For two aspiring chefs, Paul Kane High students Brandon Elias and Joseph Fletcher, their goal of attending culinary school just received a big boost.
The two Grade 12 students just won an all-expenses scholarship – books, tuition and knife set – to attend NAIT's three-year culinary apprenticeship program. Only four scholarships were awarded.
The formal announcement was made at the 2018 High School Culinary Challenge Awards Dinner held on Monday, March 12 at the Shaw Conference Centre.
“It was so crazy. I couldn’t sit down. I kept walking around the room smiling. These last two weeks were really stressful waiting to see if I got the scholarship,” said the chatty Elias.
Fletcher, a quiet individual, reacted with a muted shock at the wonderful news.
“Then it clicked and I was very excited,” said the junior chef.
“If I didn’t get the scholarship, I’d have had to take a year off and I’d be going in 2019. I’d have had to save up a long time to pay off school and a knife set.”
Elias and Fletcher were eligible to apply for a scholarship due to their participation at the 11th annual High School Culinary Challenge (HSCC) on Feb. 10.
Fifteen teams from across Edmonton and region competed to create a three-course dinner. They were judged on preparation, timing, sanitation, taste and presentation.
Although the young chefs received the opportunity to apply for a scholarship through the cooking challenge, it did not play a part in the scholarship selection.
Committee co-chair Paul Campbell stated that applicants were selected based on their volunteer work, references from teachers or other chefs, and an interview in front of a six-chef panel.
“Brandon was quite energetic and very focused. He knew it was what he wanted to do. Whether he got the scholarship or not, he was going to continue cooking. It is his passion,” said Campbell.
“Joseph, on the other hand, was quiet and soft-spoken. From a chef’s perspective, that goes a long way. You know he’s going to learn as much as he can.”
Both Paul Kane students have a passion for gastronomy and were encouraged at an early age to parlay their talents into a profession.
Elias, for instance, started cooking at home by age nine and was hired to work at St. Albert Boston Pizza at 13.
After three years, Elias needed a fresh challenge and cooked at Sturgeon Valley Golf Club before moving to the trendier Cactus Club.
“I love getting in the kitchen, putting on a hat, and mixing something up. Cooking always makes me happy and I want to learn more,” Elias said.
Fletcher joined the Sturgeon Valley Golf Club team two years ago where he met Elias.
“When Brandon and I first met, we discovered we had the same personality. We get the same jokes. We clicked instantly.”
Although the duo has talked about possibly opening a restaurant in the future, Fletcher has no plans to leave the golf club.
“The people are fantastic. It truly is the people that make the job great.”
