Campbell River hosted a world class-cuisine meal and wine pairing on March 18.

North Island CollegeB次元官网网址檚 Campbell River campus was home for the night to chefs from the Culinary Team of British Columbia, the North Vancouver Island Culinary Association and the Canadian Culinary Federation to put on a fundraiser to help the national and provincial culinary teams go to international competition in Luxembourg later this year.

B次元官网网址淏oth teams are under the same management. We are travelling to Luxembourg at the end of November for the Culinary World Cup,B次元官网网址� said Chef Tina Tang, a NIC grad who grew up in Courtenay. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 kind of like other world cups. It happens every two years after the Olympics. In 2024 thereB次元官网网址檒l be the culinary Olympics in Germany.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an international competition,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭his year I believe there are 50 other teams. ThereB次元官网网址檚 different categories. There are individuals, teams and smaller team events B次元官网网址� national, company and individuals just representing themselves.B次元官网网址�

Tang, who now works as a pastry chef at Summerhill Winery in Kelowna, was named Chef of the Year by the Canadian Culinary Federation for 2021. She is a part of the larger team made up of chefs based in Vancouver and Kelowna who prepared Friday nightB次元官网网址檚 dinner.

Friday was actually a test run for the November competition. The team, which was helped by culinary students from NIC, had five hours to prepare a meal for 120 people.

B次元官网网址淚t is soup, salad, a choice of between three main courses and a dessert,B次元官网网址� Tang said. B次元官网网址淚n Luxembourg itB次元官网网址檚 actually a lunchtime event, but here itB次元官网网址檚 dinner because it sells better because itB次元官网网址檚 fundraising for us.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really hectic leading up to it, but as long as weB次元官网网址檙e cooking well, weB次元官网网址檙e good.B次元官网网址�

To Tang, high level cooking is about more than just preparing food. It is about the relationship people have with what they eat. ItB次元官网网址檚 also about responsibility and creating positive trends in how we eat.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 just the relationship with the food,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just about the food on the plate, but about how that food came to us and how we respect it.

B次元官网网址淎lso being part of good change in the world. We see a lot less food waste, and weB次元官网网址檙e composting what canB次元官网网址檛 be eaten.B次元官网网址�

When the Canadians get to Luxembourg, they will be facing some stiff competition, mostly by European countries.

B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檙e outstanding competitors and we strive to be on that level with them, especially with all of the years of experience that our coaches and our managers have,B次元官网网址� Tang said. B次元官网网址淎lso I think weB次元官网网址檙e all a bit crazy, so we kind of love the adrenaline rush. I canB次元官网网址檛 lie.B次元官网网址�

That being said, Tang is not too nervous about cooking on an international stage. They have been in the competition before, after all.

B次元官网网址淚f it was before we did our first culinary Olympics, weB次元官网网址檇 be definitely more nervous, but weB次元官网网址檝e done this before,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e trying to be up to the level where the juniors can watch us and learn from us as well. WeB次元官网网址檙e trying to be extra ready.B次元官网网址�

The meal was sponsored by some B.C.-based food producers, which provided farmed Atlantic salmon, chicken from the interior and other sponsors.

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