Cooking By Degrees

 

Visit the new Cooking by Degrees website here:

https://cookingbydegrees.ca

Where Canada’s top college and university chefs share their favourite recipes.

Across the country, college and university chefs feed thousands and thousands of students every day… even during a pandemic. For chefs and students, it’s all about nutrition, quality and affordability.

For an institution’s integrity, food services are vital and growing in importance. Students say the reputation of an institution’s food service highly influences their decision to apply for admission there.

In fact, the drive for hospitality excellence has slowly sparked a campus food revolution in Canada, resulting in institutions hiring some of the most skilled chefs around.

The Toronto Star has teamed up with the Canadian College and University Food Service Association to offer Cooking By Degrees, the chefs’ favourite recipes, for readers to make at home.

Chefs from each institution have shared a recipe that highlights quality Canadian ingredients — and is easy to make. Every feature includes the chef’s profile, the recipe of choice and a photo of the finished item, and some background about the key commodity in the recipe.

The features for Cooking By Degrees are written by journalist Owen Roberts, an award-winning agri-food communications specialist and immediate past-president of the 5,000-member International Federation of Agricultural Journalists.

Through Owen’s interviews, the chefs explain how they developed their menu item, and underline their commitment to nutritious, quality, affordable Canadian food.

Photos by Vijay Nair | Executive Chef, University of Guelph

Recipe preparation & testing by Jason Hill | Sous Chef, University of Guelph

CCUFSA liaison by Mark Kenny | Senior Manager, Procurement, Planning & Operations | University of Guelph

Writing & stories by Owen Roberts | Lecturer and Director | Dr. Jim Evans Agricultural Communications Initiative University of Illinois

Chef Cory Armitage

Chef Cory Armitage

Wilfrid Laurier

For Wilfrid Laurier chef Cory Armitage, dishes like his Beef Vindaloo are a great way to experience different cultures without going anywhere

Read More

Chef Paolo Vasapolli

Chef Paolo Vasapolli

University of Windsor

University of Windsor chef Paolo Vasapolli has become a campus celebrity with meals like his Chianti-stained pappardelle

Read More

Chef Kristian Crossen

Chef Kristian Crossen

Western University

Western University chef Kristian Crossen is a big fan of boneless short ribs, a less-expensive beef cut with what he calls “amazing” marbling

Read More

Chef Christopher Ennew

Chef Christopher Ennew

Trent University

Trent chef Christopher Ennew’s flavour-packed braised beef brisket makes a wonderful meal — more than once

Read More

Chef Russell Weir

Chef Russell Weir

Algonquin College

Algonquin chef Russell Weir’s pot roast is the perfect fare when home cooks are weather bound and have time to braise and prepare gravy

Read More

Chef Johnny Bridge

Chef Johnny Bridge

University of British Columbia

UBC chef Johnny Bridge uses flank steak for his student-budget accessible version of the trendy and pricey Wagyu Katsu Sando sandwich

Read More

Chef Frederic Pouch

Chef Frederic Pouch

Sheridan College

Sheridan chef Frederic Pouch nods to his heritage with a traditional French dish that’s fresh, healthy and accessible

Read More

Chef Colin Johnson

Chef Colin Johnson

Queen's University

Queen’s University chef Colin Johnson enjoys the challenge of cooking for a global palate

Read More

Chef Vijay Nair

Chef Vijay Nair

University of Guelph

University of Guelph chef Vijay Nair’s dish of spicy beef chuck, coconut and curry leaves is based on an Indian delicacy from his native Kerala

Read More

Chef Javier Alarco

Chef Javier Alarco

University of Waterloo

University of Waterloo chef Javier Alarco brings his Peruvian heritage and values to a melt-in-your-mouth dish that’s healthy, affordable and sustainable

Read More

Chef James McFarland

Chef James McFarland

University of Saskatchewan

University of Saskatchewan chef James McFarland’s crowd-pleasing steak sandwich is topped with garlicky greens and charred tomatoes

Read More

Chef Paul Hoag

Chef Paul Hoag

McMaster University

Start a new Sunday supper tradition with McMaster chef Paul Hoag’s hearty recipe based on a delicious but rarely used cut of beef

Read More

Chef Jerome D'Souza

Chef Jerome D'Souza

Humber College

Humber culinary director Jerome D’Souza’s wheat and flank steak stew stuffed into a naan makes a perfect meal-on-the-go

Read More

Chef David Jenkins

Chef David Jenkins

University of PEI

Cape Breton native, Chef David Jenkins brings together both worlds for Not-your-grandmother’s beef stew.

Read More

Chef Chris Hillier

Chef Chris Hillier

University of Victoria

University of Victoria chef Chris Hillier’s recipe for a campus favourite begins with bottom round flat steak that’s braised overnight

Read More

Chef Roberto Valencia

Chef Roberto Valencia

NAIT

Northern Alberta Institute of Technology chef Roberto Valencia, a native of Mexico City, brings his nation’s heritage to the table

Read More