Students prepare food for MPPs

Durham College recently showcased its culinary genius with delicious, local treats for Ontario’s Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) when students in the Culinary Skills and Hospitality Management – Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism programs served food they prepared at the annual College Day MPP reception at Queen’s Park.

The event, which took place on November 29, provided an opportunity for college students across the province to showcase their talents to MPs and MPPs in areas such as hospitality, culinary arts, entertainment and photography. Glen Murray, minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities, was joined by politicians and college presidents as they enjoyed food prepared by Durham College as well as Algonquin, Centennial, Georgian and Humber colleges and College Boreal.

“Students wanted the food they served to be flavourful, colourful, unique and local,”

said Dave Hawey, program co-ordinator of Durham College’s Culinary Skills program. “It was just so refreshing,” said Hawey, explaining that the atmosphere at the reception was more relaxed and enjoyable than competitive.

Students had little space to prepare the food for the event because they were in a borrowed kitchen, but knew they wanted to make something cold and easily transportable. Taking the space and transportation challenges into consideration, they decided to make Scotch eggs, red pepper cheesecake and a chocolate tart.

All ingredients, except for herbs, were regional or from Ontario, showcasing Durham College’s enthusiasm for using locally grown produce.

Hawey said students were eager to brag about their program and share their excitement for the new Centre for Food, which will be built at the Whitby campus this spring. The new, 36,000-square-foot building will feature state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and research and meeting spaces and offer a full-service, green-certified teaching restaurant and lounge, which will be open to the public.