By Ivan Watson

(As seen in the of the Saanich B次元官网网址.)

Dressed head to toe in chefB次元官网网址檚 whites, Steve Walker-Duncan speaks passionately about the culinary arts and its role in bringing people together. B次元官网网址淔ood unites every single person on the planet,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚t crosses over gender, ethnicity, and geographical borders. People light up when you talk about food because itB次元官网网址檚 universal.B次元官网网址�

For his capstone paper in the joint Camosun and Simon Fraser University Master of Education program, he explored the relationship between food and learning.

B次元官网网址淔ood is a vehicle for learning across disciplines and it can be used to teach math, politics, geography, weather systems or other topics because it applies everywhere,B次元官网网址� he says, highlighting that a passion for interdisciplinary teaching and applied learning has underpinned his career.

Walker-Duncan got his start in the kitchen of JohnB次元官网网址檚 Place as a teenager and has worked as an instructor at Camosun since 2003. In fall 2016, he became the program chair of the collegeB次元官网网址檚 Culinary Arts program.

B次元官网网址淢y mandate is to put the community back in community college,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址漈hat means becoming more much active with an understanding that we want our efforts to be community focused.B次元官网网址�

Already plans are underway for a partnership between Camosun Culinary Arts and the Mustard Seed. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e creating a production kitchen and bringing in 55,000 pounds each week of less than perfect looking produce from local Thrifty Foods stores,B次元官网网址� he explains. B次元官网网址淥ur role is bringing the right skills to process it properly and give the people participating in the program skills they can take back to the workforce.B次元官网网址�

Around CamosunB次元官网网址檚 Interurban campus, Walker-Duncan highlights the importance of healthy local produce. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got two edible gardens that our students use in their cooking,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淎nd this year we started a B次元官网网址榤ini farmers marketB次元官网网址� in the cafeteria where weB次元官网网址檙e selling bunches of fresh, local asparagus, chard and other vegetables.B次元官网网址�

Walker-Duncan has decades of experience as an entrepreneur including owning a hotel in England and occupying culinary positions in Spain, Gibraltar, and the Netherlands. Since 2010, heB次元官网网址檚 hosted Flavours of the West Coast on CHEK TV.

His business expertise informs his teaching. B次元官网网址淓verything has a cost, whether itB次元官网网址檚 a product cost or a people cost,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淭he title of our program is Professional Cook which ultimately means that itB次元官网网址檚 your livelihood. I teach my students they need to understand the budget side of things.B次元官网网址�

When his students graduate, Walker-Duncan is pleased that they make an immediate impact in the local culinary scene. B次元官网网址淪ome of my former students are now working at JohnB次元官网网址檚 Place,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 full circle for me.B次元官网网址�

Beet-cured Salmon recipe by Chef Steve Walker-Duncan

Ingredients

• 80g of coarse sea salt
• 60 g sugar
• 15 ml cracked black pepper
• 45 ml orange juice
• 120 g red beet, raw grated
• 30 ml dill, finely chopped
• 2 kg Salmon fillets, (2 x 1kg fillets) boneless, skin left on

Directions:

• Ensure that ALL the pin bones are removed from the salmon otherwise it will be very difficult to slice.
• Mix all rub ingredients together and spread the mixture evenly on flesh side of one fillet. Place the second fillet flesh side down, on top of the first one, sandwiching the two together with the skin on the outside.
• Wrap the salmon sandwich tightly with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in the top and bottom then place on a cooling rack on a baking sheet to allow liquid to drain out. Place another baking sheet on top of the wrapped salmon and add some weight to press down on the fish.
• (a couple of tin cans or full plastic containers will work well)
• Allow to cure in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours, turning occasionally, then unwrap and rinse off the cure mixture under cold water and pat dry. Wrap in clean plastic wrap and use within 1 week.

To Serve

• Slice thinly using a long thin blade; starting with the blade at about 45鈦� move the knife in a downward curving motion onto the skin of the fish so that the blade finishes each slice flat across the skin.