OK Advanced students, show us what you've got....

Chef challenged our AM Advanced students today to put their knife skills on display. To accompany their duck l'orange, they had to turn out allumette (matchstick) potatoes, fluted mushrooms, tourneed parsnip, glazed carrot flowers and a garnish of bias-cut green onions, with buttered green beans alongside. To up the ante he also took away half of the prep tables that they would normally use.

Eat first with your eyes: Nelita's duck l'orange
is enhanced by her knife and presentation skills. 

Spinning veal into gold

 Chef Dan instructs on how valuable good butchery skills can be to the bottom line. 

With his gloved hand, Chef cuts carefully
around the knuckle and along the bone.  

The leg of veal was courtesy of Delft Blue Veal. The entertainment value was added by Chef Dan Notley. With practiced skill, a sharp knife and an alchemist’s outlook, he demonstrated how to transform a $200 primal cut into steaks, roasts and cutlets, and bits and bones for burgers, osso bucco, soup, stews, sandwiches and sauces. Those can translate to at least $1200 at the till in an upscale restaurant: not bad for a one-hour date with a skilled butcher. 

After the demonstration, this hindshank was braised for a couple
of hours until it was melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Ready. Set. Action ......

Murline Mallette, our fearless leader,
is comfortable in front of the camera.

Kevin takes time out from Cook Basic for a quick interview.

What would it be like to work in front of the camera? Our students got a quick taste last week when Liaison’s head office brought a video team to the Hamilton campus. Though the experience is not likely to qualify them for a stint on Hell’s Kitchen, you may just spot them on Liaison College’s YouTube channel.

Katy and Nuno push through their
exam as the camera rolls.

Katelyn picks up knife skill
tips from Chef Bill. 

The morning Cook Advanced class was in the midst of an exam in the kitchen, giving the videographers a chance to film their creations at the stove and on the plate. The Cook Basic class, meanwhile, were learning the difference between a brunoise and batonnet. Chef Bill demonstrated a variety of vegetable cuts that always challenge novice knife skills. He turned a few students loose to flute some unsuspecting mushrooms while the camera-shy amongst them tried in vain to dodge the frame.

Head office will be filming at all of the campuses in upcoming weeks. Check their website and YouTube channel in the months to come for their latest short clips on campus life.