After three years of intense training, the hopes of a nation and eyes of the world are on a team of recent graduates from Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute.
As the reigning Junior Culinary Team Canada, they will be competing against the world’s best at the Culinary Olympics – known formally as the Internationale Kochkunst Ausstellung (IKA) Culinary Olympics – in Erfrurt, Germany October 21-26, 2016.
Team manager Craig Youdale, dean of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute, said the team has been trained for excellence and he is confident in their abilities.
“Just like athletes who train for years to compete in the Olympic Games, our Culinary Olympians take great pride in wearing the flag on their uniforms and take their commitment to representing their country very seriously,” said Youdale. “They have dedicated tens of thousands of hours in the kitchen to train over the last three years, on top of their regular school and work hours, and they have what it takes to win.”
Team captain Ben Lillico said the team is focused, determined and very strong as they head into the final weeks before the Culinary Olympics.
“Words cannot describe how hard our team has worked to get to where we are today. We would not be where we are today without the blood, sweat and tears put in by each and every team member,” said Lillico, a graduate of the College’s Culinary Management, and Bachelor of Applied Business and Hospitality programs (2014). “We are extremely proud of how we have progressed and the opportunities that have arisen on our journey thus far.”
Before they depart for Germany, the team will prepare competition meals at CFWI dinner events on September 19 and September 24. The Niagara College community will cheer them on at an official send-off event on October 7 (11 a.m., NOTL Campus) before they depart on their road to gold.
About Junior Culinary Team Canada
In October 2013, a team of culinary students and recent graduates from the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute won the title of Junior Culinary Team Canada in a victory over other culinary teams at The Canadian Culinary Federation of Chefs and Cooks (CFCC) Junior Culinary Team Selection Competition. The distinction came with the right to represent Canada at international culinary competitions for three years, including the World Culinary Olympics in Erfurt, Germany in October 2016.
The team has already savoured success. In November 2014, Junior Culinary Team Canada won a gold and silver medal and ranked fifth overall at the Expogast Villeroy and Boch Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg. In August 2015, the team captured a gold and silver medal and the overall championship title at the American Culinary Classic in Orlando, Florida.
Junior Culinary Team Canada members include captain Ben Lillico (resident of Niagara-on-the-Lake, hometown: Waterloo) , Carly Bergshoeff (resident of St. Catharines, hometown: Oshawa), Daniella Germond (St. Catharines), David Ross (resident of NOTL, hometown: Peterborough), Jeremy Gilligan (St. Catharines), Megan Proper (Burford), Robbie Aggarwal (Niagara Falls), Scott McInerney (St. Catharines resident; hometown: Peterborough), and Trevor Littlejohn (resident of Niagara Falls; hometown: Paisley). The team’s coaches include CFWI chef professors Avi Hollo and Olaf Mertens; with chefs Scott Baechler, Dan LeBlanc, Catherine O’Donnell and Osvaldo Avila providing mentorship for the team.
Cheer on Team Canada!
Send text and video messages of encouragement to Junior Culinary Team Canada via social media using the hashtag #NCtasteforgold. Follow the team on twitter at is @NCjrculinaryteam and visit their website at ncjrculinaryteamcanada.ca.
