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Winnipeg Free Press
24-06-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg high schoolers make history as first team from outside Quebec to win national finals at inter-school cooking competition
A group of local high schoolers are savouring the sweet taste of victory. Earlier this month, five student chefs from Gordon Bell High School made history as the first team from outside Quebec to win the national finals of La Tablée des Chefs Canadian Culinary Competition, an inter-school cooking contest now in its 12th year. 'It's a great honour,' says Matea Thiessen-Unger, who shares the win with her Grade 10 and 11 classmates Sebastian Salter, Avery Van Solkema, Yevhen Zinchenco and Cailyn Olshevski. TABLÉE DES CHEFS PHOTO The award-winning Kitchen Brigade team, from left: Matea Thiessen-Unger, Cailyn Olshevski, Yevhen Zinchenco, Avery Van Solkema and Sebastian Salter. The competition is the grand finale of Kitchen Brigades, an extracurricular program designed by La Tablée des Chefs to foster an interest in cooking and healthy eating among secondary students across the country. Over the past year, 20 students have taken part in the Gordon Bell's Kitchen Brigades program, which includes 40 hours of hands-on cooking experience over the course of 24 themed workshops led by human ecology teacher Benita Luey Goertzen and local chef Patrick Royandoyan. 'The whole premise is to get students to eat less out of packages, cans and boxes, and be able to make great food with simple ingredients,' Luey Goertzen says. Every Second Friday The latest on food and drink in Winnipeg and beyond from arts writers Ben Sigurdson and Eva Wasney. Olshevski signed up for Kitchen Brigades to explore the creative side of cooking and learn how to make a nice meal for friends and family. Zinchenco and Van Solkema joined because they liked eating and wanted to expand their cooking skills beyond instant ramen noodles. Everyone got more than they bargained for. The five students were selected to compete in the culinary competition for their aptitude and teamwork. Of the 350 Canadian schools participating in Kitchen Brigades this year, 174 entered the competition phase, with the five finalists determined by a series of regional contests. TABLÉE DES CHEFS PHOTO The student chefs from Gordon Bell High School made history earlier this month as the first team from outside Quebec to win the national finals of La Tablée des Chefs Canadian Culinary Competition, an inter-school cooking contest. The Gordon Bell team travelled to Montreal in early June to face off against four schools from Quebec in a Chopped-style timed cooking competition complete with a bag of mystery ingredients. While the students were initially excited by their assigned items — Brussels sprouts, turnips and beef strip loin — they quickly learned their plan to make beef tartare was a no-go. 'It was too easy and it didn't show how you're able to cook things,' explains Olshevski. After a brief brainstorming session, they settled on a new direction: a medium-rare butter-basted steak, served with a Brussels sprout and turnip purée, tomato and onion confit, asparagus and potato chips. The team was awarded the top prize — a trophy topped with sculptural spoons and spatulas — for their technical skills, creativity and strong team spirit. The students credit their win to friendship and solid communication. 'Communication is absolutely vital. You need to get all of these things done, but you need to do them perfectly,' says Van Solkema, who was responsible for planning, plating and cooking the protein, along with Zinchenco. Salter took care of the vegetable prepwork, Thiessen-Unger kept the group organized and Olshevski handled the starch. TABLÉE DES CHEFS PHOTO Gordon Bell's winning dish was a medium-rare butter-basted steak, served with Brussels sprouts and turnip purée, tomato and onion confit, asparagus and potato chips. After winning nationals, the group returned to Montreal last week to compete in an international event against students from Paris. While the results weren't what they hoped, the Gordon Bell team is feeling far from disappointed heading into summer vacation. 'I think it was kind of good that we lost in internationals because we've got motivation for next year to compete and be better,' Zinchenco says, adding the group got to eat at a Michelin-starred restaurant and explore Montreal during their recent visit. All the students are looking forward to returning to Kitchen Brigades next school year and some are considering a culinary career in the future. Either way, they've picked up cooking skills that will serve them well. 'I feel like (these skills) are going to be really helpful for whenever we get our own places and have to buy and make our own food,' Olshevski says. Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Cision Canada
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Cision Canada
La Tablée des Chefs: Manitoban Team Wins the 12th Edition of the National Kitchen Brigades Finals
MONTREAL, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The national finals of Kitchen Brigades, an initiative by La Tablée des Chefs, were held on June 8 at the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) in Montreal. After a hard-fought final round, Gordon Bell High School from Winnipeg, Manitoba, claimed top honours—marking the first time in the program's history that a school outside Quebec has won the title. During the competition, the five finalist brigades (four from Quebec and one from Manitoba) were challenged to create a main dish featuring three mystery ingredients: Brussel sprouts, white turnips and beef strip loin. Their dishes were then evaluated by a panel of expert judges. The winning team stood out thanks to its exceptional mastery of technical skills, remarkable creativity and strong team spirit. Hosted by celebrity chef Ricardo, the event featured the special presence of Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, who came in person to meet and encourage the young participants. Looking ahead, the Kitchen Brigades international finale will be held in Montreal on June 21 at Sid Lee's bistro. In a friendly culinary face off, Manitoba's winning team will go head-to-head with the champions from La Tablée des Chefs France, composed of students from the Collège Jean Jaurès, in Pantin, a suburb of Paris. Quotes "The entire team at La Tablée des Chefs is thrilled by the victory of Gordon Bell High School's kitchen brigade. Our ' Kitchen Brigades' initiative is far more than just a culinary program; it's a life-changing journey. I hope that the recognition earned by a school outside Quebec will inspire other secondary schools across the country to join this remarkable initiative, which fosters both food autonomy and team spirit among participants." - Jean-François Archambault, founder and General Manager of La Tablée des Chefs This year, nearly 350 school groups from across Canada took part in the after-school " Kitchen Brigades" program. Among them, only 174 schools entered the competition phase, with just five advancing to the National finals. Throughout the year, participating youth received close to 40 hours of hands-on culinary training, delivered through 24 workshops that combined technical cooking skills with healthy eating education. About La Tablée des Chefs
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
La Tablée des Chefs: Manitoban Team Wins the 12th Edition of the National Kitchen Brigades Finals
MONTREAL, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ - The national finals of Kitchen Brigades, an initiative by La Tablée des Chefs, were held on June 8 at the Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) in Montreal. After a hard-fought final round, Gordon Bell High School from Winnipeg, Manitoba, claimed top honours—marking the first time in the program's history that a school outside Quebec has won the title. During the competition, the five finalist brigades (four from Quebec and one from Manitoba) were challenged to create a main dish featuring three mystery ingredients: Brussel sprouts, white turnips and beef strip loin. Their dishes were then evaluated by a panel of expert judges. The winning team stood out thanks to its exceptional mastery of technical skills, remarkable creativity and strong team spirit. Hosted by celebrity chef Ricardo, the event featured the special presence of Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk, who came in person to meet and encourage the young participants. Looking ahead, the Kitchen Brigades international finale will be held in Montreal on June 21 at Sid Lee's bistro. In a friendly culinary face off, Manitoba's winning team will go head-to-head with the champions from La Tablée des Chefs France, composed of students from the Collège Jean Jaurès, in Pantin, a suburb of Paris. Quotes "The entire team at La Tablée des Chefs is thrilled by the victory of Gordon Bell High School's kitchen brigade. Our 'Kitchen Brigades' initiative is far more than just a culinary program; it's a life-changing journey. I hope that the recognition earned by a school outside Quebec will inspire other secondary schools across the country to join this remarkable initiative, which fosters both food autonomy and team spirit among participants." - Jean-François Archambault, founder and General Manager of La Tablée des Chefs This year, nearly 350 school groups from across Canada took part in the after-school "Kitchen Brigades" program. Among them, only 174 schools entered the competition phase, with just five advancing to the National finals. Throughout the year, participating youth received close to 40 hours of hands-on culinary training, delivered through 24 workshops that combined technical cooking skills with healthy eating education. About La Tablée des Chefs La Tablée des Chefs's mission can be summed up in just two words: feed and educate. Feed today to fight against food insecurity. Educate youth to help them build food autonomy. Since its founding in 2002, the organization has distributed over 21 million cooked meals to community organizations and introduced more than 79,000 young people to cooking and healthy eating. To learn more, visit: SOURCE Tablée des Chefs View original content to download multimedia: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Winnipeg high school culinary team wins national championship
The Kitchen Brigade Team at Gordon Bell High School poses for a photo during the La Tablée des Chefs Canadian Culinary Competition in Montreal on June 9, 2025. (Submitted: Gordon Bell High School) A Winnipeg high school's cooking team has won a competition crowning them champions of the kitchen. The Kitchen Brigade team at Gordon Bell High School was named national champion at the La Tablée des Chefs Canadian Culinary Competition over the weekend, defeating top student chefs across the country. Grade 10 and 11 students Cailyn Olshevski, Matea Thiessen-Unger, Yevhen Zinchenco, Avery Van Solkema, and Sebastian Salter were the first team outside of Quebec to win the national championship in 13 years. 'It was amazing; we're really excited,' Van Solkema said. 'I'm really proud of our teammates,' Zinchenco said. gordon bell high school The Kitchen Brigade Team at Gordon Bell High School poses after winning the La Tablée des Chefs Canadian Culinary Competition in Montreal on June 9, 2025. (Submitted: Gordon Bell High School) The competition is similar to cooking shows like 'Chopped,' where the teams receive a basket of mystery items and are tasked with creating and cooking a meal in a one-hour time limit, incorporating those ingredients into the dishes. 'You have no room for mistakes, and you always have to be in the kitchen, no distractions or anything,' Zinchenco said. 'You have to be locked in.' Gordon Bell High School The Kitchen Brigade Team at Gordon Bell High School works in the kitchen during the La Tablée des Chefs Canadian Culinary Competition in Montreal on June 9, 2025. (Submitted: Gordon Bell High School) (lamich) In the final round, the Gordon Bell team received a turnip, a sirloin steak and Brussels sprouts as ingredients. Their first idea for the dish was shot down by judges. 'We wrote down steak tartare because we had been practising that, and as they saw us writing it down, they said, 'Sorry, no steak tartare allowed,'' Van Solkema said, noting the dish would be considered too easy for teams to make. The group pivoted and created a deconstructed summer salad with medium-rare steak, potato chips, and a Brussels sprout puree, along with a tomato confit. gordon bell cooking competition The deconstructed summer salad created by The Kitchen Brigade Team at Gordon Bell High School in the final round of the La Tablée des Chefs Canadian Culinary Competition in Montreal on June 9, 2025. (Submitted: Gordon Bell High School) (lamich) 'One of the judges said they had never seen the Brussels sprout puree, and it tasted amazing,' said Van Solkema. 'They also said they liked how many techniques we showed with our dish,' said Thiessen-Unger. The team will return to Montreal on June 21 to represent Canada in an international match against a school from Paris, France, an experience they're both nervous and excited for.
Global News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Winnipeg high school students cast a ballot in mock election
Students at Gordon Bell High School may not be old enough to vote in Monday's election, but they want to be prepared when their time comes. The school is one of many across Canada participating in Student Vote, a mock election to introduce them to the process. Grade 8 student Aaron-Marwinn Anoh said the process is 'preparing me for when I'm going to vote, and how I'm going to choose — what to look at, how to dig deeper and research on the people I'm voting for.' A group of students from Grades 7 to 9 have set up their social studies classroom like a polling station, complete with ballot boxes and private voting booths. They check the IDs of their fellow students, keep a list of electors, and monitor the voting process like Elections Canada workers do. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Wyatt Reyes, a Grade 7 student, is acting as the central poll supervisor in charge of initialling the ballots and tallying them on election day. He says they've been studying the parties and the local candidates so they can make an informed decision. Story continues below advertisement 'We've also been researching what the candidates believe in, what we believe in, and where we align with the parties.' Reyes says he developed an interest in politics from a young age, and he's not the only one. 'My parents have been really good about educating me on politics and what's going on in the world right now,' says Aubrey Di Lullo, in Grade 8. 'And I like debating and stuff, I like having debates.' Education, human rights and immigration are just a few of the issues they've been discussing in class, which will play into their decisions in the voting booth. Social studies teacher Alana Ollinger says the goal of Student Vote is to encourage critical thinking. 'I feel confident that these young people are going to be really engaged adults,' says Ollinger. 'They're engaged now, they're observing the world around them.' After the votes are tallied, they'll learn what kind of government Canada's students elected, down to how many votes each candidate received. And when they eventually cast a real ballot, the decision won't be so intimidating. 'It helps you know what to do instead of being clueless and having to rely on other people who can persuade your votes,' says Grade 7 student Adetooni Adegoke.
