Jasper Place High School Takes Culinary Gold
Posted on March 21, 2015
The culinary team from Edmonton’s Jasper Place High School defeated 15 other teams to take gold at the High School Culinary Challenge Awards Dinner Monday, March 9. Silver went to M.E. LaZerte High School and bronze went to Archbishop Jordan Catholic High School in Sherwood Park. This year’s winners improved from the school’s 3rd place finish last year.
Teams competed by cooking a three course meal on February 7 at NAIT’s Hokanson Centre for Culinary Arts and were judged on preparation, timing, sanitation, presentation and of course taste!
“It was extremely impressive to see the caliber and skill level of the teams that competed at this year’s challenge ,” says Chef Simon Smotkowicz, Executive Chef at the Shaw Conference Centre and past-president of the Canadian Culinary Federation, Edmonton chapter, who founded the challenge. “Every year it is incredible to watch as these students compete for their future in the culinary industry.”
This was the 8th year for the event. All participants of the High School Culinary Challenge were
eligible to apply for culinary scholarships upon completion of the challenge. At the awards dinner, four scholarships will be awarded to attend NAIT’s culinary apprenticeship program, where students benefit from learning on the job with some of the area’s top chefs.
“It’s very exciting to watch competitors, year after year, go on to achieve great things in the industry,” says Smotkowicz. “It’s a testament to the strength of the challenge program.”
The High School Culinary Challenge is helping to ensure that there will be new and innovative young chefs in Edmonton.