCanola and Sabrina Falone, Chef and Event Director, Cooks the Books.

Food and Nutrition Trends with Canola Eat Well

Hosted by Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, Jodi Robinson, who shares food and nutrition trends with Canadian culinary students, giving them a healthy edge to their kitchen creations.

We celebrate four distinct seasons in Canada. When we’re eating fruits and vegetables in season, it means we get to enjoy them at their peak freshness. Plus, we love to support our local farmers!

CanadianFoodFocus.org is a gathering place to tell our Canadian food and farming stories to explore how food is grown and raised, share recipes and provide useful advice to help you make confident food choices.

Start by choosing in-season ingredients. Canadian Food Focus makes it easy with this handy resource.

Cooks the Books Industry Partner

The Culinary Federation, Senior Culinary Team Canada and Junior Culinary Team Canada members speak to the competitors of Taste Canada Cooks the Books to share some of the unique benefits that competition brings to a young student chef. Thank you for your advice, guidance and support – good luck in Luxembourg and at the Culinary Olympics in 2024!

Senior Culinary Team Canada Support Taste Canada Cooks the Books

As the Culinary Federation, Senior Culinary Team Canada members Carmelo Vadacchino, David Franklin, Paul Hoag, Russ Thayer and Sydney Hamelin prepare to compete in Luxembourg next month, they strongly encourage the Young Chefs out there to get involved in Taste Canada Cooks the Books student cooking competition, and competition in general!

Senior Culinary Team Canada Love Taste Canada Cooks the Books

As the Culinary Federation, Senior Culinary Team Canada members Carmelo Vadacchino, David Franklin, Paul Hoag, Russ Thayer and Sydney Hamelin prepare to compete in Luxembourg next month, they strongly encourage the Young Chefs out there to get involved in Taste Canada Cooks the Books student cooking competition, and competition in general!

Junior Culinary Team Canada Speak to Taste Canada Cooks the Books Competitors

As the Culinary Federation, Junior Culinary Team Canada members Poyan Danesh, Zoe Cheung, Daniel Calabrese, June Ruddick and Bruno Marti prepare to compete in Luxembourg next month, they share their excitement for the sport of culinary competition with Taste Canada Cooks the Books student competitors, straight from their most recent practice at Russell Hendrix.