Heat at the kitchen: a culinary marathon

Jacob Bestard, a second-year student in the Culinary Arts program at Holland College, looked at the clock, ready to embark on a twelve-hour culinary marathon: entrees, main courses, and desserts, eight of each.

“Start!” said one of the chefs from the corner and Jacob hurried to cut the gigantic salmon in front of him. Earlier that morning, he had already prepared his station. The spices on place and his leather knife case on the left.

Before the competition commenced, strict instructions echoed through the room. Each contestant was to have a runner, an assistant only allowed to provide them with materials, their performance would be scored, as well as the competitor’s timing and menus. 

"Some of you will have a harder day than others because of the station..., get over it, it's a kitchen," Chef Andrew Nicholson declared.

Bestard filleted the fish for his entree, and the aroma of freshly cut seafood wafted through the air, mingling with the earthy scent of herbs and spices. At the station in front, Kevin Randall, another contestant, was bobbing his head up and down to the rhythm of a tune he remembered while preparing his dish.

“Ten minutes!” one chef yelled.

Bestard dusted his hands with flour and kneaded the dough. His runner, a second-year Culinary student from the Bahamas named Justin Johnson, helped him move the handle to get eight portions of pasta for the main course.

"I got everything on schedule, I got everything I want to do," Bestard exclaimed with a smile as the clock ticked with the obligatory 12:30 lunch break. He had already spent four and a half hours in the kitchen.

After the pause, the vigour continued. The judges, in silent observation, evaluated each competitor's performance. Bestard plated his dishes looking at the sketches he had prepared the night before. And, at 6:05 pm, the waitresses appeared to take on each course.

The competition continued for more than an hour, it lasted 12 hours straight. 

Every young chef was expectant of the results. Nicholson announced them at 8:00 pm.

A month before, Bestard won the Skills Competition organized by the Culinary Federation. He prepared four entrees and main courses in just one hour. Hence, the organization will fly him on an all-expenses-paid trip to the Culinary Federation National Conference in Edmonton, AB to represent P.E.I at the Young Chefs Competition on May 26-30.

This time, having come first in organization and cleanness, second in dessert and third for the appetizer, Bestard got the bronze medal with a margin difference from the first place of just two points.

His family, restaurant owners, was pretty supportive and will be watching the transmission when the competition happens. Also, the conference will give him not only the chance to represent P.E.I nationally but will also get him closer to his girlfriend, they have been in a long-distance relationship since starting his program at the Culinary Institute of Canada.

“I’m really proud ‘cause I put in a lot of hard work and creativity. It’s great to know that I’m doing something good, and it will be lots of fun because it’s what I love to do” he said. “I’ll start practicing a few times per week once I get the list of ingredients.”