For the "A Feu Vif" version of this newsletter, click HERE
|
|
Welcome to the October issue of the “Hot Off the Grill” Culinary Federation Newsletter!
We hope this message finds you all having had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones, and fully embracing all the fall season has to offer.
|
|
October is here and we are excited to celebrate International Chefs Day! The official date is October 20th, but we know our members celebrate throughout the month and we want to see what fun activities you get up to, teaching the next generation about “Growing A Healthy Future”. If you’re hosting an ICD activity, be sure to tag us @CulinaryFederation #ICD2022 so we can reshare! We recently talked all things ICD on our latest Sysco’s Virtual Kitchen Chefs in the Field Episode, if you missed it, you can tune in here
|
|
It’s hard to believe that 2022 is coming to close, but it’s almost that time of year to renew your Culinary Federation membership for 2023. Watch your email next month for a notification of when renewals will open on the website.
From November 26 to 30, our Youth Team and National Community Catering Team will be headed to compete in Luxembourg at the Culinary Olympics. We are so proud of them and wish them the very best!
|
|
And here is the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Thank you to everyone who participated in September’s National Chicken Challenge with the Chicken Farmers of Canada. We had an overwhelming rate of participation from our membership, with some amazing recipes shared. A huge congratulations to the following winners: |
|
Chicken Farmers of Canada put together a slideshow of some of the amazing submissions, you can check it out here
|
|
As always, the National Board, Administrative Team and I will continue to do our best to work hard for the membership in the coming year. If there is anything you want to discuss regarding the Culinary Federation and your membership experience, please contact me at president@culinaryfederation.ca
Thank you sincerely,
Ryan Marquis
National President
|
|
Our friends at The GenWell Project have extended a free offer for CF members to tune in (virtually) to the first annual Canadian Human Connection Conference October 25th and 26th. This conference will have speakers from across Canada and around the world who are working to raise awareness about the growing issue of social isolation, disconnection and loneliness in our society, and the role that social connection and social health can play in solving for our disconnected world.
The founder, Pete Bombaci, who spoke at our Saskatoon conference, wanted to extend this FREE access to our members as part of the continuing effort to keep us all connected in our places of work and in our homes, streets and communities as well.
|
|
Prosciutto di Parma: The Tradition & History Behind the Iconic Dry-Cured Ham |
|
In a three part newsletter series, Prosciutto di Parma will educate, inspire and provide tips on how to incorporate and use this iconic dry-cured ham in dishes and menus. In the first edition, Prosciutto di Parma will take us back to its rich history, the governing body who protects it and explain more about the all important Ducal Crown. |
|
Knowing where the products you’re buying and cooking with are from gives you a better appreciation of its uniqueness and quality, but more importantly it tells a story. For Prosciutto di Parma, their story includes a deep history and tradition that is ingrained in every one of their legs. |
|
Did you know?
- Prosciutto di Parma’s unique, savoury-sweet flavour is a result of minimal natural ingredients and a slow, long aging process of at least 400 days.
- Prosciutto di Parma is 100% natural, guaranteed with no additives, such as nitrites and nitrates.
-
Prosciutto di Parma is one of few dry-cured hams awarded the elite Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status from the European Union, which certifies high quality European foods that are produced using traditional methods in a specific geographical region.
|
|
Strong History
The production of genuine Prosciutto di Parma is the story of a special relationship between man and nature. Its history dates back to ancient Roman times when, in 100 BC, Cato the “Censor” first mentioned the extraordinary flavour of the air-cured ham made around the town of Parma in Italy; the legs were left to dry, greased with a little oil and could age without spoiling, leading to a tasty meat with a pleasant flavour.
|
|
Production Area
Prosciutto di Parma can only be produced in Parma, using pigs born and raised on approved farms in North-Central Italy. The flavour of Prosciutto di Parma is a distinct reflection of the quality of the pigs and the sweet air of the region. Prosciutto di Parma can be produced only in the gently rolling hills of Langhirano, south of Parma.
|
|
The Crown
During the final quality test, an independent inspector pierces the ham in several locations with a traditional horse bone needle, sniffing after each puncture. If the ham possesses the sweet-savory fragrance typical of Prosciutto di Parma, it is fire branded with the world-famous, five-pointed Parma Crown, which identifies it as genuine Prosciutto di Parma. The Ducal Crown on pre-sliced packages is also an indication that you are purchasing the authentic Prosciutto di Parma.
|
|
Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma
Although Prosciutto di Parma has been produced for more than 2,000 years, the Consorzio was founded in 1963 to protect and promote Prosciutto di Parma throughout the world. Since then, the Consorzio has grown into a family of 150 producers supplying around 9 million hams annually to markets all over the world. Today’s producers carry on a tradition that has been passed down through generations, ensuring every Prosciutto di Parma is regulated by strict laws that define the quality and characteristics represented by the Parma Crown branded on each ham.
|
|
In next month's newsletter, Prosciutto di Parma will focus on how to store, handle and slice this one-of-a-kind dry-cured ham. |
|
Chef of the Month ...
Rahil Rathod, CF Vancouver
|
|
|
|
Rahil found his passion for food at a very young age. Born in Gujarat, India he has always seen his family come together on several occasions where food was a very important part of family gatherings.
After graduating from Hospitality Management in Edinburgh, Scotland he was eager to learn, further his knowledge, fine tune his skills and had the privilege of working in one of the best five-star hotels in Dubai, UAE which helped him hone his culinary skills as a young cook and develop himself into a professional chef.
Moving to Canada, which is now Rahil’s forever home, he is currently an Executive Chef at the Cactus Club Cafe in Vancouver, showcasing Canadian Cuisine.
Rahil has a love for spices and in his spare time is expanding his knowledge, learning to pair them well as each combination has a beautiful unique flavour profile and further researching on the history of Indian cuisine and spices so as to bring those flavours and pair it with the local seasonal products of Canada.
To date, Rahil has taken part in numerous competitions worldwide where he represented UAE and Canada and has won over 50 medals and trophies. In 2018 he represented Canada at the Global Chef Challenge in Malaysia, where he placed Canada in the 6th position and won "Best Veal Dish" in the world. He is a team Captain for the Senior National Culinary Team which represented Canada for IKA Olympics in 2020 where he and his team were placed 8th in the world with two Silver Medals. Currently his team and he are pumped up for the next upcoming culinary competition in 2024 and looking forward to bringing home gold medals.
|
|
Young Chef of the Month ...
Athige Nishaly Sahasra Silva, CF Edmonton
|
|
|
|
My name is Athige Nishaly Sahasra Silva, a 21-year-old woman born and raised in a small suburban town in Sri Lanka to a tight-knit family of four. Being the youngest in a family of successful and independent people has set a high standard for me since early childhood that has remained prominent in my attitude towards work-life and school pursuits. My father has been an employee of Sri Lankan Airlines Catering for the last 15+ years, where he has gained notoriety for his work as a Sous Chef, whereas my mother has been teaching and helping children through her career as a high school teacher, primarily focusing on math, science, and English. Having been blessed with an elder sister, she is one of the people I’ve looked up to most in countless situations, she currently occupies a position as a merchandiser at one of the leading apparel companies back in Sri Lanka. Ever since childhood, we have both been entranced by our father’s culinary skills and the home lessons he would teach us. Through the years we have gradually picked up on many of his tactics and hands-on techniques as well as his enthusiasm for cooking. Furthermore, I was also taught by my paternal grandmother and my aunt who were expert bakers well-reputed in my hometown. We learned much about baking and decorating cakes and pastries from them and picked up the knack for specialized plating and artful cooking.
During my years of school, I held a parallel passion for another vocation, that being aviation, the idea of traveling to other countries and experiencing their culture held great sway in my mind and was similarly influenced by the peer pressure from my peers, however that mindset changed quickly soon after my first attendance at the Asian Chef’s Guild Competitions/ Exhibition in Sri Lanka. That day, I was inspired to become a qualified and outstanding professional in the food industry. Upon arriving in Canada, I continued my studies in Culinary Arts at NAIT. Through a lot of hard work and dedication I was able to secure consecutive years on the Dean's Honour List at NAIT in Edmonton. I graduated with a Culinary Art Diploma with Honours in the Spring of 2022 and soon after started my current job as a student Food Research Assistant at NAIT.
Though I have completed my degree, I don't believe myself finished studying the art of food. I will continue to improve my culinary repertoire and strive to master the culinary arts. I believe that it is essential to diversify the footprint of Canadian cuisine and I believe that my background is best suited for sharing such an under-represented culture, and one which could greatly influence Canadian culinary for the better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
