Junior Culinary Team Canada is featured among 50 Canadian culinary masters in a new cookbook launched by The Canadian Museums Association – Great Canadian Masters.
A celebration of Canada’s culinary and artistic excellence, the book was launched at the Royal Ontario Museum on September 26. In celebration of 150 years of Canada’s creative excellence, the book features recipes created by innovative Canadian chefs inspired by paintings from Canadian museums and galleries. Accompanying the recipes are full colour reproductions of the paintings, along with the chefs’ descriptions of how the artwork inspired their creations. It also features quotes from each featured chef along with biographical information.
Niagara College’s team from the Canadian Food and Wine Institute is showcased in a special chapter of the book dedicated to the chefs of tomorrow, including recipes from Junior Culinary Team Canada members – comprised of recent culinary grads from the college – as well as CFWI dean Craig Youdale and chef professors/ Olympic team coaches.
Youdale noted that it is an immense honour for the College and the team to be included in the book and he congratulated all from the College who participated.
“Niagara College, especially the Canadian Food and Wine Institute has built up a lot of artists. Our winemakers, brewmasters, chefs, soon-to-be-distillers all take an incredible amount of pride in what they do and what they create. And to be involved in the Canadian art scene in this way is something that is exciting for all of us and exciting for our entire team,” he said at the launch.
The team travelled to the ROM for the book launch and prepared dinner for guests at the following celebration.
Inside the book
Robbie Aggarwal (of Niagara Falls), is on pages 98-99 with his Minestrone alla Genovese recipe, and chosen work of art, 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay by Mary McTaggart.
Carly Bergshoeff (Oshawa) is on pages 102-103 with her Seared Scallop recipe, inspired by the Maud Lewis painting, White Cat.
Daniella Germond (St. Catharines) – whose photo is also among the five featured on the book’s cover – is on pages 104-105 with her Pan-Seared Halibut recipe, inspired by Heather Reid’s Georgian Bay Scene.
Jeremy ‘Clark’ Gilligan (St. Catharines), is on pages 106-107 with his Panko-Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna recipe, inspired by Henri Julien’s La Chasse-galerie painting.
Captain of the team Benjamin Lillico (Waterloo), is on pages 108-109 with his Bison Tartare recipe, inspired by L.L. FitzGerald’s Summer Afternoon, The Prairie. He is also on page 110-111 with his Canada, Foraged recipe, inspired by Ludger Larose, Flower Composition with Figure, Logan Greenhouse.
Trevor Littlejohn (Niagara Falls), is on pages 112-13 with his Cod recipe inspired by Robert Pilot’s Curling Newfoundland (Wharf Scene with Fishing Boat).
Scott McInerney (Peterborough), is on pages 114-115 with Spring Elan recipe inspired by Walter Joseph Phillips, Wenkchemna Meadows.
Megan Proper (Burford) is on pages 120-121 with her Passionfruit Molded Bon Bon recipe, inspired by Emily Carr’s Eagle Totem.
David Ross is on pages 122-123 with his Maple-Glazed Duck Breast recipe inspired by Maud Lewis’ Deer in Winter.
Craig Youdale (Niagara-on-the-Lake), is on pages 124-125 with his Roast Venison Loin recipe, inspired by Tom Thomson’s Sketch for the Jack Pine.
Olaf Mertens (Burlington), is on pages 116-117 with his Nature’s Fired Bison recipe, inspired by Paul Kane’s Sault Ste. Marie.
Catherine O’Donnell (Niagara-on-the-Lake) is on pages 118-119 with her Warm Apple Cake recipe inspired by Tom Thomson’s Canoe Lake.
Scott Baechler (St. Catharines) is on page 100-101 with his recipe for Steamed Ocean Shrimp, Crab and Lobster, inspired by the Maud Lewis painting, Untitled [Fishing Boat at Low Tide}.
CFWI chef professor Michael Olson and part-time professor Ted Reader are also featured in the Ontario chapter of the cookbook. Olson (Welland) is on pages 54-55 with his Eggplant Caponata recipe, inspired by Jean Paul Riopelle’s La Tique.
Reader (Toronto) of Ted’s World Famous BBQ is on pages 58-59 with his Fire-Roasted Rotisserie of Duck recipe, inspired by Franklin Carmichael’s Autumn.
Purchase your copy
The full-colour 132-page limited edition publication is available for $30 at the museum retail stores, on the Museums of Canada website www.museumsofcanada.com/site/shop/detail/2867 as well as at the NC bookstore and the Wine Visitor + Education Centre.
