It was a gouda day at Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Food (CFF) as 13 teams of grade 11 and 12 students faced off in the college’s first ever Epic Man N’ Cheese competition on Saturday, April 11.

The students developed their own unique twist on the old family favourite using top-quality local ingredients such as smoked duck, Montreal smoked beef, salmon, lobster, fresh vegetables and herbs, and, of course, a range of cheeses including asiago, blue, brie, fontina, Colby, cheddar, goat’s cheese and more provided by a variety of sponsors.

Each team produced a stunning dish, but the winning recipe was Spicy Mac N’ Cheese whipped up by Tamara Pantaleo and Johanna Buttle of East Northumberland Secondary School, in Brighton, Ont. With Muenster cheese, merguez sausage made by the students in DC’s Culinary Skills program, cayenne pepper and fresh herbs, it was a combination that couldn’t be beat.

“Winning the contest definitely helps me get my name out there in the field and builds confidence in my cooking abilities,” said Tamara Pantaleo. “I plan on going to DC in the fall so it’s also nice to already have experience with the culinary program there.”

“The competition helped decide my post-secondary path,” said Johanna Buttle. “Winning proves that I can succeed with a future in culinary arts.

The winners were chosen by event attendees who enjoyed a sample size portion of each concoction then voted for their top choice. Honourable mentions go to:

Second Place:  Notre Dame Catholic High School
Megan McGrath
Jaelyn Mason

Second Place:  Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School
Morgan Mackenzie 
Nic Cranney

Third Place:  J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate
Jeni Monette
Jack Lloyd

“We were thrilled to see so many aspiring chefs cooking up a storm in our kitchens, and the support from the community was outstanding,” said Dave Hawey, chef, professor and coordinator of the culinary programs, at DC. “We’d also like to thank our generous sponsors for donating the ingredients and prizes, which allows the college to reinvest 100 per cent of ticket sales back into student education and training.  Several local businesses also purchased tickets to support the event.”

All the cheddar raised at the Epic Mac N’ Cheese Competition will be held in a bursary fund to support students considering a career in culinary, hospitality or special events planning at DC. All students who participated in the competition are eligible to apply for the bursary.  

Epic Mac N’ Cheese Competition Winning Recipe: Spicy Mac n’ Cheese
Sauce:

• 1/3 cup of salted butter
• 5 tbsp. of flour
• 1 cup Muenster cheese
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tbsp. of mustard
• 1 egg yolk

 Melt butter in pan and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the flour, one tablespoon at a time. Keep the heat on low, whisking until it darkens in colour (about seven minutes). Add the milk a bit at a time, whisking until it’s absorbed, then adding more. Simmer for as long as possible but 20 minutes is advised, stirring every five minutes to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Add the mustard and egg yolk.

 Meat:

• 2 stripped Merguez sausages, separated (made by the students in DC’s Culinary Skills program – available for purchase at Pantry)
• Cayenne
• Salt / pepper
• Oregano
• Crushed chilly flakes
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh basil
• Chives
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 diced onion
• Green onion, chopped
• 1 roasted red pepper
• 3 chopped mushrooms

Caramelize garlic and onion in a pan. Brown the sausage in the same pan. Add a pinch of each spice. Add the mushroom and roasted pepper last. Add the mixture to cooked pasta and sauce. Put it into a dish.

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tbsp. oregano
• tbsp. melted butter
• 1/3 cup asiago cheese

Mix breadcrumbs and oregano. Mix a 1/4 into the meat and pasta mixture. Add the butter to the rest of the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle asiago over the mixture. Apply the rest to create a layer on top of the pasta and broil for five minutes.

While the weather conditions may not have been entirely spring-like, dozens of Durham College (DC) and University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) students, staff, faculty, and community members put on their sneakers April 8 to support the eighth-annual Campus Charity Walk and Run for the Boys and Girls Club of Durham (BGCD).

The regular five-kilometre course route was cut a bit short this year because of the poor weather. Still, the hearty participants raised more than $3,300 for the BGCD’s Youth Justice Program. Other runners included Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) cadets, staff and youth from the BGCD, and students from G.L. Roberts Collegiate Vocational Institute in Oshawa, Ontario. In addition, 28 volunteers assisted with setup and registration for the two-loop course at the joint DC-UOIT campus location in north Oshawa.

“This annual event is a sure sign of spring on campus and we are grateful for the support of so many people from across the community who recognize the importance of this cause,” said event co-ordinator Dr. Carla Cesaroni. “The Boys and Girls Club of Durham provides children a safe and supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships and develop confidence and skills for life.”

2015 awards:

DC/UOIT registered runners

• Male
  • Matthew Hack 7:37
  • Tyler Tompsett 8:05
  • Ben Suter 8:21

• Female
  • Johanna Tooners 10:14
  • Lori Wilson 10:50
  • Daria Ruginis 11:12

 Faculty and staff runners

• Dan Walters 9:59

 G.L. Roberts Collegiate Vocational Institute

• Male
  • Scott Valade 9:28
  • Kyle Watt 9:42
  • Demetrius Empey 10:14

• Female
  • Christina Branch 9:29
  • Jolesha Allen 11:20
  • Sam Mclean 11:25

• Durham Regional Police Service
  • Jeff Statham 12:16 (cadet instructor). Organizers say the DRPS team ran together and made sure Jeff crossed the line first.

Two Durham College (DC) alumni wowed students with stories of their remarkable journeys from college to career at this year’s Alumni in the Pit on April 7. The annual event welcomes back former DC students to share their experiences since graduation and provide guidance to those who are about to embark on their own career paths.

This year’s event featured, Amanda de Souza, designer and professor, and Mike Arsenault, broadcaster and author, who both graduated from DC in 2008. Though they received very different educations, they had the same advice to share – work hard, volunteer, learn as much as you can (even in that “meaningless” job) and be passionate about everything you do.

“I used to spend my weekends doing a self-defence show for Rogers TV Durham,” said Arsenault, who graduated from the Sport Business Management – Graduate Certificate program. “They were 12-hour days, but if you enjoy what you do, it’s not work. So get your foot in the door. Even if it’s not what you want to do it can still give you answers, it’s still valuable experience and it gives you a lot of networking opportunities.”

Mike eventually transitioned into sports writing and broadcasting, and even published a book, 60’6″: Balls, Strikes, and Baseball Mortality, in 2012. He currently works as a field reporter for The Weather Network and CBC.

De Souza graduated from the Advertising program at DC. She moved to New York City (NYC) where she landed a job as senior designer for W Magazine and found success as an artist. In fact, one of her pieces, a decorated piano, was featured in NYC’s Central Park as part of a city-wide art exhibit.

“Be passionate about what you’re studying,” de Souza said. “Focus on your passion, then use the skills you develop here at DC to pursue what you enjoy. I didn’t even realize how many skills I learned in my program until I started applying for jobs, and said, ‘I can do this, and this, and this.’”

Both grads attended DC after completing a university degree to develop more hands-on skills that carried them through a range of exciting opportunities, including de Souza’s time as social media manager for Justin Timberlake’s restaurant, Southern Hospitality, in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, and Arsenault’s gig as editor for two newspapers.

“It’s exciting to reconnect with these amazing young people who once stood where our students stand now,” said DC President, Don Lovisa. “They have both accomplished great things, and I hope our students were inspired by their tenacity, enthusiasm and drive to follow their dreams. We offer outstanding programs here at DC, and we’re proud to have played a role in the success of these two, and so many more, alumni.”

There was lots of love for the environment at Durham College (DC) as students, faculty and staff commemorated Earth Week 2015. The DC Sustainability Committee helped students go green with a number of exciting events held both on and off campus.

The week’s activities began on Saturday, March 28 when DC and the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) partnered with the City of Oshawa when they hosted a screening of the documentary No Impact Man, a film about one family’s attempt to live a year without making any impact on the environment. Taking place at the Regent Theatre, the movie showing coincided with Earth Hour 2015, a global event encouraging people to turn off the lights to symbolize their commitment to the planet.

Events continued throughout the rest of the week including:

• A mini farmer’s market in The Pit where students had the opportunity to purchase fresh locally produced goods and learn more about Aramark’s eco-initiatives,
• An artisanal chocolate workshop and tasting featuring ChocoSol Traders, where Founder Michael Sacco explained how they are working to incorporate the research of spiritual ecology of the forest garden and polyculture into local projects,
• An eco-showcase at EP Taylor’s students enjoyed live music while sampling some sustainable menu items and browsing local green vendors.

“We wanted our Earth Week activities to be fun and engaging for staff, students and faculty alike,” said Tanya Roberts, sustainability co-ordinator. “We had a great response and were able to showcase sustainability in a number of unique ways.

Earth Week may be over, but sustainability never stops. Visit durhamcollege.ca/livinggreen for more information on how you can participate in eco-friendly activities on and off campus.