Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop got a taste of the NC experience on April 21 with a visit to NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
She received a warm welcome upon arrival as she was met by President Sean Kennedy, vice presidents Fiona Allan (Academic), Sean Coote (International), and Marc Nantel (Research and External Relations), as well as Chair of NC’s Board of Governors Wendy Wing, and NCSAC President Sam Jemison.
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- Chef Professor Peter Storm leads Minister Jill Dunlop in a chocolate-making lesson at the CFWI and the Teaching Brewery.
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- A Culinary Management student demonstrates the preparation of smoked pork belly for Minister Dunlop.
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- Culinary students discuss their experience with MInister Jill Dulop in the charcuterie lab at the CFWI.
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- Chef Professor Catherine O’Donnell demonstrates chocolate making for Minister Jill Dunlop.
The student experience at the Canadian Food and Wine Institute was a focal point for the tour. CFWI Dean Craig Youdale led the Minister to the charcuterie and baking labs, where an immersive experience was on the menu.
Chef Professor Michael Olson led Culinary Management students through a detailed four-step demonstration In the Butchery and Charcuterie Lab on how to prepare a crispy pork belly dish.
In the Baking labs, the Minister was not only presented with a CFWI chef jacket but had a chance to use it. She rolled up her sleeves for a lesson in chocolate making, led by Chef Professor Peter Storm and students from the Baking and Pastry Arts program, who offered the Minister a selection of their student-crafted confections.
NC’s trailblazing learning enterprises were on full display during a stop at the Wine Visitor + Education Centre. NCLEC General Manager Steve Gill provided an overview of the learning enterprises – including the Teaching Winery, Teaching Distillery, and Teaching Brewery.
Dunlop spoke with Chetan Chandratre and Rachel Surla, who are both alumni of the Wine Business Management graduate certificate program (2019) and are now WVEC staff as Manager and Supervisor (respectively) of Hospitality and Events.
Brewmaster professor Jon Downing, who was announced as a recipient of the Minister’s Award of Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship earlier this year, also had a chance to meet Minister Dunlop. Downing received one of the Minister’s Awards of Excellence presented to NC in January 2022 for his role in developing the College’s Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program – which made history as the first in Canada and has had an unrivalled impact on Ontario’s brewing industry.
The visit also offered the Minister a vision for the future. Since Dunlop’s visit coincided with the unveiling of NC’s new 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, she was presented with a fresh copy prior to her departure – just as the plan was publicly released.
President Sean Kennedy presents Minister Jill Dunlop with a copy of the newly released 2022-2027 Strategic Plan.
