High Schools Compete for Top Spot in Upcoming Loyalist College Junior Iron Chef Competition
High school students have been showcasing their culinary skills as they vied for one of the esteemed top three spots at the annual Loyalist College Junior Iron Chef competition to be held on Tuesday, February 19. Seven teams of four students advanced to the semi-finals on January 14th and 15th. After much deliberation the top three were chosen, naming Kingston’s Loyalist Collegiate Vocational Institute (LCVI), Thomas A. Stewart from Peterborough and Picton’s Prince Edward Collegiate Institute (PECI) as the contenders in this year’s upcoming final competition. The other schools participating in the semi-finals included Eastdale Secondary School in Oshawa, Holy Trinity in Courtice, Ernestown Secondary School in Odessa, and North Hastings High School in Bancroft.
This is the seventh year that Loyalist students have organized the competition in order to promote the art of cooking to aspiring young chefs and to showcase the excellence of the College’s Culinary and Hospitality programs. In recognition of the time and commitment of the finalists, teachers, coaches, sponsors and volunteers who are participating in this exciting event, the Loyalist students are hosting an appreciation dinner prior to February 19th in the College’s Club 213. The menu will be created, prepared and served by Loyalist students.
“We’re all very excited about the final competition,” said Annette Bumstead, Culinary student and coordinator of the Junior Iron Chef committee. “We encourage the community to come to the campus that day and join us in the cafeteria. Our Television and New Media Production students will be televising the budding chefs in action on the big screen. The competition begins at 10:00 a.m. and following the event this year’s winning team will be announced, with all three teams receiving amazing prizes from our sponsors.”
Margaret Beaumaster, a teacher in the program, praised the Loyalist students who have organized the competition. “I am so proud of this year’s coordinating team. The comments I’ve received from the teachers of the semi-final teams have been so positive. They’ve told us that this is the most organized competition that they have ever participated in and that the communication between the schools has been fantastic. Our students have done an amazing job of organizing this huge project and have done so in a manner that reflects the true professionals that they are.”
Members of the community are invited to watch the culinary challenge on the big screen in Loyalist’s cafeteria on February 19th, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., followed by the announcement of this year’s champions.
Media Contact: Marilyn Warren, Communications, Loyalist College, (613) 969-1913, ext. 2332; e-mail: mwarren@loyalistc.on.ca or Margaret Beaumaster at ext. 2213