Photo: Contributed

An Okanagan College culinary student has cooked her way to Italy.

Erin MacDougall, a Level 2 apprentice culinary student, won an all-expenses paid trip to Italy in OC's Road to Riccione Cook-off.

Four finalists had to prepare meals in front of a crowd of friends, family and judges.

The students designed and prepared their own Italian-themed menus, including a main entrée featuring arctic char and a dessert, all in a little over two hours. They were also given a surprise ingredient – eggplant – just before they took to their stations in the kitchen.

“It’s an amazing feeling to see that my hard work and training has paid off,” says MacDougall. “I was totally shocked when I found out I’d won.”

Her dishes consisted of oak crusted arctic char, mushroom risotto, sautéed eggplant, seared asparagus heads, fennel, citrus slaw and golden beets laid onto of a vibrant spread of asparagus coulis. For her dessert, she presented crepes with a lemoncello lemon curd, whipped mascarpone, macerated raspberries and candied hazelnuts.

The competitors were judged on their technical skills, station organization, safety and sanitation by OC Culinary Arts instructors Chef Stuart Klassen and Chef Geoffrey Couper. The final dishes were then judged on presentation, timing, doneness, innovation, textures and portion sizes during a blind tasting by OC’s Chef Jim Armstrong, Sysco’s Chef Brent Durec and former owner and chef of Gray Monk restaurant, Chef Willi Franz. 

“We saw some well-thought out and beautifully presented dishes during today’s competition,” says Armstrong. “The competition was very close, and we commend each student for their passion, guts, dedication and hard work.”

MacDougall will be joined in Riccione in early October by the winner of another competition hosted by the Okanagan Chef’s Association. Joined by Armstrong and Chef Mike Barillaro, they will tour a prosciutto factory, watch culatello and parmesan being made, learn about balsamic vinegar and more.

“I am so excited to travel to Italy,” says MacDougall. “This is a life-changer for me.”

The chefs will also prepare a traditional Canadian thanksgiving dinner at the renowned Hotel Belvedere in Riccione.

MacDougall is currently completing her co-op term at downtown Kelowna's Sunny’s Modern Diner.