Future culinary students Johanna Buttle and Tamara Pantaleo returned to the kitchens of Durham College’s (DC)’s Centre for Food (CFF) to recreate their winning mac n’ cheese recipe for Channel 12 News last Thursday. 

During the first Epic Mac N’ Cheese competition in April, Buttle and Pantaleo created a spicy mac n’ cheese that made mouths water and earned the duo the top spot. 

“The competition helped decide my post-secondary path,” said Buttle who learned how to cook from her grandfather. “Winning proves that I can succeed with a future in culinary arts.” 

The segment aired Thursday, May 28 in Durham, Peterborough and the Kawarthas, highlighting Pantaleo and Buttle’s winning mac n’ cheese dish. The recipe was made with locally-sourced ingredients such as a variety of cheeses, sausage, herbs and spices. 

“I’m proud of the recipe. I love it,” said Pantaleo in her interview with Channel 12. “It’s not what I typically enjoy, but this makes me like it. The dish is not overwhelmingly spicy, but it’s enough to enjoy.” 

Pantaleo will be attending DC this fall, and Buttle in September 2016, to hone their culinary skills.

Connor Pringle has barely scratched the surface of his career, but in his two years in Durham College’s (DC)’s Journalism – Print and Broadcast program, he has already achieved more than he thought with only two more semesters left to go.

During his placement at the Sudbury Star in Sudbury, Ont., Pringle’s work made the front page of the city’s newspaper when he documented the awakening of bears after their long winter hibernation.

“I just happened to be outside when I noticed a bear climbing a tree,” said Pringle. “I ran to get my camera and took a lot of shots before I settled on the one that made front page. The bear was looking right at me, claws out.”

The journalism program at DC has provided Pringle with the skills to tackle all kinds of different news stories, and his success has opened many doors – both on and off campus.

“I had the opportunity to photograph OneRepublic – a major American pop band, and interview other bands as well as local actors and actresses,” said Pringle. “About five years ago, I started writing screenplays. I stopped because I didn’t think my writing was good enough. But with the skills my professors have taught me, I plan on writing them once again and hopefully sell one.”

Pringle’s hard work in journalism has not gone unnoticed. At the beginning of the school year, all students were informed of the Journalism Awards, intended to recognize students for their accomplishments. Pringle, through his hard work, walked away with two awards – Best Second-Year Photo and Best Second-Year Broadcast story for two hard news stories he covered for DC’s student-run newspaper – The Durham College Chronicle.

“I was at placement when they held the awards ceremony, and my friends let me know I won the awards through Facebook,” said Pringle. “You know, it’s funny. One day you’re just doing your job, and the next thing you know, you’re winning awards. It’s unexpected, but it feels great to be recognized for your hard work.”

Pringle plans to return to DC his third and final year to complete the three-year journalism program, which was recently consolidated into the two-year Journalism – Web and Print and Journalism – Broadcast and Electronic Media programs.

Durham College (DC) announced today it is serving up more Jamie Kennedy through an expanded partnership with the celebrity chef and Centre for Food (CFF) ambassador, in support of student success.

With this commitment Kennedy will interact with students in the classroom, labs and fields; work with staff and faculty; and participate in student special events. The community will have the opportunity to taste the chef’s talents through a special Jamie Kennedy menu offered on Thursdays at Bistro ’67 – the CFF’s green-certified teaching-inspired restaurant.

“As the ambassador for the Centre for Food we have seen Chef Kennedy’s work in action first-hand,” said Don Lovisa, president, Durham College. “We are very excited that we’ll see more of Jamie on campus and with our students, offering them more opportunities to explore the field-to-fork philosophy and enhancing DC’s best-in-class education across culinary, hospitality, event management, food science, agricultural and horticultural programs.”

Kennedy is a pioneer in ‘farm to table’ practices, and recipient of the Order of Canada for his promotion of Canadian cuisine and the use of organic, sustainable and locally-sourced foods. His expertise will enhance DC’s leadership in the field-to-fork food movement – a vision at the heart of the CFF, and a concept that is shaping the future of local food and farming industries to help maintain Ontario’s strong agricultural tradition.

“Canada is becoming a real hub for creating culinary uniqueness using fresh ingredients from local farms, and Durham College is a leader in this movement,” said Kennedy. “Students are learning to draw inspiration by following the field-to-fork philosophy, and I have reached a point in my career where sharing of knowledge is key. It’s important to instill this ideology in younger cooks, and I’m looking for practical ways to get involved.”

He added that with programs like DC’s, both students and the Ontario food industry have a bright future ahead of them, and he’s excited to be a part of it.

Kennedy, who owns and runs a farm and vineyard in Prince Edward County, has applied the slow food philosophy in every aspect of his business. His seasonal methods of cooking continue to inspire progress in agricultural and gastronomical communities nationwide.

With the capacity to accommodate 900 students, the CFF is Durham Regions first-ever post-secondary presence focused on field-to-fork. In addition to Bistro ’67, the CFF houses Pantry, a retail store featuring fresh-baked items, meals-to-go, preserved foods and ready-to-cook meals created by students in the college’s culinary programs. The grounds feature an apple orchard, farm fields and greenhouses that support academic applied-learning and research while growing fruits, vegetables and other produce for use in its kitchens, laboratories and Bistro ‘67.

Does chopping an onion bring a tear to your eye? Culinary students and employees at Durham College’s (DC) Centre for Food (CFF) can help you better survive dinner prep with handy kitchen tricks, which were recently featured on a segment of the Daily Planet’s Seriously?! hosted by Jay Ingram and filmed at the CFF.

The segment, which aired on the Discovery Channel on Thursday, May 21, followed Chef Dave Hawey, professor and program coordinator for the Culinary Skills program, along with culinary students as they walked Ingram through a series of “kitchen hacks” that are sure to make cooking a little easier.

“This was a fun way to share tricks that we, as chefs, have learned along the way that can help everyone in the kitchen,” Hawey said. “It was also a good opportunity for our students to do something a little different, while sharing the skills they have acquired during their studies.”

A total of eight kitchen hacks were displayed during the segment, some of which included:

• Preventing tears while cutting an onion
• Sharpening knives on a cup
• Separating egg yolks
• Cutting cake to avoid dry edges

The CFF is Durham Region’s first-ever post-secondary presence focused on the field-to-fork concept, which is based on the harvesting, storage, processing, packaging, sale and consumption of food – in particular the production of local food for local consumers.

Supported by ambassador and celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy, the CFF can accommodate 900 students studying in culinary, hospitality, event management, food science, and agricultural and horticultural programs, completing the full cycle of farming to the preparation, serving and celebration of food.

For more information about DC’s Centre for Food, visit www.durhamcollege.ca/cff

Durham College (DC) students owned the podium at Skills Ontario, Canada’s largest skilled trades’ competition. Our students outshined the competition, earning them gold and silver medals in multiple categories.

Adam Leadbetter, a level-three apprentice in DC’s Industrial Mechanic – Millwright program, won gold in the Industrial Mechanic Millwright category.

“The competition was intense,” said Leadbetter. “You put in your ear plugs, drown the world out and use all your concentration. I’m pretty ecstatic to be going to nationals and look forward to putting my skills to the test.”

Leadbetter’s win means he will be representing DC and Ontario against the best and brightest millwrights in Canada, when he participates in the Skills Canada national competition held in Saskatoon, Sask., from Wednesday, May 27 to Saturday, May 30. 

DC’s Mike Bachand, a second year Mechanical Technician – Mechanical Maintenance and Control student took home the silver in the same category as Leadbetter; Bryan Chamberlain, a Computer Systems Technology student, won silver in the IT Network Systems Administration category; and Blake Jessup, a level-three welding apprentice in the Welding program, also won silver in the Welding category. 

Overall, 13 DC students competed in various categories including Auto Service Technology, Baking, Culinary Arts, Heating Systems Technology and Plumbing. Congratulations to our students!