Students from Holland College's Culinary Institute of Canada will once again represent the country at the World Culinary Olympics to be held in Erfurt, Germany in 2008. It's the second consecutive time the culinary institute's students have earned the honor.
Culinary students Tim Leamont of Arcadia, Nova Scotia, and Martin Gouthro of Frenchvale, Nova Scotia represented the Culinary Institute of Canada when they competed against students from culinary schools across the country at Buckingham College in Quebec recently to determine which province would represent Canada on the international scene for the next few years. Although both have since graduated from the institute, Leamont and Gouthro will have the opportunity to compete as part of Culinary Youth Team Canada in several international competitions leading up to the Olympics over the next two years, and for two years following the Olympics. Team coach and instructor Chef Richard Braunauer is pleased that they have so much lead-time.
"We have two years to prepare for this event, which will give us ample time to select the eight students that we'll need for the Olympics, and for them to get used to working together in a competitive situation," he said.
At the World Culinary Olympics in Germany in October 2004, Culinary Youth Team Canada earned a gold medal for their performance in the Cold Salon and a silver medal for their Hot Kitchen work.
The 2004 Culinary Youth Team Canada had less time to prepare, so Chef Braunauer and fellow coach Chef Hans Anderegg anticipate an even better showing this time around.
The lead-time will benefit the team in other aspects of their preparation, too, according to Dave Harding, Program Manager for Culinary Arts at Holland College.
"It's a great credit to the CIC that our students have been selected once again to represent Canada, but it's a very expensive undertaking as well," he said. "This gives us two years to raise funds to help defray the costs of traveling as the Culinary Youth Team Canada while they compete in events leading up to the Olympics, as well as at the big event."
When preparations were underway for the 2004 Culinary Youth Team Canada to compete in the World Culinary Olympics, the Holland College Foundation hosted a gala dinner at the Tourism and Culinary Centre that raised more than $31,500 to help cover the team's expenses. Plans are underway to host a similar event to help the 2008 team.
For more information about this release, please contact: Sara Underwood, Media and Communications Officer Tel: 902-566-9695
Date: Wednesday, June 28, 2006
