In February, three U of T students got a chance to let their foodie flags fly: they took part in the annual Inter-University Student Iron Chef Competition, hosted at U of T for the first time. U of T executive chef James Piggott coached students Felipe Branco, Brettany Colette and Jordan Su in preparation for the high-pressure cook-off against teams from McGill University, University of Ottawa and University of Massachusetts Amherst.
On competition day, each team was given two-and-a-half hours to create an appetizer and a main course, incorporating ingredients that had only been revealed to them the night before. The U of T team’s main dish, an Indian-styled ramen, fell a bit short on flavour, according to the judging panel – but their gravlax (a cured salmon) drew unanimous praise, earning them the best appetizer prize.
Overall, the U of T chefs placed a close second behind UMass Amherst, the defending champions. “I’m very proud of my team,” says Colette. “They’ve taught me a lot, and I’m grateful for the experience.”
Watch: The Iron Chef 2017 finale
Recent Posts
U of T’s 197th Birthday Quiz
Test your knowledge of all things U of T in honour of the university’s 197th anniversary on March 15!
Work Has Changed. So Have the Qualities of Good Leadership
Rapid shifts in everything from technology to employee expectations are pressuring leaders to constantly adapt