Cooking By Degrees
Visit the new Cooking by Degrees website here:
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
Wilfrid Laurier

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

Chef Paolo Vasapolli
University of Windsor

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

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

Chef Christopher Ennew
Trent University

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

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

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

Chef Frederic Pouch
Sheridan College

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

Chef Colin Johnson
Queen's University

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

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

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

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

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

Chef David Jenkins
University of PEI

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

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

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