Anthony Luongo from YourTV sat down with NC’s Dean of Culinary, Tourism, and Beverage Studies, Craig Youdale, and Brewmaster Professor Adrian Popowycz, to discuss Caps, Corks & Forks–NC’s annual food and beverage pairing competition, where Winery and Viticulture Technician students on Team Wine face off against Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management students on Team Beer.
Held on February 22, the competition challenges students to expertly pair their beverages with a multi-course menu crafted by NC Culinary students, with a panel of judges deciding which team wins.
During the segment, Popowycz, who led team beer to victory, showcased the winning trophy and highlighted the exciting challenge of pairing beer with each course. “For each course, there were at least five to ten beers we tried to pair, and honing that down was quite the challenge,” he explained. “The dishes are very complex, and it’s hard to find one true flavour to come through that you could account for.”
Youdale emphasized the dedication students bring to the competition. “Since day one, from the very first competition, there’s been a fierce but fun rivalry between the two teams. They put a lot of work in–this takes months of preparation–so they take it very seriously until the very last moment.”
Watch the February 26 segment here.
