NC is proving that too many cooks in the kitchen may be a perfect recipe for student success as it launches the inaugural Celebrate Niagara series.
The standout event series kicked off at Benchmark restaurant on March 12, offering culinary and hospitality students a seat at the table with some of the region’s top professionals.
The sold-out debut dinner provided guests with a taste of the honeymoon capital, with Bittersweet Symphony, Casa Mia Ristorante, Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Parks, Niagara Food Specialties, and Tide and Vine Oyster House each in charge of a different course. .[View Celebrate Niagara Niagara Falls Dinner Menu March 12 2026]
The Benchmark kitchen became a hub of activity as the visiting chefs and their staff joined the team for the day. Culinary students worked shoulder to shoulder with the guest chefs to help prepare and plate the meal. While the kitchen buzzed with activity, hospitality students moved to the front of the house to gain valuable experience in high end service.
The new Celebrate Niagara series serves as a showcase for the local industry and provides creates new opportunities for students to sharpen their skills and expand their professional networks.
Culinary Management student Bailey Moreau said he jumped at the chance to work at the event – as he does for all of the functions, hoping to gain as much experience as possible.
“It’s an unbelievable program. Our teachers truly care, and I love having the opportunity to be a part of events like this,” he said.
As a lifelong Niagara resident, Moreau applauded the locally focused nature of the series. He noted that the event opened his eyes to the diversity of the region and allowed him to connect with multiple restaurants at once on campus.
“The amount of information we’re able to gain through experiences like these is amazing. There’s so much knowledge the chefs are willing to share with us,” he said.
First-year Culinary Management student Gwen Lefree was also eager to join the action in the kitchen where she assisted with plating the various courses.
“I think it’s really exciting to take these opportunities, to meet new people and have new experiences,” said Lefree.
Celebrate Niagara series continues
The Celebrate Niagara series consists of five signature events at Benchmark. Each evening brings together chefs from renowned establishments within a specific area of the region. By presenting different courses, the chefs offer guests a dining experience akin to visiting multiple restaurants in a single evening while celebrating Niagara as a world class destination.
The next event, Celebrate Niagara: Niagara-on-the-Lake, is scheduled for April 9 and is already sold out. Guests will savour the flavours of wine country with participants from Garrison House, Peller Estates Winery and Restaurant, Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Treadwell Cuisine, and Vintage Hotels.
On May 7, the series will highlight the agricultural heartland of the region with Celebrate Niagara: Lincoln and West Niagara, featuring the Good Earth Food and Wine Co., Redstone Winery and Restaurant, Revalee, and Vineland Estates Winery. Tickets are available while supplies last at via Eventbrite here.
The series continues May 21 with a focus on the diverse food scene of St. Catharines. This sold-out event will include Bolete, Fat Rabbit, Niagara Food Company, Odd Bird, and Wellington Court.
The series will conclude with Celebrate Niagara: Welland. The final event will welcome guest chefs from Rose City, which serves as home to the Niagara College Welland Campus. Details for the Welland event have yet to be announced.
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Celebrate Niagara series brings local chefs together for unique dinner experiences
